Elizabeth Podlaha-Murphy

POTSDAM – Elizabeth Podlaha-Murphy, a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Clarkson University, has received the Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) Sustainable Future Award for her research on environmentally friendly semiconductor manufacturing.

The annual award recognizes researchers who thoughtfully incorporate sustainability into work that advances the semiconductor industry while conserving resources, reducing costs and moving new technologies into practical use.

Podlaha-Murphy shares the award with Jihoon Seo of Hanyang University. They were recognized for research exploring safer alternatives to some of the chemicals traditionally used to manufacture semiconductors, which are essential components in everything from smartphones and computers to cars and medical devices.

Podlaha-Murphy says corrosion inhibitors play an important role in the chemical mechanical polishing process used in semiconductor manufacturing, but some of the traditional chemicals present environmental challenges.