March 3, 2025
From the UW College of Arts and Sciences
Matthew Yankowitz, assistant professor of physics in the College of Arts & Sciences and of materials science and engineering in the College of Engineering, has received a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the most prestigious award given by the NSF in support of junior faculty members who exemplify the role of teacher-scholar through outstanding research, excellent teaching, and the integration of education and research. The five-year award will provide $650,000 of funding to support Yankowitz’s research.
Yankowitz and his group plan to explore the exotic behavior of electrons in two-dimensional materials that are stacked atop one another and rotated slightly. This small twist creates a geometric interference pattern known as a “moiré pattern,” akin to that seen in overlapping lace drapes.
‘The moiré pattern allows us to create and study new quantum mechanical properties in these materials that wouldn’t exist otherwise,” Yankowitz explains. “The primary focus of our study will be to look for new topological states of matter, in which electrons are able to circulate around the edge of the material but cannot travel through its bulk.”
The award will also allow Yankowitz to engage members of the Seattle community in the research, including hands-on summer outreach activities for high school students.