Prof. Chris Van de Walle receives the 2023 Materials Theory Award from the Materials Research Society

The award recognizes “advances in development of rigorous ab initio methodologies for understanding point defects and their effect on light emission in wide-bandgap semiconductors”.

November 30, 2023

Professor Van de Walle has been awarded the 2023 Materials Theory Award from the Materials Research Society (MRS). The award recognizes exceptional advances made by materials theory to the fundamental understanding of the structure and behavior of materials. Van de Walle received the award “for advances in development of rigorous ab initio methodologies for understanding point defects and their effect on light emission in wide-bandgap semiconductors”.

The award is a significant milestone in Van de Walle’s remarkable research career, during which he has coupled mastery of computational and condensed-matter physics with an ability to identify critical challenges related to technological applications.

Upon receiving the award, Van de Walle acknowledged the essential contributions of students and postdocs to the work recognized by the award. He noted further that his career has been enabled by the welcoming atmosphere he encountered when he arrived in the United States as a student back in the 1980s, and that “maintaining such an open door is essential to the success of the United States as a leader on a global scale”. In keeping with these sentiments, Van de Walle has donated the $5000 prize that accompanied the award to the UCSB Materials Student Association and to the Office of International Students and Scholars.

Prof. Chris Van de Walle receives the 2023 Materials Theory Award from the Materials Research Society

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