Eugene A. Fitzgerald

Eugene A. Fitzgerald is the Merton C. Flemings SMA Professor and Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT, and serves as CEO and Director of the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART). His research focuses on overcoming material limitations in electronic systems, particularly lattice-mismatched semiconductors and defect elimination. Fitzgerald co-founded multiple companies, including AmberWave Systems Corporation, and pioneered strained silicon technology widely used in modern electronics.

• Education:
• BS in Materials Science and Engineering, MIT (1985)
• PhD in Materials Science, Cornell University (1989)

His research interests span semiconductor innovation, nanoelectronics, and advanced manufacturing techniques. Fitzgerald’s work has enabled breakthroughs in silicon integrated circuits and solar cell technologies. Under his leadership, SMART’s Low Energy Electronic Systems program developed methods to integrate compound semiconductors into silicon circuits, spawning new industries in Singapore.

Awards:

• 2016: Distinguished Alumni Award (Cornell)
• 2011: Andrew S. Grove Award (IEEE)
• 2004: George Smith Award (IEEE)
• 1994: Robert Lansing Hardy Award

Entrepreneurship & Impact: Co-founded 7 companies in semiconductors, water purification, and solar tech. Authored Inside Real Innovation (2010), analyzing innovation processes.