806: Creating Two-Dimensional Material Structures to Investigate Novel Quantum States of Matter - Dr. Jia "Leo" Lee

People Behind the Science Podcast Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers

Dr. Jia "Leo" Li is an Associate Professor of Physics at Brown University. He is a condensed matter experimental physicist, and his research involves stacking different layers of two-dimensional (2D) material together to discover new electronic properties that could revolutionize future technology, including the next generation of computers and electronics. In his free time, Leo enjoys rock climbing and trail running. Running is a great way to clear his mind when he is frustrated from a failed experiment or stuck on a particular equation. He finds parallels between finding solutions to physics problems and identifying the perfect running or climbing routes. Leo completed his undergraduate studies at Tsinghua University in China, and he received his MS and PhD degrees in Physics from Northwestern University. Afterwards, Leo worked as a postdoctoral researcher in physics at Columbia University before joining the faculty at Brown University where he is today. He has been the recipient of a Sloan Research Fellowship, a National Science Foundation CAREER Award, and Brown University’s Salamon Faculty Award for excellence in scholarly work. In our interview, Leo shares more about his life and science.