Physics Professor Liuyan Zhao

Eight University of Michigan researchers have received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor the U.S. government bestows on scientists and engineers beginning their independent research careers.

Amy Bohnert, Scott Hummel and Lewei Allison Lin of the Medical School; Kevin Field, Karin Jensen, Danai Koutra and Ashwin Shahani of the College of Engineering; and Liuyan Zhao of LSA are among nearly 400 researchers funded by federal agencies who were announced as PECASE winners by the White House.

PECASE awards acknowledge the contributions scientists and engineers have made to the advancement of science, technology, education, and mathematics education and to community service as demonstrated through scientific leadership, public education, and community outreach.

Liuyan Zhao is an associate professor of physics. Her research focuses on understanding and, ultimately, harnessing emergent behaviors in quantum materials. Her group focuses on 3D and 2D materials with strong electron-electron interactions or strong spin-orbit coupling.

You may read about the other U-M researchers in The University Record news article.