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University of Toronto Researchers Team Up to Win New Brockhouse Canada Prize
Ottawa, Ontario, November 29, 2004 – The Honourable David L. Emerson, Minister of Industry, today announced that two University of Toronto professors, Dr. Sajeev John and Dr. Geoffrey Ozin, have won the first-ever Brockhouse Canada Prize for Interdisciplinary Research in Science and Engineering, worth $250,000, for research into the containment of light in crystals, a technology that is expected to be key to the future development of optical computers. An optical computer is a device that uses light beams, rather than electric current, to perform digital computations. Since an electric current flows at only about 10 percent of the speed of light, optical computers will be much faster and more powerful.
Dr. John, a theoretical physicist specializing in the behaviour and control of light, and Dr. Ozin, a materials chemist, have been working together for more than five years on the design and custom fabrication of crystals that can act as “light cages.” One such crystal is a silicon-based inverse opal material that traps light and causes it to pulsate back and forth within the crystal a quadrillion times a second. (A quadrillion is a million billion.)
“The cross-fertilization of ideas from the best and the brightest in different research areas offers much promise for new insights and innovation,” said Minister Emerson. “In an increasingly fiercely competitive global knowledge economy, such research cooperation offers our country an advantage that has the potential to deliver economic and social benefits for all Canadians.”
“Many of the most exciting research opportunities in science and engineering require the skills and insights of experts in two or more disciplines,” observed Tom Brzustowski, President of Science and Engineering Research Canada, the federal agency sponsoring the prize. “The work of professors John and Ozin, the first winners of the new Brockhouse prize, shows the dramatic potential for success found through interdisciplinary collaboration.”
In addition to highlighting Canadian success stories in interdisciplinary research, the new prize also honours Bertram Brockhouse. Dr. Brockhouse was a researcher at the Chalk River Laboratory of Atomic Energy Canada Ltd. and a professor at McMaster University, who won the 1994 Nobel Prize in Physics “for pioneering contributions to the development of neutron-scattering techniques for studies of condensed matter.”
Even today, the triple axis neutron spectrometer that he pioneered is used by thousands of researchers worldwide to study the structure of condensed matter. For example:
- in chemistry and medicine, neutrons are used to study the structure of new drugs;
- in biology, neutrons are used to study the structure of complex membranes, similar to cell walls; and
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in metallurgy, neutrons provide a non-destructive way to look inside alloys, even as they’re being cooled to a solid state.
The awards will be presented to the two winners on December 6 at a ceremony at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa. Marc Garneau, President of the Canadian Space Agency, will deliver the keynote address.
Science and Engineering Research Canada (more commonly known as NSERC) is a key federal agency investing in people, discovery and innovation. It supports both basic university research through research grants, and project research through partnerships among postsecondary institutions, government and the private sector, as well as the advanced training of highly qualified people.
For more information, contact:
Arnet Sheppard
Manager
NSERC Newsbureau
Tel.: (613) 995-5997
E-mail: axs@nserc.ca
Stéphanie Leblanc
Office of the Honourable David L. Emerson
Minister of Industry
Tel.: (613) 995-9001
Visit http://www.nserc.gc.ca/award_e.asp?
nav=brockhouse&lbi=current for more information on the Brockhouse Canada Prize for Interdisciplinary Research in Science and Engineering and Dr. Brockhouse’s life and achievements.
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