Dragana Popovic

Dragana Popovic is a Research Professor in the Department of Physics at Florida State University's College of Arts and Sciences and serves as Condensed Matter Science Development Lead at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL). Her career spans over three decades with continuous NSF funding since 1995, including multiple leadership roles in professional societies.

• Ph.D. in Physics, Brown University (1989)
• M.Sc. in Physics, Brown University (1985)
• B.Sc. in Physics, University of Belgrade, Yugoslavia (1983)

Her research focuses on experimental condensed matter physics of quantum materials, particularly two-dimensional and quasi-2D systems where disorder and strong electronic correlations drive phenomena like metal-insulator transitions, superconductor-insulator transitions, and glassy charge dynamics. She employs electrical transport and resistance noise spectroscopy to investigate materials including semiconductor heterostructures, transition-metal dichalcogenides, and high-temperature superconductors. Her recent work explores connections to quantum information science through many-body localization and thermalization dynamics.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals a consistent focus on quantum phase transitions in disordered 2D systems, with increasing emphasis on non-equilibrium phenomena and connections to quantum computing through studies of glassy dynamics and thermalization. Key materials systems include cuprate superconductors, kagome lattices, and Dirac semimetals.

• Fellow, American Physical Society (2012)
• Distinguished University Scholar, FSU (2013)
• Outstanding Referee, APS (2017)
• EPL Co-Editor, European Physical Society (2025-2028)
• APS Councilor for Condensed Matter Physics (2024-2027)

Professor Popovic has secured over $2.5 million in research funding from NSF as primary investigator across 12 grants since 2000, with current projects focusing on superconducting transitions and charge fluctuations in correlated materials. She has advised six doctoral students to completion at FSU and UNC Chapel Hill, with research spanning vortex dynamics, charge order, and metal-insulator transitions. Her leadership extends to NSF-funded diversity initiatives including the APS Bridge Program for Masters students.

As Condensed Matter Science Development Lead at NHMFL, she directs research programs utilizing the laboratory's world-record magnetic fields to probe quantum materials, coordinating experimental teams across multiple institutions while maintaining active experimental programs in low-temperature transport measurements.