Rafael Fernandes

Rafael Fernandes is a Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he joined in 2024 after serving as a Distinguished McKnight University Professor at the University of Minnesota (2023-2024). His academic journey includes positions as Professor (2021-2024), Associate Professor (2017-2021), and Assistant Professor (2012-2017) at the University of Minnesota, following postdoctoral appointments at Columbia University/Los Alamos National Lab (2011-2012) and Ames Laboratory/Iowa State University (2008-2011).

His educational background includes:

• B.S. in Physics from the University of Campinas, Brazil (2003)
• M.Sc. in Physics from the University of Campinas, Brazil (2005)
• Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Campinas, Brazil (2008)

Professor Fernandes is a leading condensed matter physics theorist renowned for his work on electronic nematicity and vestigial electronic order in quantum materials. His research focuses on establishing clear relationships between microscopic electron behavior and macroscopic material properties through theoretical modeling of quantum many-body systems. He investigates model quantum materials to develop frameworks applicable to broader problems in interacting quantum matter, with notable contributions to understanding nematicity in iron pnictides and its extension to vestigial phases in diverse systems. His current research interests span electronic nematicity, altermagnetism, intertwined electronic phases, unconventional charge-order in kagome materials, electron-phason coupling in moiré systems, and multi-component superconductivity.

His publication record reveals a strategic evolution from foundational work on iron-based superconductors toward cutting-edge research on altermagnetism, moiré systems, and kagome metals. The articles demonstrate a consistent methodological approach combining analytical field-theory techniques with numerical quantum Monte Carlo simulations to address phase transitions, electronic order parameters, and competing electronic orders in quantum materials.

His scientific achievements have been recognized with prestigious awards:

• Mercator Fellow, DFG, Germany (2020-present)
• Fellow, American Physical Society (2017)
• Cottrell Scholar Award (2016-2019)
• DOE Early Career Award (2014-2019)

Professor Fernandes teaches courses including PHYS 211 - University Physics: Mechanics and maintains extensive collaborations with experimental groups utilizing scanning tunneling microscopy, angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, and various scattering techniques. His theoretical work bridges fundamental quantum mechanics with practical material properties, incorporating realistic crystal elastic properties into models of quantum materials.

His research group at UIUC investigates the fundamental physics of quantum materials through theoretical frameworks that connect microscopic quantum behavior to observable macroscopic phenomena, with particular emphasis on developing predictive models for novel electronic phases and phase transitions.