Awards and Academic Honors
2013
Outstanding Alumnus Award, Harvey Mudd College
2013
Chancellor's Award for Postdoctoral Scholar Mentoring, UC San Diego
2012
Elected Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science
2010
Meritorious Civilian Service Award, United States Air Force
2008
J. Clarence Karcher Medal, University of Oklahoma
2006
Bronze Phantom Award” recipient from the Boeing Company, Phantom Works Division
2004
Outstanding Faculty Mentor in the Sciences and Engineering, UC San Diego Faculty Mentor Program
2004
Lipscomb Lecturer, University of South Carolina
2003
Grand Prize, National Inventors Hall of Fame Collegiate Inventors Competition
2003
63rd Frontiers In Chemistry Distinguished Lecturer, Case Western Reserve University
2002
“The Best of What’s New” general technology award winner, Popular Science Magazine
2002
Max T. Rogers Distinguished Lecturer, Michigan State University
1999
Annual Award for Architectural Research, Architecture® Magazine
1995
University of California Presidential Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research
1994-95
Camille Dreyfus Foundation Teacher-Scholar Award
1994-95
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellow
1993-98
National Science Foundation Young Investigator Award
1993-94
Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation Young Investigator Award
Research Interests
Research in the Sailor group involves the chemistry, electrochemistry, and photophysics of nanophase semiconductors, with emphasis on photonic crystals, superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, molecular sensors, and biomaterials. Our research focuses on applications in medical diagnostics, drug delivery, cancer treatment, high-throughput screening, and low-power sensing of environmental toxins, pollutants, and chemical or biological warfare agents.