Prof. Nelson Tansu, PhD. is an expert in nanotechnology and optoelectronics

Prof. Nelson Tansu, PhD. is an expert in nanotechnology and optoelectronics
































Prof. Nelson Tansu, PhD. is an expert in nanotechnology and optoelectronics from Indonesia whose achievements are recognized internationally. Tansu was born in Medan, North Sumatra, on October 20, 1977. Graduates from High School 1 Sutomo Medan has won 11 awards and has eight patents in the field of nanotechnology and optoelectronics from the U.S. patent office.

Finalists Indonesian Physics Olympiad Team (TOFI) is the second child among three brothers  pair Iskandar Tansu and Lily Ow. Nelson both parents are university graduates in Germany and has a printing business in Medan. His brother, Tony Tansu, is a master of Ohio, USA. So is her sister, Inge Tansu, is a graduate of Ohio State University (OSU).

After graduating from high school, received a scholarship from Tansu Bohn's Scholarships for studying applied mathematics, electrical engineering, and physics at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, USA. In 1998 Tansu earned a bachelor of science taken in just over 2 years and 9 months with honors Summa Cum Laude. After that, he got a lot of scholarship offers from various universities in the United States.

Nevertheless, he chose to keep tuition at the University of Wisconsin and earned his doctorate in electrical engineering in May 2003. Doctorate Thesis - its in the field of photonics, OPTOELECTRONICS, and semiconductor nanostructires got the award as "The 2003 Harold A. Peterson Best ECE Research Paper Award" beat 300 other doctoral thesis. In addition, he received other awards such as WARF Graduate University Fellowships and Graduate Funding Award Travel Dissertator.

At the age of 25 was appointed a professor Tansu (professor) at Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, USA and directly teaching students at the master's level (S-2), doctorate (S-3), and even post-doctoral Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering . Tansu is the first Indonesian to be a professor at Lehigh University.

Success Tansu a professor at Lehigh University is not a coincidence. The world has acknowledged the work - his erudition. More than 174 journal publications and international scientific conferences (July 2009) on semiconductors, optoelectronics, photonics, and nanotechnology conferences and published in international scientific journals. Furthermore, Tansu is also an active speaker at various seminars on science and education in various countries. Wherever he goes, every man asked, Tansu always introduced himself as an Indonesian.

As a young scholar, he lives his life with no day without reading, writing, and doing research. Of course, he is also preparing materials and lectures for students. Busy rested on three areas namely, learning, teaching, and researching. During teaching on campus, because her face is still young, not a college man who regard it as an S-1 students or master's program.

Thanks to the remarkable achievements of Tansu, he was a target and instead "fight" among U.S. universities and abroad. Starting from a higher position offer nor a lucrative salary and facilities. Offer - the offer came from the U.S., Canada, Germany, and Taiwan as well as from college - college top. All came before and after the official Nelson taught at Lehigh University. But, things slip by. Nelson chose consistent, loyal, and committed to the university in Pennsylvania. But, of course there are other special considerations.

Nelson admitted choosing overseas universities as a place for scientific progress alone - the eyes of scientific climate there is very conducive. There he can take advantage of a complete laboratory facilities, access to information from the high-tech, and devoured books - new books in the library.

In April 2007 until April 2009, Tansu promoted to Peter C. Rossin (Term Chair) Assistant Professor at Lehigh University. Then in May 2009 until now, Tansu promoted to Associate Professor with tenure at Lehigh University. Position Professor with tenure is a lifetime position, and is usually only given to professors who have demonstrated high productivity and high-caliber research.

Apparently Indonesia still has a country boy who had equal intellectual ability, even higher than for any other country. Tansu has proven ability. Ability and mastery of knowledge can often be very high indeed raise achievement role and prestige of the nation and a country. Therefore, science is one of the instruments of civilization and cultural exploration. So, with that, a nation and the country will quickly reach social progress.



Prof Nelson Tansu, PhD. merupakan seorang pakar nanoteknologi dan optoelektronika asal Indonesia yang prestasinya diakui dunia internasional. Tansu dilahirkan di Medan, Sumatera Utara, tanggal 20 Oktober 1977. Lulusan terbaik dari SMA Sutomo 1 Medan ini sudah meraih 11 penghargaan dan memiliki delapan paten dalam bidang nanoteknologi dan optoelektronika dari kantor paten Amerika Serikat.

Finalis Tim Olimpiade Fisika Indonesia (TOFI) ini adalah anak kedua di antara tiga bersaudara buah hati pasangan Iskandar Tansu dan Lily Auw. Kedua orang tua Nelson adalah lulusan universitas di Jerman dan memiliki bisnis percetakan di Medan. Abangnya, Tony Tansu, adalah master dari Ohio, AS. Begitu juga adiknya, Inge Tansu, adalah lulusan Ohio State University (OSU).

Setelah menamatkan SMA, Tansu memperoleh beasiswa dari Bohn’s Scholarships untuk kuliah di jurusan matematika terapan, teknik elektro, dan fisika di Universitas Wisconsin – Madison, Amerika Serikat. Pada tahun 1998 Tansu berhasil meraih gelar bachelor of science yang ditempuh hanya dalam waktu 2 tahun 9 bulan dengan predikat Summa Cum Laude. Setelah itu, ia mendapat banyak tawaran beasiswa dari berbagai perguruan tinggi ternama di Amerika Serikat.

Walaupun demikian, ia memilih tetap kuliah di Universitas Wisconsin dan meraih gelar doktor di bidang electrical engineering pada bulan Mei 2003. Thesis Doktorat – nya di bidang photonics, optoelectronics, dan semiconductor nanostructires mendapat award sebagai "The 2003 Harold A. Peterson Best ECE Research Paper Award" mengalahkan 300 thesis doktorat lainnya. Selain itu, penghargaan lain yang diterimanya antara lain WARF Graduate University Fellowships dan Graduate Dissertator Travel Funding Award.

Pada usia 25 tahun Tansu diangkat menjadi guru besar (profesor) di Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, USA dan langsung mengajar mahasiswa di tingkat master (S-2), doktor (S-3), bahkan post doctoral Departemen Teknik Elektro dan Komputer. Tansu merupakan orang Indonesia pertama yang menjadi profesor di Lehigh University.

Sukses Tansu menjadi profesor di Lehigh University bukan kebetulan. Dunia sudah mengakui karya – karya ilmiahnya. Lebih dari 174 publikasi jurnal dan konferensi ilmiah internasional (Juli 2009) tentang semikonduktor, optoelektronika, fotonika, dan nanoteknologi dipublikasikan di berbagai konferensi dan jurnal ilmiah internasional. Selain itu, Tansu juga aktif menjadi pembicara di berbagai seminar tentang sains dan pendidikan di berbagai negara. Ke mana pun dirinya pergi, setiap ditanya orang, Tansu selalu mengenalkan diri sebagai orang Indonesia.

Sebagai cendekiawan muda, dia menjalani kehidupannya dengan tiada hari tanpa membaca, menulis, serta melakukan riset. Tentunya, dia juga menyiapkan materi serta bahan kuliah bagi para mahasiswanya. Kesibukannya itu bertumpu pada tiga hal yakni yakni, learning, teaching, and researching. Selama mengajar di kampus, karena wajahnya yang masih muda, tak sedikit insan kampus yang menganggapnya sebagai mahasiswa S-1 atau program master.

Berkat prestasi Tansu yang luar biasa, ia sempat menjadi incaran dan malah "rebutan" kalangan universitas AS dan mancanegara. Mulai dari tawaran jabatan yang lebih tinggi maupun gaji serta fasilitas yang menggiurkan. Tawaran – tawaran itu datang dari AS, Kanada, Jerman, dan Taiwan serta berasal dari kampus – kampus top. Semua datang sebelum maupun sesudah Nelson resmi mengajar di Lehigh University. Tapi, segalanya lewat begitu saja. Nelson memilih konsisten, loyal, dan komit dengan universitas di Pennsylvania itu. Tapi, tentu ada pertimbangan khusus yang lain.

Nelson mengaku memilih universitas luar negeri sebagai wadah kiprah ilmiahnya karena semata – mata iklim keilmuan di sana sangat kondusif. Di sana ia bisa memanfaatkan fasilitas laboratorium yang lengkap, mengakses informasi dari perangkat berteknologi canggih, dan melahap buku – buku terbaru di perpustakaan.

Pada April 2007 sampai April 2009, Tansu dipromosikan menjadi Peter C. Rossin (Term Chair) Assistant Professor di Universitas Lehigh. Kemudian pada Mei 2009 sampai sekarang, Tansu dipromosi menjadi Associate Professor dengan tenure di Universitas Lehigh. Posisi Professor dengan tenure adalah merupakan posisi seumur hidup, dan biasanya hanya diberikan kepada profesor yang telah menunjukkan produktivitas yang tinggi dan riset yang berkaliber tinggi.

Ternyata Indonesia masih mempunyai anak negeri yang memiliki kemampuan intelektual yang sejajar, bahkan lebih tinggi daripada anak negeri lain. Tansu sudah membuktikan kemampuan tersebut. Kemampuan dan penguasaan ilmu yang tinggi memang sering bisa sangat berperan mengangkat prestasi serta prestise bangsa dan suatu negeri. Sebab, ilmu merupakan salah satu instrumen eksplorasi perabadan dan kebudayaan. Sehingga, dengan itu, suatu bangsa dan negeri akan cepat menggapai kemajuan sosial.