Humberto Terrones Maldonado

Humberto Terrones Maldonado holds the Rayleigh Endowed Chair Professor position in the Department of Physics, Applied Physics and Astronomy at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). An internationally recognized scholar, he has served as an invited professor at numerous institutions including the University of Louvain (UCL, Belgium), Federal University of Ceará (UFC, Brazil), Shinshu University (Japan), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL, USA), Penn State University (USA), and the University of Sussex (UK). He is a member of the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) and the Mexican Academy of Sciences.

His educational background includes:

• PhD, University of London (Birkbeck), UK
• BSc, Iberoamericana University, Mexico

Professor Terrones pioneered the concept of curvature in graphite and graphene in 1991, introducing Schwarzites—graphitic structures with negative Gaussian curvature. His research focuses on electronic, optical, mechanical, and chemical properties of few-layered 2D materials and their application in novel 3D nanostructures. Key areas include:

• 2-Dimensional Materials
• Complex 3-D Atomic Structures
• Solid State and Condensed Matter Physics
• Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
• Nonlinear Optics

His recent publications (2022-2025) reveal a strong emphasis on transition metal dichalcogenides, defect engineering, machine learning for materials design, and energy applications. Work spans experimental characterization of heterostructures, computational simulations of lattice mechanics, and innovative synthesis techniques like liquid metal exfoliation.

His notable scientific awards and honors include:

• Rayleigh Endowed Chair
• Member of the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS)
• Member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences