Gregory J. Salamo received the Ph.D. in physics from City University of New York in 1973, where he also worked as an intern student at Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill, New Jersey. His postdoctoral work was at the Institute of Optics of University of Rochester in New York. He joined the faculty of the University of Arkansas in January of 1975, where he is now Distinguished Professor of Physics. He has carried out research in the areas of optical communications, optical image processing, and the optical properties of semiconductors. His research is currently focused on growing III-V semiconductors and ferroelectrics using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). He is co-Director of a NSF MRSEC on the Physics of Semiconductor Nanostructures. He has published over one hundred papers in referred journals, given numerous contributed and invited talks, and contributed several book chapters. He also pursues the development of interdisciplinary research and education through the establishment of a new degree program to provide greater career opportunities for students and faculty. He is also involved in the development of an educational course and laboratory in nanotechnology. He is a Fellow of the Optical Society of America.