Governor’s Chair in Quantum Devices

Description

Established in 2006 and funded by the State of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the prestigious Governor’s Chair program, managed by the UT-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute (UT-ORII), attracts science and technology leaders to broaden and enhance the research partnership that exists between the University of Tennessee (UT) System and ORNL, the nation’s largest multiprogram science laboratory, managed by UT- Battelle LLC for the US Department of Energy.  

The Departments of Physics and Astronomy and Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) and ORNL invite applications from distinguished experts in the field of experimental quantum materials and devices for a Governor’s Chair Professor in Quantum Devices with an appointment between UT and ORNL.  The Governor’s Chair in quantum devices would exploit the world-leading nanofabrication and design capabilities between UT and ORNL, and the immense characterization power of the Spallation Neutron Source.  By working collaboratively with the extensive network of quantum materials experimental and theory faculty and scientists at UTK and ORNL, they will perform high-profile research towards the design, engineering, manufacture, and characterization of quantum devices – physical instruments that exploit quantum mechanical principles as a toolbox for sensing, communication, information processing, storage or other technological applications.  

The successful candidate will have an international reputation and demonstrated excellence in research, program leadership and development as well as teaching.  They will have led teams of researchers, as well as have a desire to engage with a multi-disciplinary team of scientists, engineers and students to further the technological readiness level of quantum materials research in Tennessee.  They will be able to integrate with and leverage unique and world-class existing infrastructure, facilities, and partnerships including the Center for Advanced Materials & Manufacturing (CAMM), a NSF funded Materials Research Science and Engineering Center and the Shull Wollan Center (SWC) at UTK as well as the Center for Nanophase Materials Science (CNMS), the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), the Quantum Science Center (QSC) and leadership computing on the ORNL campus.  

The primary employer may be selected as either UTK or ORNL, with a joint appointment at the other institution. Affiliations will be part of the Materials Sciences and Technolgy Division at ORNL and in the UTK Department of Physics & Astronomy in the College of Arts & Science, with a potential for a joint position in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering in UT’s Tickle College of Engineering.  Through a recent cluster hire focused on quantum m