Dirk Morr Wins DAAD Fellowship
Professor Dirk Morr has been selected as a 2016 Scholar of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). These scholarships are presented to internationally recognized scientists to conduct research in Germany. During his stay in Germany, Professor Morr will collaborate with research groups at the Technical University in Dresden and at the University of Leipzig to understand the emergence of quantum criticality and topological phases in strongly correlated electron materials.
Morr, a theoretical physicist, investigates a range of phenomena that occur in strongly correlated electron systems, including quantum phase transitions, optical and electronic properties of magnetic systems, and the interplay of magnetism and superconductivity. He has developed a series of theoretical models to explain the results of nuclear-magnetic resonance, angle-resolved photoemission, tunnelling spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and neutron scattering experiments. His recent work, undertaken in collaboration with researchers at UIC, Cornell University, and Brookhaven National Laboratory, has focused on understanding the origin of unconventional superconductivity in condensed matter materials. Morr and his collaborators succeeded in identifying the “quantum glue” that pairs electrons and gives rise to unconventional superconducting state observed in CeCoIn5, a heavy fermion material made up of Cerium, Cobalt, and Indium. Morr’s research could help make energy-efficient transfer a reality, expanding the possibilities for green power sources such as wind farms, which generate power far from urban centers where it will ultimately be used.
Morr’s work places him at the leading edge of his field. He is a fellow in the American Physical Society, and a 2015 University Scholar (UIC).