Tulane physicist Jianwei Sun named American Physical Society Fellow

Tulane University physicist Jianwei Sun has been named a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS). Sun, a professor of physics and engineering physics, was recognized by the APS Division of Computational Physics for his development of the SCAN density functional. This method allows scientists to calculate electron behavior in molecules and materials, predicting properties such as magnetism, bonding energetics, and band gaps.

Sun’s research involves using computational methods to predict material properties and is currently part of the federal Genesis Mission. This initiative utilizes artificial intelligence and quantum-mechanical simulations to accelerate the discovery of higher-temperature superconductors, which could impact fields ranging from quantum computing to medicine.