Internationally recognized nanoscience researcher Richard Webb will become the first scientist hired under South Carolina’s $30 million endowed chairs program when he joins USC’s Nanocenter this summer.

Webb, a physics professor at the University of Maryland, has managed the quantum electronics program at IBM Corporation’s T.J. Watson Laboratory. While there, he won three Outstanding Technical Achievement awards, the American Physical Society's Buckley Prize, and the Simon Memorial Prize from Oxford University.

Funded through state lottery proceeds, the endowed professors program was created to attract top researchers to USC, Clemson, and MUSC. USC’s nanoscience program was awarded $4 million last summer through the program. That money must be matched by private funds, and interest from the endowment will be used to support Webb’s research.

“Richard Webb is not just going to complement what we’re doing, he’ll be the leader,” said Richard Adams, a USC chemistry professor and director of the Carolina Nanocenter.

“Nanoelectronics is the most important frontier in electronics, and Dr. Webb is at the top of his field. Local companies such as Kemet and AVX as well as global companies such as Intel and IBM are interested in his research areas.”

Webb’s scientific accomplishments include fabricating some of the world’s smallest electronic circuits, which could lead to a new level of miniaturization of future electronic devices. Current products based on research in his field include sensors used in diagnosing heart problems, monitoring internal faults or wear in structures containing metal, and in military or other surveillance tasks.

Webb’s membership in the prestigious National Academy of Sciences makes him the second researcher at USC to hold that distinction. Physics professor Yakir Aharonov is the school’s other member.

Harris Pastides, vice president for USC’s Division of Research and Health Sciences, said Webb’s impact on South Carolina’s economy should be “formidable” as his research is expected to bring large federal grants to the University’s burgeoning nanoscience program and attract more high-tech companies to South Carolina.

“Dr. Webb’s recruitment is consistent with our focused approach to increasing the excellence of USC’s research, learning opportunities, and participation in the economic development of the state,” Pastides said. “He will be transferring grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Security Agency, but these are modest "wins" relative to our future since his research is focused on computer electronics and information technology—segments that are among the fastest growing in the multibillion dollar electronics industry.”

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