Davis, Robert F. (Robert Foster), 1942-

Davis received his B.S. in Ceramic Engineering from North Carolina State University, an M.S. at Pennsylvania State University, and a Ph.D. from The University of California, Berkeley. He came to North Carolina State University in 1972 and continues (as of 2008) to serve as a professor in the Materials Science and Engineering Department.

From the description of Robert F. Davis papers, 1932-1992 [manuscript] (North Carolina State University). WorldCat record id: 495726786

Robert F. Davis is a native of Liberty, North Carolina . He received his Bachelor of Science in Ceramic Engineering (1964) from North Carolina State University, Masters of Science in Ceramic Engineering (1966) from Pennsylvania State University and his Doctorate in Ceramic Engineering (1970) from University of California - Berkeley . After graduating, Davis worked as a research scientist at Corning Glass Works in Corning, New York and in 1972 joined the faculty of North Carolina State University.

Davis' honors and awards for teaching include: the Alumni Distinguished Graduate Professor, (1995) and the Distinguished Lecturer of the Troisieme Cycle de la Physique en Suisse Romande (1995). His honors and awards for research include: the ALCOA Award for Research Performance in a Given Year (1983), American Ceramic Society Fellow (1984), ALCOA Distinguished Research Award (1987), NCSU Alumni sponsored Outstanding Research Award (1990), Kobe Steel Ltd. Distinguished University Professor (1993), ORNL Excellence in Publications Award (1993), Richard M. Fulrath Memorial Award - American Ceramic Society (1997), Collegiate Inventor of the Year (1999), R.J. Reynolds Award for Excellence in Teaching, Research and Outreach (1999) and Davis was a fellow of the North Carolina Japan Center. One of Davis' most recognized achievements was being elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) in the 2000-01 year for contributions in the development of silicon carbide and group III-nitrides as practical electronic materials for devices. An election to the academy remains one of the highest professional honors bestowed in the engineering disciplines. He was among 74 engineers and 8 foreign associates awarded NAE memberships that year. The award recognizes significant contributions to engineering theory and practice, and for pioneering advances in new and developing technologies.

Davis is internationally known with over 200 national and international publications ranging from articles to edited books. He has written in publications in Brazil, Canada, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, People's Republic of China, Portugal, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Yugoslavia/Slovenia. He also has over (50) fifty patents, patent applications and invention disclosures related to his field of Ceramic Engineering. His extensive research has led to collaborative efforts with a variety of departments, corporations and government agencies.

His research interests include the growth and characterization of semiconductors, ceramic thin films and ceramic coatings (for severe environments), kinetics and mechanisms of creep in ceramic materials, growth of unique pseudomorphic films, atomic layer epitaxy, metal-ceramic interface chemistry and adhesion science of metal, metal and ceramics and the mechanisms of plastic deformation in high technology ceramic materials. Davis' research teams have worked on projects that focus device-related research, the actual fabrication, characterization and control of working electronic, optoelectronic and electrical equipment and research involving coatings for employment as storage capacitors for next generation electrical vehicles, thermal and erosion barriers on selected components of turbine engines and for containing radioactive wastes.

From the guide to the Robert F. Davis Papers, 1932 - 1992, (Special Collections Research Center)