The Youngest Professor in USA is Indonesian

Nelson Tansu Professor achieve a degree in the field of Electrical Engineering in the United States before the age of 30 years. Because his last name similar to the name of Japan, many Japanese petinggi the mengajaknya “return to Japan” to Japan. But Prof. Tansu says if he is the holder of the passport berlogo green Garuda Pancasila. However, he would not return to Indonesia. Why?

Nelson Tansu, Ph.D.

Nelson Tansu was born in Medan, 20 October 1977. Graduates from high school Sutomo 1 Medan. Was a finalist team in the Physics Olympiad. Reaching Bachelor degree from Wisconsin University in the field of Applied Mathematics, Electrical Engineering and Physics (AMEP), which ditempuhnya only in 2 years 9 months, with the predicate and Summa cum laude. Achieve a degree and a Master in the same field, and achieving the title of Doctor (Ph.D) in the field of Electrical Engineering at the age of 26 years. She confessed her parents only pay up to its undergraduate course. The rest, he was able to reach a scholarship from Doktorat degree. He is also the first person who became Professor at Lehigh University working place now.

Thesis Doktorat got its award as “The 2003 Harold A. Peterson Best ECE Research Paper Award” defeated 300 other Doktorat thesis. In total, he has received 11 scientific award in the international level, have been published over 80 papers in various international journal and is currently visiting professor at 18 universities and research institutions. He is also active as an invited speaker at various international events in the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia.

Because his name is similar to that of former Prime Minister of Turkey, Tansu Çiller, and also the Japanese name is similar, Tansu, the Turkish and Japanese membajaknya many who try to “go home”. But he always explains that he is Indonesian. Up to now he still holds the green passport berlogo Garuda Pancasila and does not become citizens of the United States. He said Indonesia’s love. However, the view that the atmosphere is very supporting research in the United States, he says would not go home and work on Indonesia. Nothing, we must akui that Indonesia is too small for scientists sekaliber Prof.. Nelson Tansu.

He also stated that in the United States, scientists and lecturers is a highly respected profession in the community. He does not see such things in Indonesia. He menyatatakan that the award for scientists and lecturers in India is low. See only the income obtained from the campus. Not enough to pay for the family researcher / lecturer. As a result, a teacher must take other jobs, as a consultant in the private sector, teaching at many universities, and sebagianya. Thus, a lecturer does not have time to research and create melakkukan scientific publications. How can universities Indonesia known abroad if it does not ever result in international scientific publications?

Prof. Tansu also explains that in the U.S. or Singapore, the salary of a professor is 18-30 times more than the salary professor in Indonesia. Meanwhile, the cost of living in Indonesia is cheaper 3 times only. But, he said is very reasonable, if a professor does not prefer to work in Indonesia. Call a professor or lecturer is to investigate and make a scientific publication, but how could he do if he was busy themselves “foraging”.

NELSON TANSU, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Information updated up to: May 2009
Office Contact Information
Nelson Tansu, Ph.D. Associate Professor Center for Optical Technologies Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering P. C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015, USA
Email: Tansu@Lehigh.Edu Phone: (610) 758-2678, Fax: (610) 758-2605
Research Group: http://www.ece.lehigh.edu/~tansu

Birth Place and Date
Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, & October 20th, 1977; US Permanent Resident

Educational Background
Fall 1998 – May 2003 University of Wisconsin-Madison Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Electrical Engineering (specialization area: Applied Physics) with distributed minors in Physics and Material Science Engineering
 WARF Graduate University Fellowships & VILAS Graduate University Fellowships
 The 2003 Harold A. Peterson Best ECE Research Award–1st Prize, and Graduate Dissertator Award
 Ph.D. Advisor : Prof. Luke J. Mawst,
 Dissertation Title: ‗Novel Quantum-Wells GaAs-Based Lasers for All Transmission Windows in Optical Communication‘.
 Ph.D. Committee Members: Prof. Luke J. Mawst (Chair), Prof. Dan Botez, Prof. Franz J. Himpsel, Prof. William N. G. Hitchon, and Prof. Zhenqiang (Jack) Ma.
Fall 1995 – Spring 1998 University of Wisconsin-Madison Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Applied Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, and Physics.
 Scholarships : Bohn Scholarships
 Honors: Graduate with Highest Distinction
Fall 1992 – Spring 1995 SMA Sutomo 1 (Medan, Indonesia) High School Diploma (with major in Physics) from Indonesia Ministry of Education
 Valedictorian of the Graduating Class-1995 (1/415 overall)

Professional Experiences (Since Summer of 1998)
May 2009 – Present Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA Associate Professor (with Tenure) of Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) & Center for Optical Technologies (COT) P. C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science
April 2007 – April 2009 Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA Peter C. Rossin (Term Chair) Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) & Center for Optical Technologies (COT) P. C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science
July 2003 – April 2007 Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) & Center for Optical Technologies (COT) P. C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science
June 1998- May 2003 University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA Ph.D Candidate, Graduate University Fellow, and Graduate Research Assistant Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Reed Center for Photonics, Ph.D. Advisor : Prof. Luke J. Mawst Fellowships: WARF Graduate University Fellowships & VILAS Graduate University Fellowships
Sept 1998 – May 2003 University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA Graduate Grader for various ECE classes
 ECE 745 (Advanced Semiconductor Devices Theory)
 ECE 743 (High Power Semiconductor Lasers)
 ECE 536 (Integrated Optics and Integrated Optoelectronics)
 ECE 335 (Semiconductor Devices)

And still many Awards & Honors Received.