John Parker

Outstanding Alumni Award 2006

• 1983 B.S., Physics, Northeastern Illinois University
• 1988 Ph.D., Physics, Purdue University

Dr. John Parker is R&D Manager/Director of Cabot Microelectronics. He earned his B.S. in Physics at Northeastern Illinois University in 1983.John has spent his career contributing to the commercialization of emerging technologies, predominantly focused in nanotechnology and entrepreneurial development. He was formerly employed at Argonne National Laboratory as a research associate before joining Nanophase Technologies Corp., where he served as co-founder and chief scientist and then as CTO/VP Technology and Manufacturing. In 1999, John was the director of engineering at Cirqon Technologies Corp., before joining Cabot in 2002. He holds nine US and international patents, has authored over forty technical and scientific publications, and contributed to two textbooks on nanotechnology. He organized and edited five Materials Research Society symposia on nanotechnology. John received the 1998 Entrepreneur of the Year award from the Research Directors Association and the 1995 R&D 100 Award presented by R&D Magazine (Cahners Publications).