Nebraska engineers' discovery could improve future optoelectronics studies
Dec. 20, 2022 - Kai Peng and Wei Bao, researchers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Engineering, are lead authors on a paper discussing their breakthrough that could warm up future studies of optoelectronics.
The paper – “Room-temperature polariton quantum fluids in halide perovskites” – was published in the Nov. 30, 2022 edition of Nature Communications, one of the most prestigious multidisciplinary research journals.
Typically, quantum mechanical effects can only be studied at the macroscopic level in laboratory chambers cooled to very low temperatures. The team’s research and theoretical predictions, however, show it is possible to demonstrate the effect at room temperature using halide perovskites, a novel material group that over the last two decades has proved promising in the development of photovoltaic and light-emitting devices.
By putting a thin layer of halide perovskites between two reflective mirrors, Peng and Bao created a new polariton, a light-matter hybrid state which has properties of both light and perovskite materials. This hybridization grants the device the capability of demonstrating the macroscopic quantum fluids behavior, where quantum phase transitions from superfluidity frictionless flow to supersonic flow can be – for the first time – observed under ambient conditions and room temperature.
“The fact these polaritons allow observations under ambient conditions can trigger a lot of interesting future works, which are not limited only to those that study fundamental quantum liquids phenomena,” Bao said. “They also can be important in the conception and design of optoelectronics devices that can have superfluid-like behavior in transporting an electron or photon.”
Peng and Bao, both from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, are among the nine authors, including researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, Ecole Polytechnic in Montreal, Quebec, and Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois.
Six Nebraska Engineering faculty chosen to UNL's Research Development Fellows Program 2022-23 cohort
Oct. 20, 2022 - Six College of Engineering faculty are among the 11 University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty members selected to participate in the 15th cohort of the Office of Research and Economic Development's Research Development Fellows Program (RDFP).
RDFP is an eight-month program designed to provide full-time Nebraska faculty at the assistant-level rank the information and resources necessary to position themselves for success in securing external funding for their research, scholarship and creative activity. Fellows graduate from the program with an intentional plan for pursuing external funding and strategies that prepare them to write winning proposals.
The fellows, selected through a competitive application process, represent eight departments spanning three colleges and the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The College of Engineering faculty chosen for the 2022-23 cohort are:
- Jessica Deters, mechanical and materials engineering
- Mohammad Hasan, electrical and computer engineering
- Xiaoqi Liu, Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction
- Logan Perry, civil and environmental engineering
- Milad Roohi, Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction
- Jamilla Teixeira, civil and environmental engineering
Four alums chosen to university's Young Alumni Academy
Oct. 27, 2022 - Four College of Engineering alumni are among the 39 University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduates selected to the 2022 class of the Young Alumni Academy. The Nebraska Engineering alums in the 2022-23 cohort are (with hometowns, year of graduation and major):
Satya Deshpande, Lincoln, 2022 mechanical engineering and applied mechanics
Mustafa Ridha, Lincoln, 2018 computer engineering
Tyler Sondag, Omaha, 2018 civil engineering and 2020 architectural engineering
Austin Wendt, Omaha, 2017 computer science
Thirty Nebraska Engineering students earn Milton E. Mohr fellowships, scholarships
Thirty students from the College of Engineering were selected to receive awards from the Milton E. Mohr Scholarship and Fellowship Awards Program for the 2022-23 academic year.
Each scholarship and fellowship provides $1,000 per year to the student and is renewable.
The Milton E. Mohr Scholarship and Fellowship Awards Program was established in 1989 for students in the College of Engineering or Biotechnology degree programs. The scholarships and fellowships are made possible through an endowment to the University Foundation.
To be eligible for the 2022-23 academic year, students must be a full-time junior, senior or graduate student or have full-time graduate status enrolled in as a primary major in engineering or biotechnology programs, maintain a minimum 3.5 grade-point average, and have a graduation date of no earlier than May 2023.
The 2022-23 recipients from the College of Engineering:
Graduate Fellowships (12)
Ivon Acosta Ramirez, Ph.D., Biological Engineering
Justin Brooks, Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics
Niaz Chowdhury, Ph.D., Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Ryan Haggerty, Ph.D., Civil Engineering
Fei San Lee, Ph.D., Biological Engineering
Jazmin Ley, Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics
Sussan Moussavi, Ph.D., Civil Engineering
Kshitij Nikhal, Ph.D., Electrical Engineering
Hafiz Oyediran, Ph.D., Engineering, Construction Engineering and Management
Sahand Serajian, Ph.D., Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Megan Stokey, Ph.D., Electrical Engineering
Nathan Taylor, Masters, Architectural Engineering
Undergraduate Scholarships (18)
Nicholas Abbott, Architectural Engineering
Caitlyn Allen, Biological Systems Engineering
Sarah Altman, Biological Systems Engineering
Benjamin Bashtovoi, Mechanical Engineering
Elena Butler, Biological Systems Engineering
Sophia Frappier, Biological Systems Engineering
Luke Freyhof, Biological Systems Engineering
Miah Hoppens, Chemical Engineering
Isabelle Koehler, Chemical Engineering
Josiah Kolar, Mechanical Engineering
Kimberly Law, Chemical Engineering
Ryan Orth, Software Engineering
Ryan Otte, Civil Engineering
Chase Pettit, Mechanical Engineering
Ken Pham, Computer Engineering
Keifer Smith, Civil Engineering
Rylie Steffen, Biological Systems Engineering
Simon Thengvall, Mechanical Engineering
Wei Qiao elected as fellow of Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association
Wei Qiao, Clyde Hyde Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, was elected as a Fellow of the Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association (AAIA).
AAIA is a new academic, non-profit and non-governmental organization formed by academicians worldwide whose research interests are in Artificial Intelligence or related areas. All AAIA Fellows are IEEE Fellows, ACM Fellows, or/and members of National Academy of Sciences/Engineering of their countries.
Similar to the IEEE, AAIA has three classes of memberships for individuals: member, senior member, and Fellow. Currently, AAIA has 583 Fellows.
Thirteen Nebraska Engineering faculty named NSRI Fellows
Thirteen faculty from the College of Engineering were among the 49 researchers from across the University of Nebraska system who were selected to the 2022 National Strategic Research Institute (NSRI) Fellows cohort. They join the more than 70 NSRI fellows who were chosen to the inaugural cohort in May 2021.
The 2022 Fellows from the College of Engineering are:
- Christos Argyropoulos, Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Sina Balkir, Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Mehmet Can Vuran, School of Computing
- George Gogos, Mechanical and Materials Engineering
- Andrew Harms, Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Michael Hempel, Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Qing Hui, Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Xu Li, Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Eric Markvicka, Mechanical and Materials Engineering
- Carl Nelson, Mechanical and Materials Engineering
- Angela Pannier, Biological Systems Engineering
- Yi Qian, Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Byrav Ramamurthy, School of Computing
Argyropoulos article chosen Editor's Pick for Applied Physics Letters
Christos Argyropoulos, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, published “Multiqubit entanglement and quantum phase gates with epsilon-near-zero plasmonic waveguides,” an article that was selected as an Editor’s Pick by the editors at Applied Physics Letters. Editor’s Picks are selected to highlight noteworthy articles that have excellent scientific quality.
Argyropoulos named senior member of SPIE
Christos Argyropoulos, associate professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has been named a senior member of SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics. Senior members are honored for their scientific excellence across the broad spectrum of optics and photonics research and applications, their active involvement with the optics community and SPIE, and significant performance that distinguishes them. Argyropoulos is principal investigator for Nebraska's Plasmonics, Metamaterials and Integrated Nanophotonics Lab.
Argyropoulos named senior member of SPIE
Christos Argyropoulos, associate professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has been named a senior member of SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics. Senior members are honored for their scientific excellence across the broad spectrum of optics and photonics research and applications, their active involvement with the optics community and SPIE, and significant performance that distinguishes them. Argyropoulos is principal investigator for Nebraska's Plasmonics, Metamaterials and Integrated Nanophotonics Lab.
Fifteen engineering faculty promoted or granted tenure
Fifteen faculty from the College of Engineering were among the 109 University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty on the 2021 Promotion and Tenure List. The Nebraska Engineering faculty receiving the honors at 2021 Promotion and Tenure were:
Biological Systems Engineering
Troy Gilmore, promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure (academic home is IANR)
Sibel Irmak, promotion to Full Research Professor (academic home is IANR)
Daran Rudnick, promotion to Associate Research Professor (academic home is IANR)
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Vitaly Alexandrov, promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
Wei Niu, Associate Professor Granted Tenure
Computer Science and Engineering
Justin Bradley, promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
Stephen Cooper, promotion to Full Professor
Brittany Duncan, promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure (academic home is Arts & Sciences)
Suzette Person, promotion to Full Professor of Practice (academic home is Arts & Sciences)
Witiwas Srisa-an, promotion to Full Professor (academic home is Arts & Sciences
The Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction
Michelle Eble-Hankins , promotion to Associate Professor of Practice
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Christos Argyropoulos, promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
Master of Engineering Management program
Jena Asgarpoor, promotion to Full Professor of Practice
Mechanical and Materials Engineering
Michael Sealy, promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
Jung Yul Lim, promotion to Full Professor