Nanotechnology researcher Ron Cosby has been named the George and Frances Ball Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Ball State University. Cosby, a faculty member in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, led a Ball State faculty team that received a $1.5 million grant from the Indiana 21st Century Research and Technology Fund to create the Center for Computational Nanoscience. The center, established in 2003, focuses on the emerging areas of nanotechnology and nanoscience, which is the study of objects at the molecular level. Nanotechnology is the building of mechanical devices and other objects thousands of times smaller than ones that currently exist. "Dr. Cosby is an outstanding teacher, a distinguished scholar, a mentor to his colleagues and a leading figure in the development of the Center for Computational Nanoscience," said Michael Maggiotto, dean of Ball State's College of Science and Humanities, in a university press release. Under Ball State's coordination, faculty members from Purdue University, University of Notre Dame, Valparaiso University and Ohio University are participating in joint research projects through the center. Cosby said his latest research will utilize the center's high-performance computer cluster at Ball State to model and simulate nanoparticles and nanodevices. This research will aid the understanding of physics at the nanoscale and will support the development of new nanodevices. He also plans to initiate additional activities within the physics and astronomy department to create an entrepreneurial climate. Background: Cosby earned his bachelor's degree in 1965 from Eastern Kentucky University and a master's in 1968 from the University of Kentucky. In 1971, he received a doctorate from Kentucky, and in 1987 he received a master's degree in computer science from Ball State. He joined the Ball State faculty in 1970 as an assistant professor and in 1977 was promoted to full professor. He is the sixth faculty member to be named a George and Frances Ball Distinguished Professor at Ball State, which has a total of 16 distinguished professorships. A select number of faculty members receive the title for extraordinary commitment and success in teaching and scholarly activities. Funding for the position comes from a 1988 gift to Ball State from the George and Frances Ball Foundation of Muncie.