William Vandenberghe

William Vandenberghe is an Associate Professor at the University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) within the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, part of the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. His research focuses on nanoscale electron transport using theoretical methods to develop novel materials and devices, particularly leveraging quantum mechanical effects for improved performance and energy efficiency.

He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from KU Leuven (2012), an MSc in Electrical Engineering from KU Leuven (2007), and has held roles including Research Scientist (2014–2016) and Research Associate at UT Dallas. His work emphasizes 2D materials, topological insulators, tunnel field-effect transistors (TFETs), and band-to-band tunneling (BTBT).

Dr. Vandenberghe has secured multiple NSF grants, including co-PI roles in projects on organic solar cells (2019), topological devices (2018), and electronic transport modeling (2017). He has also been recognized with prestigious awards such as the SISPAD 2016 Best Paper Award (2nd Rank) and the KU Leuven Research Council Prize for Science and Technology (2014).

His research group investigates cutting-edge topics like image-force effects in 2D materials, contact resistance optimization, and dielectric properties of novel materials. He has advised master’s students Maarten Van de Put and Sergej Fischer. His work bridges computational modeling (first-principles, empirical pseudopotentials) with practical device applications in electronics and energy systems.

Key contributions include studies on silicane, phosphorene, and transition-metal dichalcogenides, as well as advancements in LDMOS transistor design and quantum transport simulations. His lab’s interdisciplinary approach addresses challenges in nanoelectronics, power electronics, and spintronics.