Arnold Burger obtained the B.Sc. degree in Physics-Mathematics (1976), M.A. in Materials Science (1981), and Ph. D. in Materials Science (1986), all from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In 1986 he joined the Department of Physics at Fisk University and since then he has developed at Fisk a program in crystal growth of wide bandgap semiconductor materials and their use in electronic and optical devices. He participates presently in the research at the Center for Physics and Chemistry of Materials. Currently, Dr. Burger is a Professor in the Department of Life and Physical Sciences and the Director of the Materials Science and Applications Group and also holds the position of adjunct professor of physics in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Burger advised over 65 graduate students and 14 postdoctoral scholars; has published over 400 papers, book chapters, proceedings and invited presentations and was awarded seven patents in these fields. Dr. Burger is an elected Phi Beta Kappa Honorary Member and a Fellow of the SPIE optics and photonics society and together with his colleagues and collaborators is a four-time recipient of the R&D100 Award, in 1998, 2001, 2010 and 2013 for developing new methods to grow crystals and various compact sensors to detect and image radiation.