Two researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have been distinguished as some of the most highly cited by Clarivate. Humberto Terrones, Ph.D., is the Rayleigh Endowed Chair Professor of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy. Fudong Han, Ph.D., is an assistant professor and Priti and Mukesh Chatter ’82 Career Development Chair in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering. 

Terrones has received the distinction for six years continuously and Han for two. It applies to only one in 1,000 researchers who have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their field of research over the past decade.

Terrones, who specializes in condensed matter physics, is interested in the electronic, optical, mechanical, and chemical properties of few-layered 2-D materials, as well as using them as building blocks to form new 3-D nanostructures. His accomplishments include introducing the concept of curvature in graphite and graphene to understand defects in 2-D systems and using theoretical methods to explain observed vibrations in ultra-thin atomic architectures. Currently, with experimentalist collaborators at Rensselaer and Penn State, he is working on quantum optical devices based on 2-D nanostructures. Moreover, Humberto Terrones is proud to be a member of the Physics Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) task force and organizes outreach activities to inspire middle school children in the Troy, New York, area. 

Terrones is a member of the World Academy of Sciences for the Advancement of Science in Developing Countries and the Mexican Academy of Sciences, and he is a fellow of the American Physical Society. According to Clarivate, Terrones’ work was cited more than 33,000 times and he has 299 published articles.

Fudong Han’s research focuses on developing advanced materials for electrochemical energy storage systems, particularly solid state batteries. Han’s lab is dedicated to understanding the fundamental sciences of materials with the aid of advanced characterization techniques, designing and fabricating new materials with desired properties, and integrating these materials in electrochemical energy storage devices.

Han’s work has been published more than 80 times in a variety of scientific journals. Han is a recipient of a National Science Foundation CAREER award, the 2022 Electrochemical Society Electrodeposition Division Early Career Investigator Award, the 2018 Electrochemical Society Battery Division Student Research Award, and the 2017 Materials Research Society Graduate Student Gold Award. Prior to joining RPI, Han was also a guest scientist in the Materials for Energy and Sustainable Development Group at the National Institute of Standards and Technology.