Clockwise, from top left, Professors Alyosha Molnar, James Hone, and Kenneth Shepard, and PhD Candidates Michael Lekas, Sunwoo Lee, and Changhyuk Lee.

The miniaturization of electronics continues to create unprecedented capabilities in computer and communications applications, enabling handheld wireless devices with tremendous computing performance operating on battery power. This same miniaturization of electronic systems is also creating new opportunities in biotechnology and biophysics.

Distinguished Columbia Engineering alumna Alicia Abella MS'93, MPhil'94, PhD'95 has been awarded the University Medal for Excellence, which will be presented to her May 22 at Commencement. The Medal for Excellence is awarded annually and bestowed on an outstanding Columbia graduate under the age of 45.

Illustration of butterfly departing from graphene moiré pattern formed on the top of atomically thin boron nitride substrate. Electron energy in such graphene moiré structure exhibits butterfly like self-recursive fractal quantum spectrum.

The World Economic Forum has inducted Soulaymane Kachani, vice dean of Columbia Engineering and a professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, into its 2013 class of Young Global Leaders. The new class of nearly 200 individuals represents top leaders under the age of 40 who hail from 70 different countries and a wide range of sectors, including business, government, civil society, arts and culture, academia, and media. Kachani is one of six academics selected this year. 

Leading climatologist Mark Cane, professor of applied physics and applied mathematics, has been recently elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). Cane is one of 84 new members and 21 foreign associates from 14 countries to join the prestigious academy that recognizes distinguished and continuing achievements in original research and is one of the highest honors accorded to a U.S. scientist or engineer.