The AFOSR announced approximately $16.1 million in grants to 36 scientists and engineers from 27 research institutions and businesses. The objective of the program is "to foster creative basic research in science and engineering, enhance early career development of outstanding young investigators, and increase opportunities for the young investigators to recognize the Air Force Mission and the related challenges in science and engineering."

While Jacob has been at CHESS as a Staff Scientist since 2012, he is excited to be transferring to his new directorship. We asked him a few questions about his career so far and his hopes for the future of CHEXS.

Could you share a bit about your background and interests?

To realize the full potential of multi-scale modeling, integrated computational materials engineering (ICME), and the materials genome initiative (MGI), especially in regards to structural materials, typically requires knowledge of single crystal elastic constants.

The work described here uses high-energy, high-intensity X-ray techniques to pr

Spinel oxides are ceramics with exciting electronic and electrochemical properties. Spinels have important roles in devices such as batteries and fuel cells, but there are limits to their integration because of their low electronic conductivity. The conventional model to describe charge transport in oxides was developed six decades ago and had not been tested on complex materials such as ternary spinel oxides, and, as a result, impeding the ability to understand and improve the conductivity of oxides.

The HMF beamline, to be located at CHESS’s Center for High Energy X-ray Science (CHEXS), is a partnership with the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (MagLab) in Florida and the University of Puerto Rico (UPR).

We are now collaborating more closely than ever to address targeted questions about the quantum states of materials, as highlighted by a series of recent results involving measurements and/or co-authors from both labs. For example, research lead by by Jooseop Lee (IBS-CALDES) draws on collaborations with the Baumbach group at the MagLab and the QM2 program at CHESS to understand a previously-overlooked charge-density-wave phase in UPt₂Si₂.

Broader Impacts