Steven P. DenBaars

Steven P. DenBaars is an American material scientist, electrical engineer, and academic. He is a professor of Materials and Electrical and Computer Engineering, and the executive director of the Solid State Lighting and Energy Electronics Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is also a Fellow of National Academy of Inventors (NAI), and was selected as a Member of National Academy of Engineering (NAE) in 2012 for contributions to gallium nitride-based materials and devices for solid state lighting and displays. Education DenBaars received his bachelor's degree in Materials and Metallurgical Engineering from University of Arizona in 1984. He was selected as the outstanding senior in metallurgical engineering, and valedictorian of his class. He then enrolled at University of Southern California, and earned his master's degree in materials science, and a Doctoral degree in Electrical Engineering in 1986 and 1988, respectively. Career DenBaars started his academic career as a research assistant at the University of Southern California Compound Semiconductor Laboratory in 1984. Following this, he held appointment as an assistant professor in Materials Department in 1991, and was promoted to associate professor in 1994, and became a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1998. DenBaars also held administrative appointments in his career. He served as an executive director at Solid State Lighting and Display Center from 2002 till 2007, and at Solid State Lighting and Energy Center from 2007 till 2014. He currently serves as an executive director of Solid State Lighting and Energy Electronics Center.