Professor, Departments of Materials Engineering and Electrical & Computer Engineering
Research Director, Solid State Lighting & Energy Electronics Center
University of California, Santa Barbara
MConnex Webcast – View the talk live
Development of an efficient blue LED enabled a new source of bright white light that is ten times as efficient as today’s incandescent bulbs, and that lasts for 50 years.
Prof. Shuji Nakamura, Nobel Laureate in Physics for the invention of efficient, practical, blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs), will talk about his engineering breakthrough as well as the future of lighting in the 21st century.
With about 25% of the world’s electricity used for lighting, the impact of his work is global,and not just for highly industrialized countries. LEDs are so energy-efficient, they can bepowered by cheap local solar power, which brings the possibility of light to the 1.5 billion people who live and work off the energy grid.
During the 1970’s and 80’s, efficient blue and green light-emitting diodes (LED’s) were the last missing elements for solid- state display and lighting technologies due to the lack of suitable materials. By that time, III-nitride alloys were regarded as the least possible candidates due to various “impossible” difficulties. However, a series of unexpected breakthroughs in the 1990’s totally changed people’s perspectives, and in 1993, the first high efficient blue LEDs were invented and commercialized. III-nitride-based LEDs have become the most widely used light source in many applications. LED light bulbs are more than ten times as efficient as incandescent bulbs, and they last for 50 years! At their current adoption rates, by 2020, LEDs can reduce the world’s need for electricity by the equivalent of nearly 60 nuclear power plants. In this talk, the history of the invention of the blue LED and the future of lighting will be described.
Professor Shuji Nakamura is the 2014 Nobel Laureate in Physics for the invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes, which have enabled bright and energy-saving white light sources. He was born on May 22, 1954 in Ehime, Japan, and obtained B.E., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Tokushima, Japan in 1977, 1979, and 1994, respectively. He joined Nichia Chemical Industries Ltd. in 1979. In 1989, he started the research of blue LEDs using group-III nitride materials. In 1993 and 1995, he developed the first group-III nitride-based blue/green LEDs. He also developed the first group-III nitride-based violet laser diodes (LDs) in 1995.
Since 2000, he has been a professor of Materials Engineering and Electrical & Computer Engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Prof. Nakamura is the Research Director of the Solid State Lighting & Energy Electronics Center and The Cree Chair in Solid State Lighting & Displays. He holds more than 200 U.S. and 300 Japanese patents, and has published more than 550 articles. He co-founded Soraa, Inc. in 2008, which operates vertically integrated fabrication facilities in Silicon Valley and Santa Barbara, CA.
Via I-94 (Ford Freeway) |
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From Detroit and Metro Airport (heading West) |
Take I-94 West to the State Street exit (Exit 177). Turn right (north). Continue on State Street approximately 2 miles to the main campus area. The Michigan Union is on your left at the South State Street and South University Ave. intersection. |
From Chicago (heading East) |
Take I-94 East to the State Street exit (Exit 177). Turn left (north). Continue on State Street approximately 2 miles to the main campus area. The Michigan Union is on your left at the South State Street and South University Ave. intersection. |
Via I-75/US-23 |
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From Ohio (heading North) |
Take US-23 North to the Washtenaw-"Ann Arbor" exit (Exit 37B) and merge onto Washtenaw. At the fork in the road where Stadium Boulevard and Washtenaw Avenue split (approximately 2-3 miles), stay to the right on Washtenaw following the Hospital signs. Take a left at Hill Street (you'll see "The Rock"). Continue down Hill Street (campus buildings will be on your right). Take a right on State Street. Go two blocks. The Michigan Union is on your left at the South State Street and South University Ave. intersection. |
From Northern MI (heading South) |
Take I-75 South to US-23 South to M-14 WEST. Take Exit #3, "Downtown Ann Arbor,' this will become Main Street. Follow Main Street to William Street. Turn left at William Street. Continue down William Street until it ends at State St. Turn right on State Street. Go one block. The Michigan Union is on your right at the intersection of South State Street and South University Ave. |
I-275/I-696 (W.P. Ruether Freeway) |
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From Northwest Suburbs |
Take I-696 to I-275 South to M-14 West. Follow M-14 West signs closely. Take Exit #3, called Downtown Ann Arbor; this will become Main Street. Follow Main Street to William Street. Turn left at William Street. Continue down William Street until it ends at State St. Turn right on State Street. Go one block. The Michigan Union is on your right at the intersection of South State Street and South University Ave. |
I-96 (also called the Jeffries Freeway) |
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From Parts of Detroit, Redford, M-14, Plymouth and Canton |
Take I-96 to M-14 West. Follow M-14 West signs closely. Take Exit #3, called Downtown Ann Arbor; this will become Main Street. Follow Main Street to William Street. Turn left at William Street. Continue down William Street until it ends at State St. Turn right on State Street. Go one block. The Michigan Union is on your right at the intersection of South State Street and South University Ave. |
From Lansing |
Take I-96 to US-23 South to M-14 WEST. Take Exit #3, called Downtown Ann Arbor; this will become Main Street. Follow Main Street to William Street. Take a left at William Street. Continue down William Street until it ends at State St. Turn right on State Street. Go one block. The Michigan Union is on your right at the intersection of South State Street and South University Ave. |
There is metered parking available in front of the Union on State Street and behind on Thompson. Additional parking and transportation info.
If you need to catch a bus, please refer to the Google Transit Trip Planner on the Magic Bus site. This helpful website provides real time bus locations and routes to help connect you to where you need to go.
The William Gould Dow Distinguished Lectureship is the highest external honor bestowed by the Department, and recognizes the accomplishments of external individuals who have made outstanding contributions in the field of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. William Gould Dow (1895-1999), former faculty member and Chair of the Department, helped establish 13 laboratories and research units within engineering, wrote a classic textbook on electronics, and worked tirelessly to make Michigan the most advanced institution for advanced research in the world.
