Aaron D. Franklin

Last updated
Aaron D. Franklin
NationalityAmerican
Alma mater Arizona State University (BS)
Purdue University (PhD)
Known forCarbon nanotube electronics, Transistor scaling
HonorsFellow of the IEEE (2024)
Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (2024)
Scientific career
FieldsElectrical engineering, Nanotechnology
Institutions Duke University
Website

Aaron D. Franklin is an American electrical engineer, nanotechnology researcher, and professor. He is the Addy Distinguished Professor in the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Chemistry at Duke University, [1] where he also serves as Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs in the Pratt School of Engineering.

Contents

Education

Franklin earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering with a minor in communication from Arizona State University in 2004. He began his undergraduate studies at Mesa Community College before transferring to Arizona State. He received a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Purdue University in 2008, where he was a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. [2]

Career

Franklin began his scientific career at the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, where he was a research scientist from 2008–2014. He joined Duke University in 2014, where he was appointed associate professor with tenure in the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) and Chemistry. [3] He later held the James L. and Elizabeth M. Vincent Associate Professorship (2018–2020) and became the Addy Distinguished Professor in 2020. [4]

At Duke, Franklin has held several administrative positions. He became Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs at the Pratt School of Engineering in 2023, after serving as Associate Dean for Doctoral Education (2021–2023) and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of ECE (2017–2021). [1]

Franklin was the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Tyrata, a tire tread depth sensor company, from 2017 until its acquisition by Bridgestone in 2023. [5] He holds over 50 issued patents, primarily in the fields of nanotechnology and electronic devices.

Honors and recognition

Personal life

Franklin joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a young teenager. He served as a full-time missionary for the Church in Atlanta, Georgia, from 1998 to 2000. [11] He is also the author of two religious books: The Spiritual Physics of Light: How We See, Feel, and Know Truth [12] and What Is Truth? Navigating a World of Faith, Science, and Noise.

References

  1. 1 2 "Aaron Franklin". Duke Pratt School of Engineering.
  2. "Aaron D. Franklin seminar - "The Road Ahead for Carbon Nanotube Transistors"". Purdue.edu.
  3. "Aaron Franklin joins in July | Chemistry". Duke.edu. 5 May 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  4. "Aaron D. Franklin | Scholars@Duke profile". Duke.edu.
  5. Butler, Amanda (15 November 2023). "Duke Spinoff Tyrata Acquired by Bridgestone". Duke Pratt School of Engineering.
  6. "IEEE EDS Fellows Elected 2024 - IEEE Electron Devices Society". IEEE.
  7. https://academyofinventors.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/12.2.24-2024-Fellows-List.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  8. "Mesa Community College Hall of Fame | Alumni Association | Mesa Community College". Mesa Community College.
  9. Thompson, Christopher (24 April 2020). "2020 Duke Engineering Faculty & Staff Awards Announced | Duke Pratt School of Engineering". Duke Pratt School of Engineering. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024.
  10. "2021 Dean's Awards: Aaron Franklin | The Graduate School". Duke.edu.
  11. "A Latter-day Saint scientist's genius answer when asked how he balances science and religion". LDS Living. 9 June 2025.
  12. T, Richie (21 April 2022). "The Spiritual Physics of Light/Aaron Franklin Ep. 596 The Cultural Hall". The Cultural Hall Podcast.