A. Catrina Coleman facts for kids

Ann Catrina Coleman (born in 1956) is a smart Scottish electrical engineer. She is a professor at the University of Texas at Dallas. She is an expert in semiconductor lasers, which are tiny lasers made from special materials.

Dr. Coleman is also a leader in the Photonics Society. This group helps people who work with light and optics. She has helped organize big science conferences about lasers and light.

About Ann Catrina Coleman

Early Life and Education

Ann Catrina Coleman was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1956. She went to St. Stephen's Primary School. Later, she attended Notre Dame High School in Dumbarton.

She studied physics at the University of Glasgow. She earned her first degree in 1978. After that, she trained to be a teacher at St. Andrews College of Education. She taught high school physics for two years. Then, she went back to the University of Glasgow. She earned her PhD in physics in 1987.

Her Work and Research

After getting her PhD, Dr. Coleman stayed at the University of Glasgow. She joined a special group there. This group worked with optoelectronics. This field combines light and electronics.

She became a research assistant. Later, she became a research fellow. She and her team are famous for their work. They created tiny electronic circuits. These circuits use light and are made from special materials. They are called photonic integrated circuits.

In 2012, Dr. Coleman moved to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She worked in their Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory. A year later, in 2013, she joined the University of Texas at Dallas. There, she became a professor. She teaches electrical engineering and materials science.

Awards and Recognition

Dr. Coleman has received many important honors. In 2008, she became a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. This was for her work on devices that combine light and electronics. In 2009, she also became a fellow of the Optical Society of America. Being a "fellow" means you are recognized as a top expert in your field.

In 2006, she won a special award. It was the Engineering Achievement Award from the IEEE Photonics Society. She shared this award with J.H. Marsh. They won for their work on quantum well intermixing. This is a way to make better photonic devices.

Dr. Coleman has written over 100 scientific papers. She has also given more than 40 presentations. She is a respected leader in her field.