The natural resources of The Bahamas could be treasure troves for bio-technological marvels, according to Dr. Nathan Dawson, assistant professor in the School of Mathematics, Physics and Technology at The College of The Bahamas. Dr. Dawson who commenced his faculty appointment at The College this fall, is one of 11 new members of the teaching staff, nine of whom have terminal degrees and are conducting research in various academic disciplines.
Dr. Dawson is investigating how matter, particularly organic materials, interact with light and what could be produced as a result of that interaction. Now that his research -- focused on bio-based materials for technology has found new and fertile ground in The Bahamas, he has already begun thinking of how this country's resources could be used to develop new knowledge. "Exploring some of the uses of biological molecules and structures found in The Bahamas could potentially add value to some of the abundant resources," he pointed out. "Training students to become Bahamian scientists and engineers while we are studying this potential technology could provide homegrown leaders in a newly developing industry. Many of the other [research] projects also help to train students in optical technology, where there may be a future need for Bahamian optical engineers due to the increasing availability and improvement of communications in the region."
One of Dr. Dawson's primary research goals concerns the use of biomaterials as alternatives to the harmful substances that are currently being used. He is also proposing a study that would look at self-healing optical materials for laser applications. "Some of the biopolymer matrices for self-healing studies that I am proposing are also biomaterials such as host matrices made from gelatin, agar, and poly-lactic acid. These would also make excellent plastic laser materials as they are much safer for the environment. I am also looking at naturally occurring dielectric mirrors and other ordered structures for that laser cavity," he explained. "There are also interesting fluorescent proteins found in certain algae that could potentially be used as the laser gain medium. I eventually could see this work producing new technology, such as a laser grown purely from biological materials."
A native of Idaho in the United States, Dr. Dawson earned both a PhD. in Physics and a Graduate Certificate in Opto-Electronics from Washington State University and a Bachelor of Science in Physics from the University of Idaho. He joins the College of The Bahamas community amid a long-anticipated transition to become the University of The Bahamas and he pointed to research as one of the primary functions of a university.
"I hope the University [of The Bahamas] continues to practice its same core values while it was a college while increasing its presence as a premier university in the future. It takes an immense amount of work by the faculty and staff to maintain a high standard of teaching with the addition of groundbreaking research for the institution to continue to grow at this level. "My hopes are that we all have the fortitude to see it through the transition, and we continue to work diligently towards creating an ever-improving academic environment for the people of The Bahamas and the world," said Dr. Dawson.
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