Manish Chhowalla

Professor Manish Chhowalla serves as the Goldsmiths’ Professor of Materials Science within the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy at the University of Cambridge, holding dual leadership roles as Research Area Lead for the Royce Atoms to Devices initiative and Partner Lead representing Cambridge in the national Henry Royce Institute. Previously a Distinguished Professor at Rutgers University, his career spans academic research at Cambridge, industrial materials development, and prestigious fellowships including the Royal Academy of Engineering Postdoctoral Fellowship.

His research centers on atomically thin two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), with groundbreaking work on phase transformations that enable selective material properties for specific applications. His group investigates optical and electronic characteristics across TMD phases, driving innovations in field-effect transistors through precise phase engineering, catalytic processes leveraging tunable surface chemistry, and energy storage systems utilizing layered material architectures. This fundamental-to-applied research bridges quantum material properties with device engineering.

At Cambridge, Professor Chhowalla leads a dynamic research team embedded within the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy and strategically positioned at the forefront of the UK's national materials initiative through the Royce Institute. His group's work exemplifies the translation of basic nanoscale phenomena into functional technologies, maintaining strong connections between academic discovery and industrial implementation pathways developed during his sector experience.