Robert Hull

Robert Hull is the Henry Burlage Jr. Professor of Engineering and Vice President for Research at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), leading the Center for Materials, Devices, and Integrated Systems (CMDIS). He joined RPI in 2008 as Department Head of Materials Science and Engineering. Previously, he held roles at Bell Laboratories, the University of Virginia (including directing an NSF MRSEC Center and UVA’s Institute for Nanoscale and Quantum Science), and held visiting appointments at the University of Tokyo. He earned his Ph.D. in Materials Science from Oxford University (1983) and a B.Sc. in Physics from Oxford (1980).

His research focuses on nanotechnology, electronic materials, and semiconductors, with expertise in thin film growth mechanisms, nanoscale self-assembly, and materials characterization using advanced microscopy. He has authored nearly 300 publications and serves as an associate editor for Applied Physics Reviews. His honors include Fellowships from the American Physical Society and Materials Research Society (MRS), and he served as MRS President (1997).

Hull’s leadership spans interdisciplinary research initiatives, including collaborations in energy systems, nanoelectronics, and advanced manufacturing. He oversees RPI’s core facilities, including the Micro/Nano Fabrication Clean Room and Nanoscale Materials Characterization Core, and drives partnerships with industry and federal labs.