Marc De Graef

Marc De Graef is the John and Claire Bertucci Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). He leads the J. Earle and Mary Roberts Materials Characterization Laboratory and is affiliated with the Materials Science and Engineering Department within the College of Engineering. De Graef holds dual roles as a faculty director and researcher, specializing in advanced materials characterization techniques, particularly electron microscopy and microstructural analysis.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Physics, Catholic University of Leuven (1989)
• M.S. and B.S. in Physics, University of Antwerp (1983)

Research Interests:

De Graef's work focuses on 3D microstructure analysis, materials informatics, magnetic materials, and advanced characterization methods like Lorentz microscopy. His research emphasizes quantitative electron microscopy techniques, including electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and their application to study complex materials systems. He has pioneered software tools for materials characterization, such as orientation mapping algorithms and dictionary-based indexing methods.

Key Achievements:

• Recipient of the 2025 Microscopy Society of America Distinguished Scientist Award
• Author/co-author of over 350 publications and two textbooks: Introduction to Conventional Transmission Electron Microscopy and Structure of Materials
• Principal investigator on grants including a $7.5M Air Force-funded Center of Excellence in data-driven materials research

Lab & Collaborations:

Directs the Materials Characterization Facility at CMU, advancing capabilities in X-ray and electron microscopy. His team collaborates on projects involving additive manufacturing, magnetic domain analysis, and topological magnetic structures. Recent work includes studies on skyrmions in thin films and phase stability in novel alloys.