Thomas M. Crawford

Thomas M. Crawford is a Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of South Carolina, affiliated with the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on Condensed Matter Physics, particularly magnetic materials at nanoscale lengths and pico/femtosecond timescales, utilizing self-assembly techniques for creating meta-architectures like magnetic nanoparticle arrays and multiferroic nanofibers.

• University: University of South Carolina
• College: McCausland College of Arts and Sciences
• Department: Department of Physics and Astronomy

Crawford’s work leverages extreme magnetic field gradients (millions of Tesla per meter) to pattern nanoparticles with nanometer resolution, enabling novel imaging and nano-optics studies. He founded the startup MagAssemble LLC (acquired by Thorlabs Inc. in 2019) and collaborates with institutions including the University of Colorado, Clemson University, and the University of Florida. His research is funded by the NSF DMR and SC EPSCoR.

Recent publications span both Astrophysics (e.g., M87 jet polarization, black hole shadow studies with ALMA and EHT) and Materials Science (e.g., multiferroic nanofibers, machine learning applications in telescope pointing). This dual focus highlights his interdisciplinary bridge between nanoscale magnetic phenomena and cosmological observations.