Material Gains: Small Science, Big Ambitions

Many of the biggest scientific discoveries happening at the U of A are too small to see. Materials science — the study of the structure and properties of materials like graphene, silicon carbide and silicon-germanium-tin — focuses on the atomic scale. And the U of A is particularly strong in materials science research.

Growing the school's work in this field will be central to reaching the university's goal of $500 million in research expenditures by 2032.

Physicist Hugh Churchill, this month on Short Talks from the Hill, is a central figure in the U of A's materials science research.

Through his own research on 2D materials, he collaborates with other faculty across the university.

"Something that happens generically when material is reduced down to this atomic limited thickness, is that the properties of the material change — sometimes dramatically. And whenever material properties are different, there are different technological applications that could potentially emerge from those new properties," Churchill said.

As director of the new Arkansas Materials Institute, he coordinates materials science research and training.

Churchill is also currently the interim director of the Institute for Integrative and Innovative Research, or I3R.

Short Talks from the Hill highlights research, scholarly work and economic impact news at the U of A.

You can hear more about Churchill's work by visiting ArkansasResearch.UArk.edu or downloading Short Talks wherever you get your podcasts.