People

Tomo Uemura is known for demonstrating a nearly linear relationship between the superconducting Tc and the superfluid density in high-Tc cuprate and initiated an energy scale phenomenology for unconventional superconductors with a plot of Tc versus the effective Fermi temperature TF, which is commonly referred to as “Uemura plot”. He also worked on superconductivity and magnetism of cuprate, A3C60, organic BEDT and TMTSF, FeAs, heavy fermion and(Sr,Ca)2RuO4 superconductors and on magnetism of spin glasses, geometrically frustrated spin systems, low dimensional spin systems, Mott transition systems, itinerant-electron magnets and magnetic percolation networks using MuSR and neutron scattering methods.

He is a Professor of Physics.

Xueyue (Sherry) Zhang and her lab leverage the unique advantages of qubit-photon interactions to advance the frontiers of quantum science and technology. They focus on introducing new capabilities, such as high levels of connectivity, into superconducting circuits and solid-state spin platforms by integrating these qubits with microwave waveguides and silicon photonics. This foundation enables the Zhang lab to explore novel possibilities in basic science, such as many-body quantum simulation and quantum topological photonics, as well as pushing the boundaries of quantum computing and networking technologies.

She will be an Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics at Columbia University starting January 2025.

Xiaoyang Zu's research group is interested in photo-physics in nano, molecular, and hybrid semiconductors and interfaces. They focus on dynamics of quasiparticles (excitons, polarons, polaritons, etc.) and their many-body interactions. These interactions are important to a range of optoelectronic processes, such as solar energy conversion, light emission, and polariton condensation. They employ state-of-the-art experimental techniques, including, among others, time-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, femtosecond nonlinear optical spectroscopies, transient absorption and emission spectroscopies, and two-dimensional spectroscopies

He is the Howard Family Professor of Nanoscience in the Department of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and a principal investigator with Columbia's Department of Energy EFRC on Programmable Quantum Materials and Columbia's National Science Foundation MRSEC on Precision Assembled Quantum Materials.  

Xavier Roy's materials chemistry lab focuses on the design and synthesis of organic and inorganic building blocks that can be assembled into functional electronic and magnetic materials. They study the chemical and physical principles that govern the organization of these building blocks into nanostructured materials and the emergence of collective physical properties that arise in these assemblies. They use a variety of techniques to prepare and explore these materials, including air-free synthesis, solid-state synthesis, single crystal and powder X-ray crystallography, spectroscopy, magnetometry and opto/magnetoelectrical device fabrication and measurement.

He is an Associate Professor of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and a principal investigator with Columbia's Department of Energy EFRC on Programmable Quantum Materials and Columbia's National Science Foundation MRSEC on Precision-Assembled Quantum Materials.  

Timothy Berkelbach's theoretical chemistry group is interested in the electronic and optical properties of molecular, nanoscale, and condensed-phase materials. They work on a variety of quantum-mechanical problems motivated by excited-state phenomena. This research occurs at the interface of physical chemistry, condensed-matter physics, and materials science.  In particular, they are interested in quantum dynamics, the phenomenology of emerging materials, and first-principles condensed-phase quantum chemistry.

He is an Associate Professor of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry, a principal investigator with Columbia's National Science Foundation MRSEC on Precision-Assembled Quantum Materials, and a visiting scholar at the Flatiron Institute's Center for Computational Quantum Physics.

Tanya Zelevinsky's research interests involve precise spectroscopy of cold molecules for fundamental physics measurements and for investigations of ultracold chemistry and quantum optics. Her group is developing molecular lattice clocks, ultracold molecule photodissociation, and cooling and quantum state manipulation techniques for molecules with the goal of testing the Standard Model of particle physics and searching for new physics with tabletop experiments.

She is currently a Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics.

The Will Lab investigates quantum systems of ultracold atoms and molecules. We cool atoms and molecules to ultracold temperatures close to above absolute zero - reaching the coldest temperatures allowed by nature. At these temperatures, the behavior of particles is determined by the laws of quantum mechanics. Using the precision tools of atomic physics, we have full control over the quantum state of each particle and the interactions between them. 

He is an Assistant Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics.

Rocco A. Servedio is a theoretical computer scientist whose work aims at elucidating the boundary between computationally tractable and intractable problems. He has developed algorithms and established lower bounds for learning many fundamental classes of Boolean functions and probability distributions as well as for property testing of such classes.

He is a Professor of Computer Science in the Department of Computer Science and former department chair. 

Richard Friesner's research group is focused on the following major areas:

• Development and application of novel methods for ab initio electronic structure calculations, including mixed quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) methods;
• Development of a new generation of molecular mechanics force fields, including explicit incorporation of polarizability;
• Investigation and improvement of continuum treatments of aqueous solvation;
• Computational models and algorithms for protein structure prediction;
• Modeling of protein-active site chemistry using quantum chemical and QM/MM methods;
• Electron transfer theory; and
• Quantum chemical modeling of the interactions of small molecules with surfaces and nanostructures.

He is the William P. Schweitzer Professor of Chemistry at Columbia. 

Raquel Queiroz and her research group investigate quantum phenomena of condensed matter systems and are fascinated with symmetry and topology. They explore how topology crucially influences fundamental characteristics of solid-state materials.

She is an Assistant Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics, a principal investigator with Columbia's Department of Energy EFRC on Programmable Quantum Materials, and a visiting scholar at the Flatiron Institute's Center for Computational Quantum Physics.

Jim Schuck and his research group aim to characterize, understand and control light-matter interactions, with a focus on sensing, engineering and exploiting novel quantum and optoelectronic properties emerging from nanostructures and interfaces. This offers unprecedented opportunities for developing innovative material and device functionalities that rely on dynamic, local manipulation of single photons and charge carriers.  They gain their knowledge by correlating spatially-dependent physical properties (e.g. electronic structure, excitonic interactions) with chemical information (e.g. molecular composition, reaction rates and dynamics) and morphological structure (e.g. strain, phase).

He is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and a principal investigator with Columbia's Department of Energy EFRC on Programmable Quantum Materials. He is also a co-director of Columbia's M.S. in Quantum Science and Technology. 

Nanfang Yu studies the interaction between light and structured active materials at the nanometer scale and builds novel devices including lasers, detectors, and active components for controlling light.  

He is an Associate Professor of Applied Physics in the Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics.

The efficient transport and interconversion of energy between photons, electrons, ions and heat underpins life on earth. In modern technologies ranging from solar panels to computers, batteries and health sensors, energy moves slowly, randomly and often inefficiently towards target conversion sites. The Delor group aims to direct energy flow in emerging materials in ways that are targeted and efficient, moving beyond random motion to unleash new paradigms for extracting more energy from solar panels, storing more energy in batteries, speeding up information transport and processing, and exploiting correlated electronic systems for new applications.

He is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and a principal investigator with Columbia's Department of Energy EFRC on Programmable Quantum Materials

Michal Lipson and her group investigate the physics and applications of nanoscale photonic structures. In particular, we are interested in light-confining structures that can slow down, trap, enhance and manipulate light. Photonic structures can enhance light-matter interactions by orders of magnitude. The applications of the devices that we design, fabricate and demonstrate are numerous: on-chip light modulation (optically and electro-optically) and detection, networks on-chip, nonlinear phenomena, multi-material devices and platforms, microfluidics, basic physics, etc.

She is Higgins Professor of Electrical Engineering, a Professor of Applied Physics, and a principal investigator with Columbia's Department of Energy EFRC on Programmable Quantum Materials. 

Michael Weinstein works on the mathematical modeling, analysis, and applications of wave phenomena across many areas of physical science. A recent focus has been on PDE (Partial Differential Equations) models which describe optical and quantum waves in novel media such as topological insulators and metamaterials. Such physical media have applications to technologies, which could potentially revolutionize robust information transfer in computing and communication systems.

He is a Professor of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics. 

Latha Venkataraman and her group measure fundamental properties of single molecule devices, seeking to understand the interplay of physics, chemistry and engineering at the nanometer scale. The underlying focus of our research is to fabricate single molecule circuits, a molecule attached to two electrodes, with varied functionality, where the circuit structure is defined with atomic precision. We measure how electronic conduction and single bond breaking forces in these devices relate not only to the molecular structure, but also to the metal contacts and linking bonds. Our experiments provide a deeper understanding of the fundamental physics of electron transport, while laying the groundwork for technological advances at the nanometer scale. 

She is the Lawrence Gussman Professor of Applied Physics, a Professor of Chemistry, and a principal investigator Columbia's National Science Foundation MRSEC on Precision-Assembled Quantum Materials.  

The Owen group studies the inorganic chemistry of semiconductor and metal nanocrystals. We specialize in the kinetics and mechanisms of crystal formation as well as the structure and reactivity of colloidal crystal surfaces. These studies are aimed at describing the relationship between structure and electronic properties in nanocrystals and are leading to practical renewable energy technologies.  We are particularly interested in solution-processed semiconductor films and catalysts that interconvert the energy in sunlight, electricity, and chemicals.

He is an Associate Professor of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry

James McIver and his group investigate transport phenomena in quantum materials at terahertz frequencies and on ultrafast timescales. They are particularly interested in exploring how charge transport is modified in the presence of strong laser fields, where quantum effects that are inaccessible under equilibrium conditions can be realized. They do so using a suite of ultrafast optoelectronic techniques.

He is an Assistant Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics and a principal investigator with Columbia's Department of Energy EFRC on Programmable Quantum Materials.

James Hone and his research group study fundamental properties of two-dimensional materials such as graphene, boron nitride, and transition metal dichalcogenides, and explore their applications in electronics, optoelectronics, sensing, and nano-mechanics.  They synthesize these materials with the goal of achieving the highest-quality crystals and films available. They pioneered the assembly of these materials into layered Van der Waals heterostructures and continue to develop new ways to create and manipulate these structures to achieve new properties.  In addition, they use nano-fabrication to create devices and structures for fundamental biological studies. 

He is currently the Wang Fong-Jen Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He is also Associate Director of Columbia's National Science Foundation MRSEC on Precision Assembled Quantum Materials and a principal investigator with Columbia's Department of Energy EFRC on Programmable Quantum Materia.s 

Henry Yuen is a theoretical computer scientist whose goal is to understand the fundamental principles of computation and communication in a universe governed by quantum physics (such as ours). These days, he studies questions at the interface of quantum information theory, computational complexity theory, and cryptography.

He is Srivani Family Associate Professor of Computer Science in the Department of Computer Science. 

Dmitri Basov's research focuses on electronic phenomena in quantum materials that he investigates using a variety of nano-optical techniques developed in his laboratory.

He is currently the Higgins Professor of Physics and Physics Department Chair. He is also a co-director of the Columbia Quantum Initiative, the director of Columbia's Department of Energy EFRC on Programmable Quantum Materials, and a principal investigator with Columbia's National Science Foundation MRSEC on Precision Assembled Quantum Materials. 

The Reichman group's research deals broadly with the chemistry, physics, and biology of disordered materials. The systems studied range from traditional glass-forming systems, soft materials (gels, colloidal suspensions, emulsions), and biological systems. Covering an extremely range of broad length scales, time scales, and functionality, our work is connected by the common themes of disorder, structural and dynamical heterogeneity, and the potential for dynamical arrest in metastable configurations.

He is the Centennial Professor of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and a principal investigator with Columbia's National Science Foundation MRSEC on Precision-Assembled Quantum Materials.  

The Dean lab is an experimental condensed matter physics group at Columbia University. They study novel 2D materials for a wide range of multidisciplinary efforts with collaborations across Physics, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Opto-electronics, Chemistry, and even Biology.

He is a Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics and also a principal investigator with Columbia's Department of Energy EFRC on Programmable Quantum Materials and Columbia's National Science Foundation MRSEC on Precision Assembled Quantum Materials.  

Colin Nuckolls and his research group create new types of molecules that assemble into uniquely functioning devices. The cornerstone of this program is a vigorous synthetic effort that allows a freedom of design, producing new structural types and assembly motifs. Once synthesized, they investigate the molecular and macromolecular assembly characteristics of these systems, trying to gain a deeper understanding of the interplay between molecular structure, assembly, and emergent function. Their current research efforts are aimed at creating novel and general methods to assemble and interconnect organic structures into functioning molecular-scale devices useful for energy transport and conversion. It cannot be overstated how important synthesis will be in defining this next generation of devices. 

He is the Sheldon and Dorothy Buckler Professor of Material Science in the Department of Chemistry and the Director of Columbia's National Science Foundation MRSEC on Precision-Assembled Quantum Materials.  

Chris Marianetti and his group's research focuses on computing materials behavior from the first-principles of quantum mechanics, including mechanical, electronic, and magnetic phenomena. Particular emphasis is placed on strongly correlated electron materials where density functional theory (DFT) computations tend to break down qualitatively. One of the Marianetti group's major research thrusts is developing a more advanced formalism which is based upon an integration of the dynamical mean-field theory (DMFT) and DFT. Other formal developments include first-principles-based approaches for studying extreme length and timescales which would traditionally be computationally formidable. Applications span the periodic table, from monolayers to transition metal oxides to actinides, with particular emphasis on materials related to energy storage and conversion.

Aravind Devarakonda and his group use tools and techniques from solid-state chemistry, nanoscience, and low-temperature physics to study the quantum mechanical behavior of matter. His group is particularly interested in creating materials hosting unusual ground states emerging from the interplay of electron-electron interactions and topology. Ultimately the Devarakonda lab aims to detect, manipulate, and harness these ground states towards future applications in quantum information science and beyond.

He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics.

Andrew Millis’ research interests focus on the theoretical physics of electrons in materials, with a particular focus on collective properties such as superconductivity and magnetism. His recent work has emphasized the development and use of new numerical methods for the many-electron problem and the application of these methods to elucidate the behavior of high-temperature superconductors, oxide superlattices, and materials under non-equilibrium conditions.

He is a Professor of Physics at Columbia and co-director of the Center for Computational Quantum Physics at the Flatiron Institute, where he also currently serves as Managing Director of the Flatiron Institute. He is also a principal investigator with Columbia's Department of Energy EFRC on Programmable Quantum Materials and Columbia's National Science Foundation MRSEC on Precision-Assembled Quantum Materials.  

Ana Asenjo Garcia's research group investigates problems at the intersection of quantum optics, atomic physics, open quantum systems, and many-body physics. In particular, a significant part of their research focuses on emergent phenomena that arise from photon-mediated atomic interactions. We are interested not only in understanding fundamental physics associated with strongly interacting atoms and photons but also in how to exploit these phenomena to develop novel applications in quantum information science, sensing, and metrology.

She is an Associate Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics and a visiting scholar at the Flatiron Institute's Center for Computational Quantum Physics.

Alexander Gaeta's group studies the nonlinear interaction between light and matter. Their research covers various areas of quantum and nonlinear optics from the single photon level to terawatts.

He is the David M. Rickey Professor of Applied Physics and Materials Science, a Professor of Electrical Engineering, and co-director of the Columbia Quantum Initiative.

Abhay Pasupathy's group works on experimental quantum materials research. Materials with strong correlations are especially interesting, but there are plenty of interesting open problems in weakly correlated materials as well! Of late, various kinds of two-dimensional materials and heterostructures (very popular at Columbia) are a big chunk of the research conducted in the group. Scanning probe microscopy is a major experimental tool, with the group building and operating several scanning tunneling microscopes. The group also fabricates samples of various 2D materials, and performs transport measurements. An important aspect of research in the group is collaboration with other groups on campus who share the same interests. Students and postdocs almost always will find themselves in collaborative work, which (hopefully) is fun for all. 

He is a Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics and a principal investigator with Columbia's Department of Energy EFRC on Programmable Quantum Materials and Columbia's National Science Foundation MRSEC on Precision-Assembled Quantum Materials. He is also a co-director of Columbia's M.S. in Quantum Science and Technology and a Group Leader at Brookhaven National Laboratory.