News from the Chair

Tara Drake has been awarded the AFOSR Young Investigator Award

UNM Physics Assistant Professor Tara Drake was awarded an Air Force Research Laboratory's Young Investigator Research Program Grant in Fall 2021.

The title of the project is Visible Kerr-microresonator Frequency Combs: Extending microcombs to shorter wavelengths using refractory metal oxides.

Frequency Combs have become crucial tools for precision measurement in the past 20 years, with applications in a wide variety of scientific contexts from biology to astronomy.  Prof. Drake's project promises to advance our knowledge of the optimal designs for microcomb devices at needed optical wavelengths.

YIP recipients receive a three year grant totaling $450,000.  

See the announcement here.

About the Award

The objective of the Young Investigator Research Program is to foster creative basic research in science and engineering, enhance early career development of outstanding young investigators, and increase opportunities for the young investigators to recognize the Air Force mission and the related challenges in science and engineering.

In 2021, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) received over 175 proposals in response to the AFOSR YIP Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) solicitation, FOA-AFRL-AFOSR-2021-0006. Thirty-six YIPs were awarded.

Congratulations Dr. Drake!