Professor Aris Christou is a distinguished faculty member at the University of Maryland, holding professorships in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and the Graduate Program in Reliability Engineering. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1971 and has established himself as a leading expert in materials science, semiconductor reliability, and device physics. As President of the Federation of Materials Societies in Washington D.C. and an IEEE Fellow, Professor Christou has made significant contributions to both academia and industry. Professor Christou's research spans multiple cutting-edge areas including Compound Semiconductor Reliability, Physics of Failure, Device Physics and Modeling, Electronic Materials, Flexible Electronics and Displays, Biomolecular Sensing, and New Device Development. His work focuses on understanding degradation mechanisms in electronic materials and devices, with particular emphasis on reliability issues in compound semiconductors like GaAs and GaN. He has pioneered research in flexible electronics, graphene applications, and reliability of LEDs for medical applications. His laboratory, the Laboratory for Reliable Nanoelectronics, is equipped with advanced facilities for semiconductor device process development and reliability testing. Professor Christou's recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on reliability engineering across multiple platforms. His work bridges fundamental materials science with practical applications in flexible electronics, semiconductor devices, and photonics. A significant portion of his research addresses electromigration, fatigue properties of novel materials, and physics of failure mechanisms in next-generation electronic devices. His expertise spans from theoretical modeling to practical implementation in real-world applications. Professor Christou has received numerous prestigious awards throughout his career: 2012 Micro & Nano Scientific Society Award 2010 iNEER Award for Engineering Education 2007 ASM Burgess Memorial Award 2006 FMS Recognition Award 2004 iNEER Award for Achievement on International Engineering Education and Research 1999 University of Maryland Invention of the Year Award 1993 Fellow of the IEEE 1987 Millenium Medal from the University of Bologna Professor Christou has been actively involved in mentoring students and securing research funding. His recent Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Challenge Grant (2013) with Professor Pat McCluskey demonstrates his ability to secure significant funding for interdisciplinary research. He has served as an editor for multiple prestigious journals including IEEE Transactions on Device and Materials Reliability and IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices. His service extends to conference organization, with leadership roles in numerous international conferences on materials science and semiconductor reliability. At the University of Maryland, Professor Christou directs the Laboratory for Reliable Nanoelectronics, a state-of-the-art facility equipped with UHV Atomic Layer Deposition systems, high density plasma etch tools, and advanced analytical equipment. This laboratory supports research in semiconductor device process development, test structure design for reliability, and reliability measurements. The lab has been instrumental in advancing research in graphene electronics, flexible displays, and reliability of compound semiconductor devices.
