Chun Ning Lau

Chun Ning "Jeanie" Lau is an American physicist who is a Professor of Quantum Materials at Ohio State University. Her research considers materials for quantum technologies, including van der Waals materials and superconductors. She was elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society in 2017.

Early life and education
Lau studied physics at the University of Chicago. She moved to Harvard University for graduate research where Michael Tinkham was her doctoral advisor. After completing her doctorate, Lau joined Hewlett Packard Labs, where she worked as a research associate.

Research and career
Lau joined the University of California, Riverside as a professor in 2004. Whilst at Riverside, she accidentally realized that when stacking three layers of graphene, depending on how the layers were stacked, the structure would behave either as a conductor or an insulator. She made use of Raman spectroscopy to understand the precise stacking orders, and predicted that enhanced electronic interactions between layers with specific geometries were responsible for the formation of a band gap.

Lai moved to Ohio State University as a professor in 2017. She studies how quantum confinement impacts the electronic properties and works on topological superconductors and the fabrication of 2D materials with Moiré patterns.

Awards and honors

 * 2008 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers
 * 2008 National Science Foundation CAREER Award
 * 2013 Chancellor's Award for Fostering Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement
 * 2017 Elected Fellow of the American Physical Society