SC Connecticut News

Fengnian Xia, a notable figure in the field of low-dimensional quantum materials and devices, has been appointed as the Tso-Ping Ma Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Yale University. This appointment is effective immediately.

Xia joined Yale's School of Engineering & Applied Science (SEAS) in 2013, after serving as a research staff member at IBM Research. At IBM, he made significant contributions to nanoscale photonics and electronics. Among his achievements is a breakthrough in graphene photodetectors, which led to advancements in graphene optoelectronics. In 2014, Xia was among the first to highlight the potential of black phosphorus as a two-dimensional semiconductor with a sizable bandgap. His work on transistors and photodetectors based on black phosphorus has garnered attention from the scientific community. Recently, he introduced "Geometric Deep Sensing," focusing on semiconductor device reconfigurability and artificial intelligence integration.

Xia's recognitions include being elected as a Fellow of both the American Physical Society and Optica. He has been named a highly cited researcher by Clarivate Analytics for seven consecutive years since 2017. His accolades also include the Presidential Early Career Award (PECASE), National Science Foundation CAREER award, Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award, IBM Corporate Award, Weller Professorship in Engineering and Science by Yale in 2015, and recognition as one of MIT Technology Review’s Top Young Innovators under 35.

As an educator, Xia emphasizes lifelong learning. He teaches courses such as “Electronic Circuits” and “Photovoltaic Energy,” encouraging students to apply theoretical knowledge practically through lab work and design projects.

Beyond teaching, Xia serves as co-director of undergraduate studies since 2021 and participates actively in professional organizations. He has co-organized international conferences and holds editorial roles with publications like Science Advances (AAAS) and IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics.

Xia completed his undergraduate studies at Tsinghua University before earning his M.A. and Ph.D. from Princeton University.