The Texas A&M Research Foundation announced the recipient of the 2011 Jo Ann Treat Research Excellence Award at their Annual Councilor/Trustee Fall meeting held on December 9, 2011.  This year’s recipient is Dr. Alexei V. Sokolov, Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University.

Alexei Sokolov obtained an M. S. from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (1994), and a Physics Ph. D. from Stanford University (2001).  While at Stanford, Sokolov worked in Ginzton Laboratory under supervision of Steve Harris, and investigated quantum coherence effects in molecular systems, which lead to efficient generation of short pulses of light.  For the last 10 years, ever since completing his Ph.D., Dr. Sokolov has been on the Physics faculty here at Texas A&M.  Currently a Professor of Physics and Astronomy, he is a member of the Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering, and holds a Stephen E. Harris Professorship in Quantum Optics.  Dr. Sokolov ‘s expertise is in the field of laser physics, nonlinear optics, ultrafast science and spectroscopy.  His research interests’ center around applications of molecular coherence to quantum optics, ultrafast laser science and technology, including generation of sub-cycle optical pulses with prescribed temporal shape and studies of ultrafast atomic, molecular, and nuclear processes, as well as applications of quantum coherence in biological and defense-oriented areas.  Dr. Sokolov maintains a well-funded group; he has supervised a number of postdocs and graduate students who have won numerous student awards; his own awards include Adolph Lomb Medal (OSA, 2003) and Robert Hyer Award (Texas Section APS, 2007).  Sokolov is a Fellow of the Optical Society of America (OSA); among his many professional activities, he serves as an adviser to the Texas A&M student chapter of OSA, since this chapter’s inception in 2008.

Dr. Sokolov received a $10,000 award, a commemorative plaque and will also have his name recorded on the JoAnn Treat commemorative glass vase displayed in the Research Foundation lobby.