(Press-News.org) Physicist Jin Hu has been awarded a second Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award, this time from the National Science Foundation. The new award of $579,527 comes two years after Hu received a $750,000 CAREER Award from the U.S. Department of Energy.
NSF and DOE CAREER awards are considered the most competitive and prestigious awards to honor faculty members in the early stages of their careers. The awards support research and education activities. It is rare for an investigator to receive two CAREER awards.
Hu, an assistant professor of physics in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, leads the Quantum Materials group at the U of A. Researchers in this group study various quantum materials — materials showing exotic physical properties arising from quantum mechanical effects of electrons, such as superconductors, two-dimensional materials and topological materials. The group aims to discover novel physics and new materials with advanced functionalities.
These CAREER awards support Hu’s investigation of topological quantum materials. Such materials carry electrons resembling particles found in high-energy physics. Investigation of these materials has led to deeper knowledge of important topics in physics. Topological quantum materials also display a kaleidoscope of novel properties with great promise for technology applications, such as very high mobility or zero energy loss during power transmission for energy-saving devices.
The DOE CAREER award supports Hu’s study of unusual properties of topological quantum materials arising from the interaction between electrons. The new NSF project targets another direction of electrical control for phases and properties. Achieving switchable quantum phases is an important step toward the technological application of those emergent quantum materials and could open new research areas.
“I am excited to receive these awards, which will help me establish and strengthen our research programs,” Hu said. “I benefit a lot from many great physics and engineering colleagues, and I appreciate the hard work of the students who laid the foundations for the research.”
The study of quantum materials is an important ingredient of the National Quantum Initiative. Over the past few years, the U of A has grown its research and education programs within this national strategic direction, as represented by large-scale research centers sponsored by federal agencies such as the NSF MonArk Quantum Foundry and the DOE’s µ-ATOMS EFRC, which position the university as a national leader in materials science research. Hu contributes to both centers.
“Dr. Hu’s world-class expertise in the growth and study of high-quality quantum materials plays an essential role in these centers,” said Lin Oliver, professor and chair of the Department of Physics.
The highly collaborative research programs of these centers and faculty CAREER awards foster quantum material research at U of A to achieve research excellence, one of the three strategic priority areas of U of A.
“Dr. Hu’s success in winning two CAREER awards signifies the importance of his quantum materials research and his commitment to integrating research into the education of his students,said Kathy Sloan, interim dean of the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. “We are so proud of his accomplishments.”
END
CAREER awards to foster quantum material research program
Jin Hu received a prestigious CAREER award from the National Science Foundation, two years after receiving his first CAREER award from the U.S. Department of Energy.
2023-05-19
[Attachments] See images for this press release:
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
UH researchers develop sensors that operate at high temperatures and in extreme environments
2023-05-19
Extreme environments in several critical industries – aerospace, energy, transportation and defense – require sensors to measure and monitor numerous factors under harsh conditions to ensure human safety and integrity of mechanical systems.
In the petrochemical industry, for example, pipeline pressures must be monitored at climates ranging from hot desert heat to near arctic cold. Various nuclear reactors operate at a range of 300-1000 degrees Celsius, while deep geothermal wells hold temperatures up to 600 degrees Celsius.
Now a team of University of Houston researchers has developed ...
Artificial intelligence catalyzes gene activation research and uncovers rare DNA sequences
2023-05-19
Artificial intelligence has exploded across our news feeds, with ChatGPT and related AI technologies becoming the focus of broad public scrutiny. Beyond popular chatbots, biologists are finding ways to leverage AI to probe the core functions of our genes.
Previously, University of California San Diego researchers who investigate DNA sequences that switch genes on used artificial intelligence to identify an enigmatic puzzle piece tied to gene activation, a fundamental process involved in growth, ...
Promoting lower-calorie options on delivery apps could help users select healthier options, randomized trials find
2023-05-19
Simple initiatives to help people select lower-calorie options when ordering takeaways in delivery apps could help tackle the obesity epidemic, suggest three randomised trials being presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Dublin, Ireland (17-20 May).
The research, which involved using a simulated food delivery app, found that interventions which positioned lower-calorie foods and restaurants more prominently, pre-selected smaller portions by default, and displayed calorie labels, all significantly reduced the ...
Individuals who feel safe where they live lose more weight, Dutch study finds
2023-05-19
Feeling safe where you live may be key to weight loss, the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Dublin, Ireland (17-20 May) will hear.
Preliminary Dutch research has shown that the feeling of safety in one's neighbourhood is linked to greater weight loss when taking part in lifestyle interventions.
The term “neighbourhood safety” covered four dimensions: not feeling afraid of crime or harassment while walking through the neighbourhood, feeling safe while walking or cycling due to heavy traffic, adequate street lighting during ...
New analysis shows improved body composition with tirzepatide is consistent across adult age groups with overweight or obesity
2023-05-19
A new analysis of SURMOUNT-1, the first Phase 3 study of tirzepatide in adults for chronic weight management shows that tirzepatide improves body composition across a range of adult age groups. The analysis is presented by Dr Louis Aronne, Comprehensive Weight Control Center, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA, and colleagues.
The efficacy and safety of tirzepatide, a glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) ...
Whole body cryostimulation may be a useful extra treatment for obesity
2023-05-19
Whole body cryostimulation is a useful “add-on” treatment for obesity, research being presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Dublin, Ireland (17-20 May) suggests.
Levels of cholesterol and other blood fats improved twice as much in individuals living with obesity who were exposed to extreme cold for a short period of time, compared with individuals given a sham treatment.
Those who had whole body cryostimulation (WBC) also experienced a greater reduction in waist circumference and in blood sugar levels.
Dr Jacopo Fontana, of the Istituto Auxologico ...
Boys need ‘lessons in bromance’ to tackle mental health crisis in schools
2023-05-19
Teenage boys are twice as likely as girls to die by suicide, and, when boys become men, they are three times more likely than women to die by suicide.
After years on the frontline of teaching and observing, first-hand, a decline in teenage mental health, a teacher has warned that we need to deal better with male anger, friendships, and attitudes towards sex in order to combat the male suicide crisis.
Official statistics for England, Scotland, and Wales show that in 2020, 264 people aged 10–19 died by suicide – 72% of these were boys. In England, suicide is the single biggest killer of men under ...
A ribosomal traffic jam that breaks the heart
2023-05-19
Fukuoka, Japan—A team of researchers have discovered that a mutation in a ribosomal protein found specifically in heart and skeletal muscle leads to impaired cardiac contractility in mice.
The mutation was found to delay the rate of translating mRNA, leading to ribosomes colliding and causing protein folding abnormalities. The abnormal proteins would then be targeted and degraded by the cell's quality control system. Moreover, while the deficiency in the ribosomal protein, known as RPL3L, altered translation dynamics for the entire tissue, ...
Illinois Tech project receives $1.6 million contract to develop system for authorship attribution and anonymization
2023-05-18
CHICAGO—May 18, 2023—Researchers at Illinois Institute of Technology have secured a $1.6 million contract to develop a groundbreaking system for authentic authorship attribution and anonymization. Using natural language processing and machine learning, the program, known as AUTHOR, promises to create “stylistic fingerprints” for reliable identification, while also providing robust solutions for anonymization. With broad applications including counterintelligence, combating misinformation, and even investigating the origins of ancient religious texts, the project marks a significant leap in computational analysis.
The project—a collaboration ...
Wayne State University receives grant to address health care and costs in state prisons
2023-05-18
DETROIT – Wayne State University faculty member Rodlescia Sneed, Ph.D. has been awarded a five-year Career Development grant from the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health. Sneed joined the Institute of Gerontology at WSU in 2022 as an assistant professor jointly appointed with the Department of Psychology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The nearly $600,000 award, Maximizing the Scalability of the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) Among Older Adults in State Correctional Settings, is aimed to deepen her training ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Researchers find thousands of pediatric firearm deaths linked to more permissive state gun laws
Landmark test for coeliac disease promises to take away the pain of diagnosis
A recipe for success: beefing up the taste of cultured meat with amino acids
Protecting peppers from devastating viral diseases through gene pyramiding
Lizards of Madagascar
Beyond the brain: how BCIs are rewiring medicine and redefining humanity
Fossilized dinosaur gut shows that sauropods barely chewed
School dental treatments stop kids’ tooth decay in its tracks
How high is your dementia risk? It might depend on where you live
Firearm laws and pediatric mortality in the US
Use of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at national, regional, and state levels
Location of firearm suicides in the United States
Discovery suggests method to offset antibiotic-caused harm to infant immune systems
SNU researchers develop world's first 3D microphone capable of position estimation with a single sensor
Cryo-EM structures of isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase offers new therapeutic strategies for inherited isovaleric acidemia
JMIR Human Factors invites submission on human factors in health care
New book: Machine Learning in Quantum Sciences
Partnership to support Indigenous researchers, ensure that cancer research reflects the needs of Indigenous groups and that it results in better care
Mount Sinai Health System earns several prestigious national honors for environmental excellence
Screen time and emotional problems in kids: A vicious circle?
UC San Diego researchers find evidence of accelerated aging in children with multiple sclerosis
Out of the string theory swampland
Cancer screenings continue years after guidelines change to limit unnecessary tests, study finds
Mood disorders in late-life may be early warning signs for dementia
Could electric fields supercharge immune attack on the deadliest form of brain cancer?
Rutgers Health research identifies new trigger accelerating antibiotic resistance
Who gets targeted in online games? Study maps harassment risk by gender, age, and identity
MBARI research and technology play integral role in new Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences
Protected Antarctic oceanic life threatened by ships anchoring, first underwater videos show
Pregnant and bearing the burden of measles outbreaks in Canada
[Press-News.org] CAREER awards to foster quantum material research programJin Hu received a prestigious CAREER award from the National Science Foundation, two years after receiving his first CAREER award from the U.S. Department of Energy.