Melvin Mclaurin
About Melvin Mclaurin
Melvin Mclaurin serves as the Manager of Advanced Development and Senior Principal Scientist at SLD Laser in Goleta, California, where he has worked since 2014 and 2018, respectively. He holds a Ph.D. in Engineering from UC Santa Barbara and has extensive experience in thin film material characterization and the epitaxy of group-III nitride materials.
Work at SLD Laser
Melvin Mclaurin has been employed at SLD Laser since 2011. He initially served as a Senior Epitaxy Scientist until 2014, after which he transitioned to the role of Manager of Advanced Development. In this capacity, he has been responsible for overseeing advanced projects and initiatives within the organization for the past ten years. Additionally, he has held the position of Senior Principal Scientist since 2018, contributing to the development of innovative technologies in Goleta, California.
Education and Expertise
Melvin Mclaurin earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Materials Science and Engineering from North Carolina State University, completing his studies from 1996 to 2001. He furthered his education at UC Santa Barbara, where he obtained a Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering between 2001 and 2007. His expertise includes thin film material characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). He specializes in the epitaxy of group-III nitride materials using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD).
Previous Work Experience
Prior to his current roles at SLD Laser, Melvin Mclaurin held several positions in various organizations. He worked as a Senior Development Engineer at Philips from 2008 to 2011 and as a Senior Staff Development Engineer at Lumileds for one month in 2011. He also served as a Post Doctoral Researcher at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in 2007. His early career included a position as a Graduate Researcher at UC Santa Barbara from 2001 to 2007.
Research and Development Contributions
Throughout his career, Melvin Mclaurin has contributed to various research and development projects, particularly in the field of materials science and engineering. His work has focused on the development and characterization of thin films and epitaxial growth techniques. His expertise in molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) has been instrumental in advancing the understanding and application of group-III nitride materials.