The distinguished professor title recognizes outstanding academic contribution to the University. This special academic title is bestowed upon a limited number of professors who are leaders in their fields of research or creative activity and who have demonstrated significant accomplishments with respect to teaching, research or creative activity, and service.
Venkatraman Gopalan
Distinguished professor of materials science and engineering, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
Venkatraman Gopalan’s work in materials science spans ferroelectrics, multiferroics, nonlinear optics, symmetry and group theory, and semiconductor technologies. His scholarship has redefined the boundaries of materials science and enabled first-of-their-kind optoelectronic devices. He also is professor of physics at Penn State, associate head for graduate education, and chair of the Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Materials Science and Engineering. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Ceramics Society.