January 22, 2025

Physicist Nadya Mason appointed dean of Pritzker Faculty of Molecular Engineering

Famend experimental physicist Nadya Mason has been appointed dean of the Pritzker Faculty of Molecular Engineering on the College of Chicago, efficient Oct. 1, 2023.

A extremely completed tutorial chief and elected member of the Nationwide Academy of Sciences, Mason is the Rosalyn S. Yalow Professor of Physics on the College of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the place she makes a speciality of experimental research of supplies. This work is related to functions involving nanoscale and quantum computing parts. Her analysis focuses on the digital properties of small-scale supplies, akin to nanoscale wires and atomically skinny membranes.

“Since UChicago’s molecular engineering program launched a decade in the past, we’ve got made a unprecedented affect by rapidly turning into a number one vacation spot for students within the subject,” President Paul Alivisatos stated. “The approaching decade would require PME’s dean to have a fair better imaginative and prescient to additional encourage and unlock the total promise and potential of our scholarly group. As a extensively regarded tutorial, Nadya has distinguished herself each for the rigor of her scholarship and the depth of her dedication to elevating the communities inside which she serves. PME will undoubtedly obtain necessary breakthroughs beneath her management.”

Mason is the recipient of quite a few awards, together with the Nationwide Science Basis CAREER Award, the Denice Denton Rising Chief Award, the Maria Goeppert Mayer Award, the Edward A. Bouchet Award, the Woodrow Wilson Profession Enhancement Fellowship, and a number of other honors granted in recognition of educating excellence. She was named an American Bodily Society Fellow, a Kavli Fellow, an Illinois College Scholar and is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Moreover, Mason has in depth expertise overseeing interdisciplinary analysis. She is the director of UIUC’s Beckman Institute for Superior Science and Know-how, an eminent interdisciplinary analysis facility that brings collectively researchers from greater than 40 campus departments to collaboratively deal with main scientific and technological challenges. Mason can be the founding director of the Illinois Supplies Analysis Science and Engineering Middle, a multidisciplinary analysis and schooling middle funded by the NSF.

Along with sustaining a rigorous analysis program and educating on the graduate and undergraduate ranges, Mason has labored to extend range within the bodily sciences, significantly by means of mentoring, and is the previous chair of the American Bodily Society Committee on Minorities. Deeply dedicated to speaking about science in any respect ranges, she steadily shares her data and experience by means of native tv appearances and public lectures.

In 2019, Mason gave a TED Discuss on scientific curiosity. She serves as a member of the Nationwide Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee and the Division of Vitality Fundamental Vitality Sciences Advisory Committee. Mason earned a Ph.D. from Stanford College and a BS from Harvard College, each in physics.

“I’m thrilled to start out this fall as dean on the Pritzker Faculty of Molecular Engineering,” Mason stated. “As an interdisciplinary faculty, PME is uniquely positioned to sort out grand-challenge science and engineering issues from local weather change to quantum computing. I sit up for working with college, workers, college students and group companions to assist develop PME towards even better world affect in schooling, analysis and technological growth.”

Mason will succeed Matthew Tirrell, who has led the College’s molecular engineering program since its inception in 2011 and can function dean by means of Sept. 30.