Professor Deji Akinwande

Professor Deji Akinwande

Professor Deji Akinwande is a Nigerian American inventor, professor, researcher and currently a D&D Lybarger endowed faculty professor with the University of Texas, Austin.

Professor Deji Akinwande is an alumnus of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio where he earned a double degree (B.S/M.S) in electrical engineering and applied physics.  Professor Deji’s master’s research in applied physics pioneered the design and development of near-field microwave probe tips for non-destructive imaging and studies of materials. Subsequently, he obtained his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University.

An accomplished scientist, Professor Deji’s research focuses on 2D materials, nanoelectronics, nanotechnology and pioneering device innovations from the lab towards applications. He is the founder of Akinwande Nano Research Group, a group focused on conducting basic and applied research at the frontier of nanomaterials, flexible nanoelectronics, bioelectronics, RF integrated circuits and electromagnetics together with the application of new paradigms to enable novel global systems that can address societal needs.

Considered one of the top researchers in the world in the areas of graphene, silicon electronics and 2-D nanomaterials used in flexible electronics, Professor Deji created the first transistor out of silicene, the world’s thinnest silicon material in 2015. He continues to advance the capabilities of computer chips and other electronics.

Professor Deji is a fellow of the American Physical Society, APS and was awarded the US Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the US government for science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers by President Barack Obama in 2016.

An ace researcher, Professor Deji has received numerous recognitions and awards such as the Office of Naval Research Grant Award 2010, the 2017 Bessel-Humboldt Research Award, 2018 Fulbright Specialist Award, the Inaugural IEEE Nano Geim and Novoselov Graphene Prize, the IEEE Early Career Award amongst others. He was the Chair of the Nano-device Committee of the IEEE IEDM Conference in 2018 as well as the Chair for the 2019 Device Research Conference (DRC), and he is the Chair of the 2020 Gordon Research Conference on 2-D materials. He also serves as an Editor for the IEEE Electron Device Letters and Nature NPJ 2D Materials and Applications.

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Professor Deji’s research achievements have been featured by Nature News, TIME magazine, BBC, and Discover magazine.

We are awed and inspired by Professor Deji’s works and wish him continued success.