“There’s no more important time in history when you could be working and training to make a difference. Never have engineers & scientists had the opportunity to shape the world’s technology in the way they have right now.”
― Dr. John D. Cressler
John D. Cressler received his B.S. from Georgia Tech in 1984, and his Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1990. In 2002, he joined the faculty at Georgia Tech, and is currently Schlumberger Chair Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
The basic thrust of Cressler’s research is to develop novel micro/nanoelectronic devices, circuits and systems for next-generation applications within the global electronics infrastructure. He and his team attempt to break the business-as-usual mold in this field and re-imagine the way electronics in the 21st century can and should be practiced. He and his students have published over 600 scientific papers in this field. He has graduated 45 Ph.D. students during his academic career. He was elected Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in 2001 for his research contributions, and was awarded the 2010 Class of 1940 W. Howard Ector Outstanding Teacher Award (Georgia Tech's top teaching award), the 2011 IEEE Leon Kirchmayer Graduate Teaching Award (the IEEE’s top graduate teaching award), and the Class of 1934 Distinguished Professor Award (the highest honor Georgia Tech bestows on its faculty).
One of Cressler’s passions is speaking on technical topics to non-technical audiences, and this began in earnest with the release of Silicon Earth, which introduces microelectronics and nanotechnology and their societal impact to general audiences (and is also used in an UG course open to all majors). He is in the process of introducing a new course, Science, Engineering and Religion: an Interfaith Dialogue, which will also be open to all majors.
He considers teaching and mentoring of young people to be his life’s work, with his writing a close second.
Cressler’s books include:
Silicon-Germanium Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors
Reinventing Teenagers: the Gentle Art of Instilling Character in Our Young People
Silicon Heterostructure Handbook
Silicon Earth: Introduction to the Microelectronics and Nanotechnology Revolution
Extreme Environment Electronics