Wolfgang Windl

Wolfgang Windl is a Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at The Ohio State University with a joint appointment in Physics. He co-founded Goniotech LLC and previously worked at Motorola as a Principal Staff Scientist. He holds a doctoral degree in physics from the University of Regensburg and completed postdoctoral research at Los Alamos National Laboratory and Arizona State University.

His research specializes in computational materials science, focusing on:

• Atomistic simulations and density-functional theory
• Machine learning applications in materials design
• Semiconductor transport and layered materials (e.g., Dirac semimetals)
• Atom probe tomography and characterization techniques

Analysis of his 15 most recent publications (2023-2025) reveals dominant themes: advanced simulations of field evaporation, topological quantum materials (PtTe₂, PdTe₂), and computational frameworks for materials characterization. His work frequently integrates spectroscopy, tomography, and Bayesian methods to study alloys, 2D materials, and additive manufacturing defects.

Awards and Honors

• Fraunhofer-Bessel Research Award (2006)
• Four Lumley Research Awards
• Boyer Award for Teaching Excellence (2015)
• Faculty Diversity Excellence Award (2020)
• Two Mars Fontana Best Teacher Awards (2006, 2015)
• ASEE Best Paper & Diversity Awards (2019)

He advises 11+ graduate students (7 alumni, 5 current) and leads the Windl Group research team focused on computational materials modeling. His group develops simulation tools for atomic-scale characterization and collaborates with national laboratories.