Physics Careers Seminar by Dr. Frank Lederman, Wednesday, Oct. 17

The Fall 2012 Physics Careers seminar series continues on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012 with alumnus Dr. Frank Lederman:

Time: 11 a.m. on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 (refreshments served at 10:30 a.m.)

Location: 204 Loomis Laboratory (Interaction Room)

Title: Thinking of Your Career as a Physicist: Scientific Research in Industry

Speaker: Dr. Frank Lederman, Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Alcoa (ret.)

Abstract: The presenter will show how your physics education can help you approach your career. He will use examples from challenges he faced, including those as technology manager and strategist. He will describe the environment for doing research in industry, including key differences from academia. He will discuss factors for success and failure, as well as how scientists are measured.

Bio: From 1995 until his retirement in 2002, Dr. Frank Lederman served as Vice President and Chief Technical Officer of Alcoa Inc., a world leader in the production and management of aluminum (primary, fabricated and alumina), where he had over all responsibility for global research, development, and engineering, including the 950-member Alcoa Technical Center. He was also a member of the Corporate Executive Council, Alcoa's internal board for reviewing the results and plans of each business unit. From 1988 to 1995, Dr. Lederman served as Senior Vice President of Technology for Toronto-based Noranda Inc., formerly a diversified natural resources conglomerate. His responsibilities included directing the Noranda Technology Center in Montreal. Dr. Lederman was with General Electric Company from 1976 to 1988, beginning as a physicist, where he led the development of GE's first medical ultrasound system. He also held a number of management positions, including manager of electronics research programs and resources at the Corporate R&D Center in Schenectady, N.Y. Dr. Lederman received a B.S. in Mathematics and an M.S. in Physics from Carnegie-Mellon University, as well as an M.S. and Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Illinois, and he was a post-doctoral fellow in electrical engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. Over the past 20 years, he has served on numerous advisory boards and panels at universities and government laboratories.

You can see the rest of the Fall 2012 Physics Careers Seminar series here: http://physics.illinois.edu/events/seminars.asp?cal=4014