Illinois State University’s Q. Charles Su has been named a fellow of the American Physical Society.

Q. Charles Su

Illinois State University professor Q. Charles Su.

The Society has more than 50,000 members, and fellowship in the society is limited to no more than one half of one percent of the membership.

A faculty member of the Department of Physics and a designated University Professor, Su’s area of research specialization is the interaction of laser light with matter. Co-director of the Intense Laser Physics Theory Unit at Illinois State, Su was awarded the prestigious American Physical Society Undergraduate Research Prize in 2006 along with Distinguished Professor Rainer Grobe. The highly esteemed award is given annually to only one institution.

Su has an international reputation for his research, publications and advances in the field of atomic and optical theory. He is invited to speak around the globe to present his findings. The National Science Foundation grants through the laser unit are the largest research grants at undergraduate institutions in the field and rank in the top five of atomic and optical theory grants given to all institutions.

Su joined the Illinois State faculty in 1994 and has been the recipient of the Outstanding University Researcher Award, College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Lecturer Award and the Teaching Initiative Award. He was given the high honor of being named University Professor in 2011.

The American Physical Society works to advance and diffuse the knowledge of physics through its outstanding research journals, scientific meetings and education, outreach, advocacy and international activities.