Outcomes include novel high-index resists for 193 nm immersion lithography, new concepts for design of non-chemically amplified resists for EUV lithography, novel approaches to healing roughness in IC features and block copolymer self-assembly. His work in the field of materials for photolithography has been supported by funding from leading semiconductor companies Intel, Sematech, Dow Chemical Company and DuPont. Professor Whittaker’s work in synthesis and characterisation of polymeric materials has underpinned major development programs in several key areas. He directs research funded through more than $61.3 million in competitive grants since 2000 and $39.7M since 2010. You've got to be a smart climber to summit all 14 8,000-meter peaks without bottled oxygen.Professor Andrew Whittaker is Deputy Director Research, Senior Group Leader and founder member of the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN). So it doesn't surprise you that he has gained a reputation as one of the best climbers in the world at managing risks? He realized there was a risk there, so he went in the second group. He gave up his bid to get up the mountain first so that he could go without oxygen. Ed wanted to climb the mountain without it. You see, he knew that I wanted the first group to use bottled oxygen to assure their success. But he surprised me when he asked to go with the second group. I picked Ed to go up with the Chinese and the Soviets on the first team. His first ascent was on the 1990 Everest Peace Climb, a multinational expedition that I organized. But he used it this year to keep an eye on Peter. And I was glad that he was able to climb with Ed Viesturs. Q: This past week your nephew, Peter, made it to the top of Everest. After graciously volunteering to mail us a signed copy, Whittaker answered a couple questions about Everest, risk-taking, and how to avoid taking up too much space. No surprise, Whittaker stood tall (he's almost 6'6') next to an empty box that once held copies of his autobiography, A Life on the Edge.

Yesterday we caught up with Jim Whittaker, now 80 years old, at the Mountainfilm in Telluride Reading Frenzy, which is basically a book fair filled with impressive adventure authors-Ben Skinner, James Balog, David Breashears. Photograph of Jim Whittaker (right) with photographer James Balog, copyright Merrick Chase / TELLURIDEPHOTOGRAPHY.NET

On A Life's Edge by J.L. Whitaker