What area of research does your lab focus on?
I work on low-dimensional materials that mainly involve one- and two-dimensions, ranging from carbon nanotubes and graphene nanoribbons to graphene, boron nitride, and chalcogenide monolayers (e.g. WS2, MoS2, NbS2, etc.). My group concentrates on the challenging synthesis of novel nanoscale materials (1D and 2D) with unprecedented physicochemical properties. Together with close collaborators, we perform theoretical first-principles calculations that predict electronic, chemical, optical, and magnetic properties. We also focus on performing state of-the-art characterization of the produced materials using electronic transport, photo-transport, Raman spectroscopy, aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy, photoluminescence, electron energy loss spectroscopy, etc.
How does the interdisciplinary aspect of your research enhance your work and add value to it?
We should not compartmentalize disciplines because nature does not work in silos. Multidisciplinary research should be the rule rather than the exception. My research involves joint work across physics, chemistry, materials science, biology, and engineering. My students also come from different departments and disciplines, including physics, chemistry, materials science, and engineering science and mechanics. In addition, we direct an industry center working on 2D materials for coating applications (ATOMIC). I also manage industry projects and collaborate with experts at universities both within and outside the U.S. Science and technology are inherently multidisciplinary and global. We must train our students to communicate across fields and leverage international partnerships and then drive true scientific breakthroughs.
How does your lab enhance your student's education? Are there any ways that someone might find surprising?
I do not see many faculty members advising students from different departments. At Penn State, my group is one of the few with students and postdocs from diverse disciplines, including physics, chemistry, engineering, and materials science. I have also had three students co-advised within the Chemistry Department, which offers them a unique training experience. These students work in two groups at the same time and attend two group meetings per week and perform research in two labs simultaneously. The goal in my group is for students to learn how to communicate across disciplines, how to speak or develop a common language; a critical skill, as this reflects how the real world works.
From the Students
How has the experience working in this lab helped with your education?
From working in this lab, I have benefited from hands-on experience practicing the concepts I learned in my classes. I focused on the operation of the transmission electron microscope housed in the Materials Characterization Lab, but I was also trained in the operation of instruments available in the Terrones lab such as Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Coming from a materials science background, I learned from the other members of the group with physics and chemistry backgrounds. Their questions on my research project allowed me to explore new areas of research that I wasn’t otherwise aware of. The collaborations I had outside the group allowed me to practice and develop new skills to study different kinds of materials. Communicating my results and questions was critical to advancing this interdisciplinary effort. The skills that I learned from my collaborations provided me with the skills necessary to work on a collaborative, interdisciplinary team and develop new materials for advanced applications.
How do you engage with industry, and create connections and collaborations? What are the benefits for both sides - your research and for the company?
Engaging with industry requires a problem-first approach rather than treating corporate entities as traditional funding agencies. Success relies on demonstrating capabilities and offering solutions to immediate, complex challenges, rather than pitching unprompted concepts. By delivering reliable solutions and building trust, academic groups can foster long-lasting relationships. Over time, these tactical problem-solving projects naturally evolve into high-impact strategic partnerships, such as joint laboratories and centers of excellence.
