The Alfred R. Cooper Session and the invited Cooper Distinguished Speaker highlights the spirit of the late Professor Alfred R. Cooper. Dr. Cooper was for many years a member of the faculty at Case Western Reserve University and a prominent contributor to the understanding of many glass phenomena and glass problems. He had a particular interest in fostering careful analytical thinking in young people as part of their education, and encouraged them to seek rigorous quantitative solutions to glass research issues. The session’s purpose is to encourage and recognize undergraduate students who have demonstrated excellence in research, engineering, and/or study in glass science or technology. The lectures are presented during the GOMD Cooper Session at MS&T each year. Donations to the Cooper Fund are always welcome.
The Cooper Session Distinguished Speaker is invited by the GOMD Program Committee in consultation with the GOMD Chair.
Award Winners
Lothar Wondraczek
Professor Wondraczek is Chair of Glass Chemistry II at the Otto Schott Institute of Materials and Research (OSIM) and coordinates the DFG priority program 1594. He is Chair of the committees Glass Transition of the International Commission on Glass (ICG) and Glasses and Optical Materials of the Germany Society of Materials Research, and is also council member of the German Society of Glass Science and Technology.
Prof. Wondraczek‘s research activities span all areas of experimental glass science with particular focus on the exploration and development of new glass and glass ceramic compositions and surface modification techniques. His main thrusts are the optical and mechanical properties of multi-component oxide, oxynitride and oxyhalide materials. He is exploring structure-property relations with the ultimate objective of providing topology-based tools for the description of noncrystalline solids.
Research interests include:
- Glasses for applications in optics and energy technologies
- Photoluminescence, magneto-optical materials, and fiber optics
- Relaxation processes in complex systems