Hugh Churchill Named Interim Director of I³R

Hugh Churchill, professor of physics and the 21st Century Chair in Nanophysics, has been named interim director of the Institute for Integrative and Innovative Research (I³R), effective immediately. Churchill succeeds Ranu Jung, who stepped down as executive director of I³R last month.

In addition to his role as a professor, Churchill also serves as director of the Institute for Nanoscale Science and Engineering and is an associate director and co-founder of the MonArk NSF Quantum Foundry. He joined the U of A faculty in 2015 and is internationally renowned for his work in quantum physics.

"Dr. Churchill's leadership in research makes him the ideal person to lead I³R in this interim moment," said Provost Indrajeet Chaubey. "He has led research centers on our campus and has a strong record of collaboration within the U of A and with universities across the state and nation. I'm thrilled to name him interim director of I³R, and I'm confident he will continue to encourage interdisciplinary work at the institute, across campus and with other universities and organizations."

"I again thank Dr. Ranu Jung for her service as the inaugural director of I³R. Her contributions have been incredibly valuable in the establishment and building of the institute," Chaubey said.

I³R will conduct a national search for the director, and the university will provide more information as it becomes available.

"I'm grateful to Provost Chaubey for placing his trust in me to lead the institute forward," Churchill said. "I'm committed to I³R, its faculty and staff, and the campus community as we collaborate more broadly, elevate the institute on a national scale and showcase the impactful work we are doing to solve real-world challenges for the betterment of society."

More About Churchill

Prior to joining the U of A, Churchill held a Pappalardo Fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and served as a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard. His research focuses on condensed matter physics and devices enabled by the effects of quantum mechanics. His work is used to develop and improve electronic devices that benefit society.

As the director of the Institute for Nanoscale Science and Engineering, he helps oversee cross-campus and interdisciplinary collaboration to advance nanoscale materials science and engineering research, including work that centers on materials growth and characterization, polymer engineering, nano-biophotonics, theoretical modeling, tribology and quantum materials and devices.

In 2021, he helped establish the MonArk NSF Quantum Foundry with Montana State University with a $20 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The foundry supports the study of 2-D materials, consisting of a single layer of bonded atoms, by aiding researchers and facilitating the exchange of ideas across academia and industry.

His research, which has attracted over $14 million in external funding for his lab, also includes the development of energy-efficient AI chips and electromagnetic sensors. He has received many awards for his work. In 2021, he was inducted as a Fellow of the Arkansas Research Alliance Academy of Scholars and Fellows. He has also received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) in 2019, the National Science Foundation CAREER Award in 2018 and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Young Investigator Award in 2016.

Beyond his quantum research, Churchill is dedicated to outreach and mentorship. He recently received an Outstanding Faculty Mentor award from the U of A, and his outreach extends beyond the U of A. He was involved in a collaboration, supported by $5 million grant from the National Science Foundation, between the U of A, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to expand quantum materials research capacity at UAPB and state-wide collaboration in that area.

An Arkansas native from Conway, Churchill earned a doctorate and master's degree in physics from Harvard University. He received a bachelor's degree in music and bachelor's degree in physics and mathematics from Oberlin College in Ohio.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A annually contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.