Rajiv Singh, Ph.D., professor emeritus in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering (MSE) at the University of Florida, is among the 2021 class of inductees into the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame. Dr. Singh taught at MSE for 30 years and retired in late 2020. He is a Fellow of IEEE, AAAS, the Materials Research Society and the American Physical Society.  

Dr. Singh was selected for his breakthroughs in advanced semiconductor processing and innovative processing of next-generation materials, including chemical mechanical polishing for electronic materials commonly used to manufacture smartphones, advanced silicon carbide electronics, 5G communications and more.  He is one of the original developers of pulsed laser deposition and holds 26 U.S. patents. 

“Rajiv Singh gifted the world with materials enhancement for electronics and communications that businesses and citizens cannot live without today,” said Cammy R. Abernathy, dean of the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering. Michele V. Manuel, chair of the MSE department at the University of Florida states, “Dr. Singh is a highly gifted innovator and educator.  The commercialization and global use of his inventions illustrate the power of advanced technological, university-based research branching and connecting to products with profound societal benefits. It’s what drives our engineering faculty.” 

Hall of Fame inductees, who must have at least one U.S. patent and a connection to Florida, were nominated through an open nomination process and elected by a selection committee composed of distinguished leaders in research and innovation throughout the state. 

“I am honored to receive this prestigious award,” Dr. Singh said. “New electronic materials have always fascinated me. Inventing faster, cheaper and better manufacturing methods to utilize them has been my passion for the past 30 years.” 

The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame was recognized by the Florida Senate in 2014 “for its commitment to honoring inventors and celebrating innovation, discovery, and excellence.” The Hall of Fame is located at the University of South Florida in Tampa and is supported, in part, by the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. 

This year’s Florida Inventors Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Gala was scheduled for November 5 but has been postponed until February 11, 2022.