Hillary Smith

Hillary Smith is an Associate Professor of Physics at Swarthmore College, currently on leave for the academic year. Her research focuses on materials physics with specialization in energy storage materials, phonon dynamics, and scattering phenomena. She employs advanced techniques including inelastic neutron scattering and ab initio calculations to investigate fundamental material properties under various thermodynamic conditions.

Her laboratory investigates four interconnected themes:

• Structure - Atomic/molecular configurations
• Dynamics - Atomic motions and interactions
• Heat - Temperature-dependent behaviors
• Energy - Material responses in energy systems

Recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on phonon behavior in functional materials, particularly through neutron scattering techniques. Work shows strong emphasis on battery materials, thermal properties of metals/alloys, and computational methods development. The 2022-2023 publications indicate expanding research into hydrogen storage and metallic glasses.

Significant recognitions include:

• 2023 DOE Early Career Award
• Election to the SHUG-EC committee

Laboratory developments include acquisition of new X-Ray diffractometer and NSF-funded instrumentation supporting ongoing investigations into material thermodynamics.