Department of Applied Physical Sciences

The Department of Applied Physical Sciences combines applied science and engineering to solve real problems for North Carolina and the world through technology, innovation, and partnerships, and the preparation of knowledgeable and responsible students, citizens, and researchers. The department expands interdisciplinary research and teaching by strengthening an intellectual climate in which science is collaborative and focused on applications.

The department houses an undergraduate major in applied sciences, an undergraduate minor in applied sciences and engineering, and a doctoral graduate program in materials science. APS is also home to BeAM (Be A Maker), the UNC network of makerspaces.

Minor

• Applied Sciences Major, B.S.
• Applied Sciences and Engineering Minor

Graduate Programs

• Ph.D. in Materials Science

Courses

• Applied Sciences (APPL)
• Material Science (MTSC)

For additional course information and to view sample syllabi, see the department website.

Professors

Theo J. Dingemans, High-Performance Polymers and (Nano)composites
Jinsong Huang, Perovskite Solar Cells, Photodetectors, X-ray Imaging, Radiation Detectors, Electronic Devices
Rene Lopez (Physics and Astronomy), Optical Materials, Photonic Structures, Photovoltaics
Richard Superfine, Biological Physics, Soft Matter, Biomedical Device Technologies

Associate Professors

Ronit Freeman, Development of Novel Designer Materials Using Self-Assembling Biological Components
Daphne Klotsa, Computational Soft and Active Matter
Nico Pegard, Computational Optics, Imaging Systems, Optical Instrumentation and Digital Interfaces for Systems Biology and Neuroscience

Assistant Professors 

Wubin Bai, Bioelectronics, Soft Materials, Advanced Manufacturing, Microsystems, Electronic Materials, Photonic Materials, and Biomaterials
Ehssan Nazockdast, Modeling/Simulation of Biophysical Phenomena
Youhong (Nancy) Guo, Materials Science and Engineering, Separation Processes, Renewable Energy Harvesting and Utilization, Advanced Manufacturing

Teaching Associate Professor

Richard Goldberg, Assistive Technology, Rehabilitation Engineering, Engineering Education

Teaching Assistant Professor

Alexis Gillmore, Engineering Education, Epistemology, Design, Soil Biogeochemistry

Professors of the Practice

Dedric Carter, Vice Chancellor, Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development and Chief Innovation Officer, Systems Applications to Technical, Business and Policy Issues with an Emphasis on the Entrepreneurial Process, Innovation and New Venture Creation
Glenn Walters, Instrumentation for Innovation, BeAM Design and Innovation Hub, Engineering Education

Affiliated Faculty

James Cahoon (Chemistry), Nanoparticle Synthesis and Characterization
Praneeth Chakravarthula (Computer Science), Optics, Perception, Graphics, Optimization, Machine Learning
Orlando Coronell (Environmental Sciences and Engineering), Wet Chemistry, Polymer Synthesis, Membrane Systems
Greg Forest (Mathematics), Flow and Structure of Complex Polymeric Fluids
Boyce Griffith (Mathematics and Biomedical Engineering), Cardiovascular Modeling and Simulation
Yun Li (Genetics and Biostatistics), Statistical Methods and Computational Tools and Applications to Genetic Dissection of Complex Diseases
Jianping Lu (Physics), Nanotechnology, Carbon Nanotube X-rays, Tomosynthesis and Computed Tomography
Gerald Meyer (Chemistry), Inorganic Materials, Spectroscopy, and Electrochemistry
Cass T. Miller (Environmental Sciences and Engineering), Environmental Physics, Soft Matter, Continuum Mechanics, Applied Mathematics, Computational Science
J. Michael Ramsey (Chemistry), Analytical Chemistry, Microfabricated Chemical Instrumentation, Microfluidics, Nanofluidics
Jose Rodríguez-Romaguera (Neuroscience Center), Neuronal Circuits, Imaging, Optogenetics
Edward T. Samulski (Chemistry), Liquid Crystals and Liquid Crystal Polymers
Alexander Tropsha (Eshelman School of Pharmacy), Computational Chemistry, Cheminformatics and Structural Bioinformatics
Scott Warren (Chemistry), 2D Materials, Energy Storage, Solar Energy, Nanoelectronics, Supramolecular and Solid-State Chemistry for Materials Design
Yue Wu (Physics and Astronomy), Water and Gas Configuration at a Nanometric Level
Wei You (Chemistry), Organic and Polymer Synthesis, Organic Solar Cells, Molecular Electronics, Organic Spintronics