CAREER awards to foster quantum material research program

(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.”

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