Marjorie A. Olmstead

Marjorie Ann Olmstead is an American condensed matter physicist.

Education Olmstead majored in physics at Swarthmore College for her B.A. and graduated with highest honours in 1979. After her junior year, she worked at Bell Labs for a summer through a research program to support women and minority groups, where she became interested in the interactions between semiconductors and insulators when creating stacks. She received her M.A. in 1982 and her PhD in 1985, both from the University of California, Berkeley. She also acts as Undergraduate Faculty Advisor, Associate Chair of physics

Her main research focus, broadly stated, is investigating "interfaces between dissimilar materials". She develops techniques to grow and characterize high-quality thin films and layered systems including materials such as calcium fluoride, silicon and gallium arsenide.

Awards and honours

2002 Fellow of the American Physical Society for innovative studies of interface formation between dissimilar materials, especially the competition between thermodynamic and kinetic constraints in controlling morphologies and properties of heterostructures. 1999 Alexander von Humboldt Research Award Program. 1999 University of Washington Society of Physics Students Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award. 1996 Fellow of the American Vacuum Society. 1994 Peter Mark Memorial Award for elucidating the nature of semiconductor surfaces and the heteroepitaxial growth of insulating materials on these surfaces. 1989 Department of Energy "2% Initiative" Competition. 1987 National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator Award. 1986 IBM Faculty Development Award.

Personal life Olmstead is married and has two children.