Our most important asset is our staff (over 20 scientific and technical experts, along with administrative professionals), with nearly 600 years of combined nanofabrication experience. We provide on-site user guidance, advice, training, and process support so that our users can always be at the cutting edge of research.
We love inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers. An important part of being the faces of real live scientists/engineers is the CNF Outreach Ambassadors, made up of experienced CNF users. Through the CNF Youth Outreach Program, CNF Outreach Amabassadors have a great outlet for sharing their love of science and helping out while also gaining valuable educational experience.
CNF Staff members coordinate the CNF Fellows program, made up of Cornell graduate students. This program provides a part-time fellowship that supplements their graduate research assistantships. Fellows provide information for current and future CNF users about new techniques, recipes, and procedures, and also current performance of tools such as etchers.
The CNF Executive Committee and the CNF External Advisory Board both guide and advise the CNF Leadership. The CNF Executive Committee comprises CNF staff and principal investigators from a wide range of research fields. While the CNF External Advisory Board comprises leaders with broad experience in industry, academia, and government.
And the CNF User Committee (consisting of users from Cornell University, External Academics, and Industry) collects feedback from all CNF users and makes its recommendations to the CNF Executive Committee and to CNF Staff and Leadership.
CNF Leadership consists of our faculty Lester B. Knight Director, the CNF Director of Operations, the CNF Associate Director, and the CNF Laboratory Manager.