Tomorrow’s breakthroughs in advanced materials for microelectronics and green energy systems will be presented starting Sunday at the  2012 Physical Electronics Conference held at UT Dallas.

Dr. Yves Chabal

Heading the conference is Dr. Yves Chabal, chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

The conference, hosted by the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, will draw experts from throughout North America and the world on the cutting edge of research into the physics and chemistry of surfaces and interfaces.

“Most of the work presented is unpublished, so attendees have a leg up on what’s coming next in the field,” said Dr. Yves Chabal, chair of the conference and head of the department.

The winner of the Nottingham Prize, given for the best paper based on PhD thesis work, will be chosen during the event. The prize represents a seminal honor, since winners often become leaders in the field of surface science.

As such, more than 50 percent of conference attendees are students.

“Student attendees can get a glimpse of the future of the field,” said Chabal, holder of the Texas Instruments Distinguished University Chair in Nanoelectronics. “The conference is also a chance for the work being done at UT Dallas and in our neighboring high-tech companies to be showcased. I think that the attendees will be impressed with the caliber of work on surfaces and interfaces being conducted here.”

The conference starts Sunday and ends Wednesday. For more information, visit the UT Dallas Physical Electronics Conference website.