Dr. L. Eric Cross is an internationally recognized authority in the field of ferroelectricity and dielectric materials. He received his B.Sc. (1948) and his Ph.D. (1952) in physics from Leeds University. He came to the Pennsylvania State University in 1961 and became a founder of the Materials Research Laboratory. In 1985, he was named the Evan Pugh Professor of Electrical Engineering. Cross has received various awards, including the SPIE Smart Structures and Materials Lifetime Achievement Award (2005); Penn State Engineering Society Premier Research Award (1994); MRS Medal (1992); and the Penn State Center for Dielectric Studies W.R. Buessem Award (1991). He is a Fellow of Materials Research Society, American Ceramic Society, American Optical Society, and American Physical Society, and a Distinguished Life Fellow of the IEEE. In 1983, he was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering.