Latha Venkataraman
Lawrence Gussman Professor of Applied Physics and Professor of Chemistry
Latha Venkataraman and her group measure the fundamental properties of single molecule devices, seeking to understand the interplay of physics, chemistry, and engineering at the nanometer scale.
The underlying focus of her research is to fabricate single molecule circuits, a molecule attached to two electrodes, with varied functionality, where the circuit structure is defined with atomic precision. She measures electronic conduction, single bond breaking forces, thermoelectric and electrochemical properties of these devices. Her interdisciplinary and collaborative research, working together with synthetic chemist and theory groups, provides a deeper understanding of the fundamental physics of electron transport, while laying the groundwork for technological advances at the nanometer scale. Besides advancing the field of nanoscale electronics, her work has also broadened understanding of charge transfer at metal/organic interfaces which has impact on the fields of organic electronics, photovoltaics, catalysis, and charge transfer processes in biological systems.
Latha Venkataraman received her Bachelor’s degree in Physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1993 where she did her undergraduate thesis with Prof. Mildred Dresselhaus calculating the phonon modes of carbon nanotubes. She then moved to Harvard University and obtained her Ph. D. in 1999 working under the guidance of Prof. Charles Lieber investigating electronic properties of one-dimensional systems. She worked as a research scientist at Vytran Corporation from 1999 to 2002. In 2003, she joined Columbia University as a research scientist in the NSF funded Nanoscience and Engineering Center. She started her independent career as an assistant professor in the Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics at Columbia University in 2007, was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2012 and Professor in 2016.
She is currently Lawrence Gussman Professor of Applied Physics and Professor of Chemistry. Latha Venkataraman served as Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs from January 2019 through July 2022. Prominent awards she has received include the Alexander von Humboldt Research Award, the National Science Foundation Career Award, Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering, and the Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship in Chemistry. Latha Venkataraman currently serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of the American Chemical Society, Nano Letters and Chemical Science.
Research Areas
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Solid-State Physics
- Photonics and Optics
- Quantum Materials
- Nanoscience
Additional information
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Professional Experience
- Lawrence Gussman Professor of Applied Physics, Columbia University, 2019-present
- Vice Provost For Faculty Affairs, Columbia University, 2019-2022
- Professor of Applied Physics, Columbia University, 2016-present
- Professor of Chemistry, Columbia University, 2016-present
- Associate Professor of Applied Physics, Columbia University, 2011–2016
- Assistant Professor of Applied Physics, Columbia University, 2007–2011
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Professional Affiliations
- American Physical Society
- American Chemical Society
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Honors & Awards
- Alexander von Humboldt Research Award, 2023
- Satish Dhawan IoE Visiting Chair Professor at Solid State and Structural Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, 2023
- Fellow, American Physical Society, 2016
- Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellowship in Chemistry, 2011
- Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering, 2008
- NSF Career Award, 2008
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Education
- Ph.D. Physics, Harvard University
- M.A. Physics, Harvard University
- B.S. Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology