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Graduate students at the LRC are benefiting from support by the lighting industry. An important part of the LRC’s mission is to educate future leaders in lighting. Through Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the LRC offers one-and-two-year master’s degrees and a doctoral degree. Three scholarships have been awarded this year.
“Support from the lighting industry is very important to our success,” said Mark Rea, the LRC’s director. “These forward-thinking companies recognize the value of educating tomorrow’s lighting industry leaders.”
During the 2007-2008 school year, scholarships have been awarded by the Alliance for Solid-State Illumination Systems and Technologies (ASSIST), Lutron Electronics Company, and W.A.C. Lighting. ASSIST (Alliance for Solid-State Illumination Systems and Technologies) is a consortium of researchers, manufacturers, and government organizations working together to identify and reduce major technical hurdles currently facing solid-state lighting. Lutron Electronics Company designs and manufactures lighting controls, architectural lighting control systems, and shading solutions. W.A.C. Lighting designs and manufactures track, recessed, monorail, under-cabinet, display, and decorative lighting.
“We appreciate the support from them,” said N. Narendran, the LRC’s director of research and head of its Solid-State Lighting program. “They are demonstrating their commitment to the future of lighting.”
The ASSIST Scholarship was awarded to Tianming Dong, a third-year Ph.D. student at the Lighting Research Center. Dong’s research is focused on understanding the thermal issues of high-power LEDs and developing thermal management strategies for LED light fixtures. “My goal is to optimize the thermal performance of LED lighting systems so that LEDs operate at the lowest possible temperatures,” explained Dong. “I am grateful to ASSIST for supporting my studies.”
Second-year student master’s student, Rui Qi was awarded the Lutron Scholarship. Qi’s research is focusing on the effects of light and lighting on human health. “I appreciate this opportunity to study and conduct research at the LRC,” said Qi, who prefers to be called Nancy. “I believe the LRC’s research in the field of light and health is on the cutting edge, and I am fascinated by the process of creating new theories from innovative ideas.”
The first recipient of the W.A.C. Lighting Scholarship is Yi-wei Liu, a second-year student in the MS in Lighting Program. His research in advanced lighting technologies will help the entire industry in advancing energy-efficient lighting. “I truly appreciate W.A.C. Lighting and its support of lighting education,” said Liu. “I look forward to joining the lighting industry in the future.”
More information
ASSIST Scholarship press release
Lutron Scholarship press release
W.A.C. Lighting Scholarship press release
About ASSIST
The Alliance for Solid-State Illumination Systems and Technologies (ASSIST), established in 2002 by the Lighting Research Center, seeks to advance the effective use of energy-efficient solid-state lighting and to speed its market acceptance. ASSIST is a collaboration between researchers, manufacturers, and government organizations. Its goal is to identify and reduce the major technical hurdles currently facing solid-state lighting. The LRC conducts research, demonstration, and educational activities for ASSIST.
ASSIST members include: Bridgelux; Cree; Federal Aviation Administration; GE Lumination (formerly known as GELcore); Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI); Lite-On; LED Effects; New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA); OSRAM SYLVANIA; Philips Lighting/Color Kinetics, now Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions; Photonics Cluster (UK)/The Lighting Association; Seoul Semiconductor; United States Environmental Protection Agency; and USG.
About Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
Founded in 1961, Lutron Electronics Co. is headquartered in Coopersburg, Penn. The company designs and manufactures lighting controls, architectural lighting control systems, and shading solutions for residential, commercial, and institutional applications. Lutron’s first product, the “dimmer switch,” was the world’s first solid-state electronic device for dimming lights in a home. Today, Lutron is still devoted to controlling lighting and offers more than 10,000 products for residential and commercial lighting.
About W.A.C. Lighting
Founded in 1984 by Tony and Tai Wang, W.A.C. Lighting designs and manufactures track, recessed, monorail, under-cabinet, display, and decorative lighting. The company is based in Garden City, N.Y., where it also operates one of two distribution centers; the other is in City of Industry, Calif. Its engineering, product development, and manufacturing operations are based in China. The company achieved ISO 9001 Certification in 2000. W.A.C. Lighting offers a renewed commitment to excellence in all facets of its business.
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Lighting Research Center, 21 Union Street, Troy, NY 12180 USA 
