DOE Early Career Award

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Wanzheng Hu recently received a supplemental funding to her five-year DOE Early Career Award, bringing the total funding amount to $929,769.

This project aims at ultrafast and bidirectional manipulation of ordered phases in quantum materials using laser excitation of optical phonons. The objectives include ferroelectrics and multiferroics, and light-induce synthetic states of matter in perovskite superlattices. The research involves table-top pump-probe experiment at Boston University, and experiment at X-ray Free Electron Laser facilities such as LCLS.

Postdoc position

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Update: This position is filled.

We have a one-year postdoctoral position open, starting latest by September 1st 2024.
About the project:
The project aims at ultrafast and bidirectional manipulation of ordered phases in quantum materials using laser excitation of optical phonons. The objectives include ferroelectrics and multiferroics, and light-induce synthetic states of matter in perovskite superlattices. The research involves table-top pump-probe experiment at BU, and experiment at XFEL facilities such as LCLS.
About the position:
This is a one-year position with the expectation of renewal. The position is open immediately. The latest starting date is September 1st 2024.
We are only looking for applicants who have expertise in ultrafast optics or have extensive experience at XFEL.

Please send your CV, publication list, a brief research statement, and the name of three references to wanzheng@bu.edu

UROP for Salvatore Cordova

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Congratulations to Salvatore for winning BU’s UROP fellowship! Salvatore will receive a $6,000 Student Research Award (SRA) to conduct research in our group from June 3rd to August 9th 2024.

Post-doctoral position

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We have an immediate opening for one postdoctoral position at Boston University Physics department.

About the project:

Strong-field laser pulses tuned to specific infrared-active lattice vibrational modes can directly modify structural parameters, which are crucial to the physical properties of quantum materials. The project aims at optical manipulation of ordered phases in quantum materials using laser excitation of optical phonons.

Resources:

We have a newly renovated class-IV laser lab with two high-performance femtosecond Ti-Sapphire amplifiers and several home-built ultrafast optical setups. The successful candidate will have access to various materials characterization facilities in the Photonics Center, and several advanced facilities such as Scientific Instrument Facility, Electronics Design Facility, and the Engineering Product Innovation Center at Boston University. The candidate will also benefit from the rich research collaborations in the Boston area.

About the position:

This is a one-year position with the expectation of renewal for four additional years subject to satisfactory performance. The position is open immediately.

Your expertise:

We are looking for applicants who have or will earn a Ph.D. degree in physics or electrical engineering. Expertise in Ultrafast optics is required. Experience in developing table-top ultrafast light sources is preferred. Interest in condensed matter physics will be a plus.

Required materials:

Please send your CV, publication list and a brief research statement to wanzheng@bu.edu

DOE Early Career Award for Wanzheng Hu

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Wanzheng Hu has received a CAREER Award from the U.S. Department of Energy.

To be eligible for the DOE award, a researcher must be an untenured, tenure-track assistant or associate professor at a U.S. academic institution or a full-time employee at a DOE national laboratory. The applicant must also have received a Ph.D. within the past ten years.
DOE Early Career Research Program supports six research programs:
I. Advanced Scientific Computing Research
II. Biological and Environmental Research
III. Basic Energy Sciences
IV. Fusion Energy Sciences
V. High Energy Physics
VI. Nuclear Physics
There are 76 awardees for the DOE Early Career Program for FY 2020. University awards average around $750,000 for five years.

NSF CAREER Award for Wanzheng Hu

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Wanzheng Hu has received a CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation, the agency’s most prestigious awards in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization.

Getting started

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2018.04 Lab before renovation
We got a 1,050 square feet of lab space in the basement of the Physics Building at 590 Commonwealth Avenue. There used to be two labs with a shared entrance.

2018.08 Lab after renovation
Lab renovation finished at the beginning of August 2018. Lab temperature and humidity levels were still out of control.

2018.08 Laser delivery
Our laser system arrived 2 weeks in advance.

2018.10 Optical table delivery
Finally, our tables arrived.
Crates from bottom to top: two 5 ft x 10 ft x 18 inches table tops, one 5 ft x 8 ft x 18 inches table top, and table legs.

2018.10 Optical table delivery
Entering the loading dock at 748 Beason Street.

2018.10 Optical table delivery
2018.10 Laser unpacking
With the help from Alex’s students, we moved all lasers to the table.

2018.10 Laser installation
Laser installation took place from October 23rd to 26th.

ERC starting grant for Wanzheng Hu

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Wanzheng Hu has been awarded a Starting Grant worth up to €1.79 million by the European Research Council (ERC).

ERC grant is the highest research funding for individuals in Europe. Scientific excellence is the sole criterion, which is applied to the evaluation of both the research proposal and the Principal Investigator. The evaluation is a two-step process including the interview. ERC grant supports ground-breaking, high-risk/ high-gain research irrespective of the gender, age, nationality of the Principal Investigator and other potential biases. Research funded by the ERC is expected to lead to advances at the frontiers of knowledge and to set a clear and inspirational target for frontier research across Europe.

ERC starting grant supports researchers with 2-7 years of experience since completion of PhD. A total of 3085 proposals were submitted in response to the ERC 2017 Starting Grant Call (ERC-2017-STG), in which 1339 proposals were submitted to the Physical Sciences & Engineering Panels.

Links:

https://erc.europa.eu/news/erc-2017-starting-grants-results

http://www.mpsd.mpg.de/432303/2017-09-06-W_Hu-ERC

Post-doctoral position in experimental condensed matter physics

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We have an immediate opening for one postdoctoral position at Boston University Physics Department.
About the project:
The project aims at optically access atomically thin materials under ultra-high vacuum conditions, and optically controls their quantum behavior at ultrafast speed.
Resources:
We have a newly renovated class-IV laser lab with two high-performance ultrafast Ti-Sapphire amplifiers. In addition, the successful candidate will have access to various advanced instruments in Boston University Photonics Center, and benefit from the rich research collaborations with many universities in the Boston area.
About the position:
This is a one-year position with the expectation of renewal for one additional year subject to satisfactory performance. The position is open immediately.
Your expertise:
We are looking for applicants who have or will earn a Ph.D. degree in physics or electrical engineering. Expertise in ultrafast optics is required. Experience in developing table-top ultrafast light sources is preferred. Interest in condensed matter physics will be a plus.
Required materials:
Please send your CV, publication list, a brief research statement, and three recommendation letters to wanzheng at bu dot edu