Peter Clay Eklund, 64, of Boalsburg, died Saturday, Aug. 15, 2009, at home with his family after a courageous battle with cancer. He was born June 7, 1945, in New York City, son of the late Harry and Vera Eklund. He was married on June 17, 1967, to Karen L. Mueller, in Escondido, Calif.
Peter grew up in southern Calif. and attended the University of California at Berkeley, from which he graduated in Physics. After working one year for Lockheed Missile and Space Co. in Sunnyvale, Calif., he left for graduate study at Purdue University. There he carried out his Ph.D. research in Solid State Physics under Professor J.M. Honig and the late Prof. L.L van Zandt. His post-doctoral training was obtained at MIT under the guidance of Prof. Mildred S. Dresselhaus and Dr. Gene Dresselhaus.
In 1977, Peter joined the University of Kentucky as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics; he became a Full Professor in 1986. He was awarded the prestigious University of Kentucky Research Professorship in 1998 for his contributions to graduate education and research discoveries in carbon materials. Sept., 1999, he left Kentucky to join the Physics Department at Penn State University, University Park Campus. In 2002, he was also invited to join the faculty of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. He was honored to be a Distinguished Professor of Physics and Materials Science and Engineering. Peter had the pleasure of guiding over 26 Ph.D. thesis students and 11 M.S. students since 1983. Most of his students are employed in either industrial research and development or in university faculty positions throughout the United States. Professor Eklund's research group is internationally recognized for the discovery of the photopolymerization of fullerenes, the application of reflectance spectroscopy to study graphite intercalation compounds and their staging phenomena. His group obtained the first definitive study that identified the phonons responsible for superconductivity in alkali-metal doped fullerene compounds. Along with collaborators at MIT, they were the first to demonstrate the utility of vibrational spectroscopy in characterizing the fundamental properties of several classes of carbon materials, including fullerenes and carbon nanotubes.
Peter co-authored over 300 manuscripts in refereed journals and more than 20 chapters in research monographs. With co-inventors, he has three US Patents and five US patents pending. He was active in Topical Conference Organization and was an invited speaker in numerous international symposia. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and a member of the American Carbon Society, the Materials Research Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Peter is a co-author of the first comprehensive research monograph on fullerenes and carbon nanotubes, The Science of Fullerenes and Carbon Nanotubes (Academic Press, 1996), written with Mildred and Gene Dresselhaus. He is a co-editor (with former student Prof. A.M. Rao) of the research monograph Fullerene Polymers and Fullerene Polymer Composites (Springer-Verlag, 2000). Peter participated in the initialization and early development of three small research and development businesses involving (1) computer-generated camouflage patterns that can be printed on textiles (PhotoStealth, Inc.), (2) laser-driven synthesis of nanoparticles and coatings (ICMR, Inc.), and (3) the large-scale production of bundles of single-walled carbon nanotubes (CarboLex, Inc.). ICMR moved from Lexington, Ky. to Silicon Valley, and with venture capital ICMR evolved into Nanogram, Inc. located in Fremont Calif.; Nanogram was recently reorganized as NeoPhotonics, Inc. Prof. Eklund is a co-founder of Nanogram/NeoPhotonics. Both CarboLex and NeoPhotonics are still actively engaged in the research and development of new nano-materials.
Throughout his distinguished career Peter was recognized with the following honors and awards: Japan Carbon Award, a lifetime achievement award; the American Carbon Society Graffin Award; University Research Professorship, University of Kentucky; American Physical Society Fellow; and visiting/honorary professorships in the Chemistry Dept, Nankai University, Tianjin, China; Physics Dept, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan; Electrical Engineering Dept, Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan; Physics Dept, Tokyo Science University, Tokyo, Japan; visiting scientist at the Solid State Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn. Peter always enjoyed challenges. He was in his glory while trying to understand the stories being told through experimental data and interacting with his colleagues as well as his research team of dedicated post doctoral students and graduate students.
When not working, Peter could be found in a rousing tennis match. He competed in singles for many years, in later years he concentrated on doubles matches with talented friends many times resulting in a tournament win or runner-up. When not on the tennis court, Peter could be found on a golf course in a league or with friends – he always had a golf tale to share. Recently, he had begun to create and renovate furniture in his woodworking shop. In the winter months he would spend hours lovingly working with wood.
In addition to his wife, Karen, he is survived by his two sons, Gregory, of Islamorada, Fla. and his wife, Lynn and Bryan, of Evergreen, Colo. and his wife, Bylee; and four grandchildren, Alexa, Ashley, Iris, and Nils. He is preceded in death by his parents, Harry Eklund and Vera Eklund.
Peter was greatly admired all over the world for his scientific creativity and his engaging personality, his breadth of interests, his sensitive character, and quick wit. He lived life to the fullest working and playing with enthusiasm. He will be remembered as a man of many talents and a mischievous grin.
Peter was a faithful member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church where a celebration of life memorial service will be held in his honor at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009, 109 McAllister St., State College, with Pastor Eric Shafer officiating. A reception will follow in the church social room. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made for cancer research at Fox Chase Cancer Center, 333 Cottman Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19111. ATTN: Dept of Institutional Advancement. Website: www.fccc.edu