Costel Constantin

Costel Constantin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at James Madison University (JMU). He holds a Ph.D. (2005) and M.S. (2002) in Physics from Ohio University, and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering (1999) from the University Politehnica of Bucharest. His research focuses on materials science, condensed matter physics, and nanotechnology, with emphasis on thin films, thermoelectric materials, and magnetic semiconductors. He has contributed to studies on indium tin oxide (ITO) doping, graphene functionalization, and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth of nitride and oxide semiconductors.

His work often involves advanced characterization techniques like ellipsometry, scanning tunneling microscopy, and X-ray diffraction to investigate material properties. Notable research areas include the optical and electrical behavior of doped semiconductors, surface reconstructions in nitrides, and the thermoelectric performance of nanomaterials. He collaborates with institutions like the Nanoscale & Quantum Phenomena Institute at Ohio University and maintains ties with the Madison Accelerator Lab at JMU.

Publications highlight his contributions to understanding magnetism in transition-metal substituted graphene, superexchange interactions in nanostructures, and the relationship between growth dynamics and optical properties of thin films. His outreach efforts include the Shenandoah Valley Nanoscience Outreach Collaboration, promoting STEM education through hands-on materials science initiatives.