Overview

The Graduate Group in Nanoscale Science and Engineering (NSE) administers the Designated Emphasis (DE). Faculty members associated with the group come from many engineering and physical science departments and share an interest in the growing body of research surrounding the synthesis, characterization, modeling, and fabrication of nanostructured materials and devices.

Doctoral students in associated departments who wish to pursue an emphasis in nanoscale research can add the Designated Emphasis to their PhD degree goals. The DE curriculum is designed to fulfill one of the required area emphases of the student's PhD program while providing additional opportunities for study and collaboration across the associated disciplines.

Undergraduate Program

While there is no undergraduate program in Nanoscale Science and Engineering, there are many opportunities for interested undergraduates to get involved in research, participate in relevant extracurricular clubs and activities, and enroll in preparatory coursework that explores nano-related science and engineering. Students are invited to contact the program office for more information and referrals.

Graduate Program

Nanoscale Science and Engineering : Designated Emphasis (DE)

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Courses

Nanoscale Science and Engineering

Faculty and Instructors

+ Indicates this faculty member is the recipient of the Distinguished Teaching Award.

Affiliated Faculty

Paul Alivisatos, Professor. Physical chemistry, semiconductor nanocrystals, nanoscience, nanotechnology, artificial photosynthesis, solar energy, renewable energy, sustainable energy.
Research Profile

David Attwood, Professor-in-Residence. Short wavelength electromagnetics; Soft X-ray microscopy; Coherence; EUV lithography.

Nitash P. Balsara, Professor. Chemical engineering, synthesis and characterization of soft microstructured polymer materials, nucleation, neutron scattering, depolarized light scattering.
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Jillian Banfield, Professor. Nanoscience, Bioremediation, genomics, biogeochemistry, carbon cycling, geomicrobiology, MARS, minerology.
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+ Carolyn R. Bertozzi, Professor. Molecular basis of cell surface interactions, eukaryotic genomes, glycosylation.
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Jeffrey Bokor, Professor. Physical Electronics (PHY); Nanotechnology.

Constance Chang-Hasnain, Professor. Microsystems and materials; Nano-Optoelectronic devices.

Daryl Chrzan, Professor. Materials science and engineering, computational materials science, metals and metallic compounds, defects in solids, growth of nanostructures.
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+ John Clarke, Professor Emeritus. Nuclear magnetic resonance, physics, noise limitations, applications of superconducting quantum interference devices, low-transition temperature, axion detectors, sensing of magnetically-tagged biomolecules, nondestructive evaluation.
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Michael F. Crommie, Professor. Physics, electronic properties of atomic-scale structures at surfaces, atomic-scale structures, morphology and dynamics of mesoscopic systems, atomic manipulation, visualizing low dimensional electronic behavior.
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Hari Dharan, Professor Emeritus. Mechanical behavior, composite materials structures, manufacturing processes.
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Fiona Doyle, Professor. Electrochemistry, mineral processing, solution processing of materials, interfacial chemistry, extractive metallurgy, remediation of abandoned mines.
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Oscar D. Dubon, Professor. Magnetic, optical materials, processing, properties in electronic.
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Daniel Fletcher, Professor. Bioengineering, optical and force microscopy, microfabrication, biophysics, mechanical properties of cells.
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Sanjay Govindjee, Professor. Finite element analysis, Theoretical and computational solid mechanics, constitutive theory, micromechanics, polymer mechanics, elastomer modeling, thermomechanics, continuum mechanics, failure analysis.
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Costas P. Grigoropoulos, Professor. Heat transfer, laser materials processing, nano-manufacturing, energy systems and technology.
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+ Ronald Gronsky, Professor Emeritus. Internal structure of materials, engineering applications.
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Jay T. Groves, Professor. Chemistry, physical chemistry of cell membranes, molecular organization in cell membranes, receptor-ligand binding, spatial rearrangement of receptors, ligands.
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Hartmut Haeffner, Assistant Professor. Quantum information and computation, precision measurements, ion traps, quantum state engineering, decoherence, quantum simulations, quantum energy transport, quantum chaos, cryogenic electronics.
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Kevin Healy, Professor. Bioengineering, biomaterials engineering, tissue engineering, bioinspired materials, tissue and organ regeneration, stem cell engineering, microphysiological systems, organs on a chip, drug screening and discovery, multivalent bioconjugate therapeutics.
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Frances Hellman, Professor. Condensed matter physics and materials science.
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Amy Herr, Associate Professor. Microfluidics, bioanalytical separations, diagnostics, electrokinetic transport, engineering design.
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Enrique Iglesia, Professor. Chemical engineering, catalytic materials, heterogeneous catalysis, chemical reaction engineering, methane and biomass coversion processes, refining processes, hydrogen generation, alkane activation deoxygenatiion and desulfurization catalysis, zeolites.
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Ehud Y. Isacoff, Professor. Ion channel function, synaptic plasticity, neural excitability, synaptic transmission, the synapse.
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Ali Javey, Professor. Physical Electronics (PHY); Energy (ENE); Micro/Nano Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS); Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology.

Alexander Katz, Assistant Professor. Chemical engineering, nanoengineering, catalytic imprinted silicas, catalysts in biological systems, catalysis, chemical sensing.
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Kyriakos Komvopoulos, Professor. Contact mechanics, fracture and fatigue of engineering materials, finite element modeling of surface contact and machining, thin-film processing and characterization, adhesion and fatigue of MEMS devices, plasma-assisted surface functionalization of biomaterials, surface patterning for cell adhesion and growth control, mechanics & tribology of magnetic recording devices, mechanotransduction effects in natural cartilage, microfibrous scaffolds for tissue engineering, surface nanoengineering techniques, tribology and mechanics of artificial joints.
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Sanjay Kumar, Professor. Biomaterials, molecular and cellular bioengineering, stem cells, cancer biology, translational medicine.
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Alessandra Lanzara, Professor. Nanostructures, physics, solid-state physics, complex novel materials, correlated electron systems, temperature superconductors, colossal magneto-resistance manganites, organic material, fullerenes, nanotubes, nanosphere, nanorods.
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Luke Lee, Professor. Biophotonics, biophysics, bionanoscience, molecular imaging, single cell analysis, bio-nano interfaces, integrated microfluidic devices (iMD) for diagnostics and preventive personalized medicine.
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Seung-Wuk Lee, Associate Professor. Nanotechnology, bio-inspired nanomaterials, synthetic viruses, regenerative tissue engineering materials, drug delivery vehicles.
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Stephen R. Leone, Professor. Physical chemistry, molecular dynamics, atomic, molecular, nanostructured materials, energy applications, attosecond physics and chemistry, radical reactions, combustion dynamics, microscopy, Optical physics, chemical physics, soft x-ray, high harmonic generation, ultrafast laser, aerosol chemistry and dynamics, neutrals imaging.
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Shaofan Li, Professor. Structural mechanics, computational mechanics and computational physics, finite element methods and meshfree particle methods, atomistic simulation and multiscale simulations, nonlinear continuum mechanics, soft matter mechanics, wave propagations, Modeling and simulation of material failures, Nano-mechanics, bio-mechanics and bio-physics, Cellular mechanics, micromechanics & composite materials.
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Liwei Lin, Professor. Nanotechnology, MEMS (microelectromechanical systems), NEMS (nanoelectromechanical systems), design and manufacturing of microsensors, microactuators, development of micromachining processes, silicon surface/bulk micromachining, micromolding process.
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Tsu-Jae King Liu, Professor. Physical Electronics (PHY); Micro/Nano Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS).

Jeffrey R. Long, Professor. Inorganic and solid state chemistry, synthesis of inorganic clusters and solids, controlling structure, tailoring physical properties, intermetal bridges, high-spin metal-cyanide clusters, magnetic bistability.
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Roya Maboudian, Professor. Surface and interfacial science and engineering, thin-film science and technology, micro-/nano-systems technology, harsh-environment sensors, silicon carbide, biologically-inspired materials synthesis.
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Gerard Marriott, Professor.

Paulo J.M. Monteiro, Professor. Concrete behavior, structural materials.
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+ J. W. Morris, Professor Emeritus. Structural materials, computational materials, the limits of strength, deformation mechanisms, non-destructive testing with SQUID microscopy, mechanisms of grain refinement in high strength steels, lead-free solders for microelectronics.
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Susan J. Muller, Professor. Chemical engineering, fluid mechanics, Rheology, complex fluids, microfabrication processes, Genetic Engineering of Protein Polymers, Finite Element Modeling of Bubbles, Stress Fluids, Taylor-Couette instabilities.
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Niren Murthy, Professor.

Claudia P. Ostertag, Professor. Fiber reinforced concrete, mechanical behavior, toughening mechanisms.
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+ Alexander Pines, Professor. Theory and experiment in magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging, quantum coherence and decoherence, novel concepts and methods including molecular and biomolecular sensors and microfluidics, laser hyperpolarization and detection, laser and zero-field NMR, in areas from material science to biomedicine.
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Zi Q. Qiu, Professor. Physics, novel behavior of the quantum magnetism in magnetic nanostructures, oscillatory interlayer coupling, the giant magnetoresistance, condensed matter experiment, technology applications, molecular beam epitaxy, artificial structures.
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Sayeef Salahuddin, Associate Professor. Physical Electronics (PHY); Design, Modeling and Analysis (DMA); Energy (ENE); Scientific Computing (SCI).

S. Shankar Sastry, Professor. Computer science, robotics, arial robots, cybersecurity, cyber defense, homeland defense, nonholonomic systems, control of hybrid systems, sensor networks, interactive visualization, robotic telesurgery, rapid prototyping.
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+ Richard J. Saykally, Professor. Physical chemistry, surface science, analytical chemistry, materials solid state chemistry, laser spectroscopy methods, X-ray spectroscopy, molecular astrophysics, novel forms of matter, nonlinear optical molecular imaging(NMI), water clusters.
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David Schaffer, Professor. Neuroscience, biomolecular engineering, bioengineering, stem cell biology, gene therapy.
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Lydia Sohn, Associate Professor. Micro-nano engineering.
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+ Angelica Stacy, Professor. Chemistry, solid states, physical and inorganic chemistry, emerging technologies, synthesis and characterization of new solid state materials with novel electronic properties, magnetic properties, development of new synthetic methodologies.
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Umesh Vazirani, Professor. Quantum computation, hamiltonian complexity, analysis of algorithms.
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K. Birgitta Whaley, Professor. Chemistry, physical and theoretical chemistry, cluster and nano science, quantum information and computations, quantum mechanics of clusters and advanced materials, elucidating and manipulating chemical dynamics in strongly quantum environments.
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Junqiao Wu, Associate Professor. Semiconductors, nanotechnology, energy materials.
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Ming Wu, Professor. Micromachined micro-optics, optical MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) or MOEMS, free-space integrated optics, high-speed optoelectronics, microwave photonics, high-power photodetectors, mode-locked semiconductor lasers.
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Ting Xu, Associate Professor. Polymer, nanocomposite, biomaterial, membrane, directed self-assembly, drug delivery, protein therapeutics, block copolymers, nanoparticles.
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Eli Yablonovitch, Professor. Optoelectronics Research Group, high speed optical communications, photonic crystals at optical and microwave frequencies, the milli-Volt switch, optical antennas and solar cells.; Physical Electronics (PHY).

Peidong Yang, Professor. Materials chemistry, sensors, nanostructures, energy conversion, nanowires, miniaturizing optoelectronic devices, photovoltaics, thermoelectrics, solid state lighting.
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Alex Zettl, Professor. Physics, condensed matter physics, fullerenes, condensed matter experiments, characterize novel materials with unusual electronic and magnetic ground states, low-dimensional and nanoscale structures, superconductors, giant magnetoresistance materials, nanotubes, graphene, boron nitride nanostructures, neural probes, NEMS.
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Xiang Zhang, Professor. Mechanical engineering, rapid prototyping, semiconductor manufacturing, photonics, micro-nano scale engineering, 3D fabrication technologies, microelectronics, micro and nano-devices, nano-lithography, nano-instrumentation, bio-MEMS.
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