Richard W. Siegel is the Robert W. Hunt Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and the Director of the NSF-Funded Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center for Directed Assembly of Nanostructures. He is a pioneer in the field of nanotechnology. His research focuses on the synthesis and processing, characterization, properties, and applications of nanostructured materials, including ceramics, metals, composites, and biomaterials. He has published over 260 articles, edited 10 books, and has presented over 470 invited talks worldwide on nanotechnology and related areas. He has received several international awards including an Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Senior Research Award (1994), a RIKEN Eminent Scientist Award (2001), and a Deutsche Bank Prize (2003). He is a charter member of the Giant Screen Cinema Association.