Yong Chen

Chen, a professor in the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, director of the Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute and the Karl Lark-Horovitz Professor of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Sciences, is being recognized for his significant research achievements and innovations in the synthesis and studies of various novel quantum materials and matters.

During Chen’s career at Purdue, he has implemented a successful program focusing on timely problems in nanoscience. Chen leads a large, interdisciplinary research group that works on quantum matter and devices involving such systems as graphene and 2D materials, topological insulators, and cold atoms and molecules, and explores their applications in electronics, sensors, energy and quantum information.

Nominators noted that Chen’s research is at the convergence of two fields with successful experiments in both condensed matter physics and atomic, molecular and optical physics. His key achievement in this latter area is the synthesis of new molecules and the development of a new method of quantum control in chemistry.

Chen is also widely regarded as a global leader in graphene-based materials, which have promising applications for the development of quantum computers. Chen was one of the first to synthesize and study large-scale graphene and graphene single crystals, a critical advance in graphene from a research novelty to large-scale practical applications.

Chen’s achievements and innovations also include realizing best-quality topological insulators and topological quantum transport phenomena. Topological insulators are exciting materials being investigated in condensed matter physics due to their quantum properties and promising applications for quantum information science. A recent demonstration of a new topological insulator material developed in Chen’s lab has lowered the bulk conduction by several orders of magnitude from the previous best record. Chen also demonstrated for the first time a truly intrinsic 3D topological insulator in electronic transport and made an observation that provided smoking-gun evidence for topological surface state conduction.

In addition to the focus on his work, Chen has been a mentor and advisor to more than 15 post docs and 20 graduate students, many of whom have gone on to positions as faculty or research positions in government or industry.

Chen also serves as a member of the Governance Advisory Board for Quantum Science Center, the Department of Energy QISR Center that was funded in 2020 with $115 million over a five-year window (2020 to 2025).

Chen will deliver the Herbert Newby McCoy Distinguished Lecture at 9 a.m. on Nov. 19. It will be a virtual lecture made available to the public.

The Herbert Newby McCoy Award was established in 1964 by Ethel Terry McCoy in honor of her husband, a distinguished Purdue University alumnus. Winners of the McCoy Award are nominated by colleagues, recommended by a faculty committee and named by the university president.

Learn more about Purdue’s prestigious awards, including past recipients.