The award was presented to Boatner--a researcher in the Condensed Matter Sciences Division of the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory--for his outstanding contributions to the field of crystal growth. The presentation was made during the 15th American Conference on Crystal Growth and Epitaxy in Keystone, Colo.
Boatner was honored for "novel research in the area of crystal growth that has advanced the application of single crystalline materials and enhanced the appreciation of crystals both scientifically and aesthetically," according to Debbie Kaiser, president of the American Association for Crystal Growth.
During his career at ORNL, Boatner has worked on crystal growth, post-growth processing and characterization of a broad array of inorganic materials, including semiconducting oxides, binary oxides, superconductors, phosphates, alkali halides and metals.
Boatner has authored or co-authored more than 450 publications and has been awarded 13 patents. He earned three R&D 100 awards in 1982, 1985 and 1996.
He is a fellow of the American Physical Society, the American Ceramic Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Society of Metals International and the Institute of Materials of the United Kingdom. Boatner is also a member of the editorial board of Applied Physics Reviews.
Boatner was presented the 2002 Frank H. Spedding Award in recognition of excellence and achievement in research centered on the science and technology of the rare earths. These are elements on the Periodic Chart that include cerium, gadolinium and ytterbium and that lie between lanthanum (element 57) and lutetium (element 71).
In 2001, Boatner was presented the Jessie W. Beams Award for excellence in research by the Southeastern Section of the American Physical Society.
Boatner holds 13 patents, has co-authored more than 450 manuscripts and has presented more than 60 invited lectures nationally and internationally.
He has received 75 awards for his research, including three R&D 100 awards, the Frank H. Spedding Award for Excellence in Rare Earth research, the Elegant work prize of the Institute of Materials of the United Kingdom, and the Pierre Jacquet Gold Medal Award from the International Metallographic Society.
Boatner earned bachelor's and master's degrees in physics from Texas Tech University while earning a doctorate in physics and mathematics from Vanderbilt University.
He and his wife, Martha Alice, reside in Oak Ridge. They have three adult sons.
ORNL is a multiprogram science and technology laboratory managed by UT-Battelle for the Department of Energy.