ECE Professor Receives 2015 Distinguished Scholar Award

As more and more people suddenly filled the small conference room in Dreese Laboratories Friday, Ohio State University Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) professor Dr. Steven Ringel knew something was up.

When Ohio State University President Michael Drake and entourage filed in too, Ringel was finally let in on the secret. In a surprise ceremony, he was named a 2015 OSU Distinguished Scholar.

Specifically, the award touches upon Ringel’s scholarly activities in wide bandgap semiconductors and photovoltaics, as well as his leadership of the OSU Institute for Materials Research (IMR) and, most recently, as the Principal Investigator of the Materials and Manufacturing for Sustainability Discovery Theme Initiative.

ECE faculty and staff, members of Ringel’s research group, as well as President Drake, College of Engineering Dean David Williams, Vice President for Research Carol Whitacre, and Senior Associate Vice President for Research Jan Weisenberger all spoke about Ringel’s accomplishments in research and in propelling Ohio State to excellence in materials-allied research.

“You now join an elite group of faculty at Ohio State,” Drake said. “Your energy and dedication to the university community are really appreciated.”

The Distinguished Scholar Award, established in 1978, recognizes exceptional accomplishments by senior professors who have compiled a substantial body of research. The award is supported by the Office of Research. Recipients are nominated by their departments and chosen by a committee of senior faculty, including several past recipients of the award. Distinguished Scholars receive a $3,000 honorarium and a research grant of $20,000 to be used over the next three years.

“I wondered what was going on at first,” Ringel said about the surprise, adding with a laugh, “Then I remembered I had seen one of these before.”

Ohio State administrators said the award touches not only upon the quality of research Ringel has conducted in the past, but also of the achievements they know are coming in the future.

Having the $20,000 fund, Ringel said, allows his students to continue their research work in a “flexible way.”

Dean Williams commended Ringel. He said the award “truly reflects the quality of work he puts into everything he does.”

ECE Chair Joel Johnson added his congratulations.

“This is the top research recognition award at OSU,” he said. “(Ringel’s) contributions to research in electronic materials, to the university, the IMR and the department, are outstanding and make us all very proud.”