In a significant achievement for scientific collaboration, Deep Jariwala, an Indian-origin physicist and materials scientist, has been named the University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge National Laboratory Governor’s Chair. The appointment, announced recently, positions Jariwala to lead groundbreaking research at the intersection of academia and national laboratories, focusing on advanced materials and energy technologies. According to a report from the Times of India, this prestigious role underscores Jariwala's rising prominence in the field, bridging the University of Tennessee (UT) in Knoxville and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), a key U.S. Department of Energy facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
Jariwala, currently a professor in the Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, brings a wealth of expertise to his new position. His work has centered on two-dimensional materials, such as graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides, which hold promise for next-generation electronics, photonics, and energy storage devices. The Governor’s Chair program, established by the state of Tennessee in 2000, aims to attract top-tier talent to foster innovation between UT and ORNL. Jariwala's selection highlights the program's success in drawing international experts to contribute to regional and national scientific advancements.
The role involves a joint appointment, allowing Jariwala to split his time between UT and ORNL while maintaining ties to Penn. Officials at UT described the appointment as a milestone for interdisciplinary research. 'Deep Jariwala's innovative approach to nanomaterials will accelerate our joint efforts in sustainable energy solutions,' said Ramamoorthy Ramesh, the UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair for Materials Science and director of the Quantum Science Center at ORNL, according to university statements reported in scientific news outlets.
Born in India, Jariwala earned his bachelor's degree in metallurgical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay in 2008. He later pursued graduate studies in the United States, obtaining a master's and Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, in 2015. His doctoral research under renowned chemist Mark Hersam focused on hybrid optoelectronic devices, laying the foundation for his subsequent career. After a postdoctoral stint at Northwestern, Jariwala joined the University of Pennsylvania faculty in 2016, where he has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers and secured funding from agencies like the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy.
At Penn, Jariwala's lab has pioneered techniques for integrating atomically thin materials into functional devices, addressing challenges in scalability and performance. One notable project involved developing flexible solar cells with efficiencies exceeding 20 percent, as detailed in a 2022 publication in Nature Materials. Colleagues at Penn praised his contributions. 'Deep's ability to translate fundamental science into practical applications has been transformative for our department,' said Nader Engheta, a fellow Penn professor and member of the National Academy of Engineering, in an interview with the university's news service last year.
The UT-ORNL partnership, one of the oldest university-national lab collaborations in the U.S., dates back to World War II when ORNL was established as part of the Manhattan Project. Today, it encompasses research in nuclear science, supercomputing, and clean energy, with an annual budget surpassing $3 billion for ORNL alone. Jariwala's chair position will likely emphasize quantum materials and AI-driven materials discovery, aligning with ORNL's leadership in high-performance computing via the Frontier supercomputer, the world's fastest as of 2022.
According to the Times of India report, Jariwala's appointment comes at a pivotal time for U.S. science policy, as federal investments in research and development reach record levels under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, which allocates $52 billion for semiconductor innovation. This legislation aims to bolster domestic manufacturing and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains, areas where Jariwala's expertise in 2D semiconductors could play a crucial role. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, whose office oversees the Governor’s Chair initiative, has championed STEM education and research, investing over $100 million in the program since its inception.
Experts in the field view Jariwala's move as emblematic of the global talent pipeline fueling American innovation. 'The influx of Indian-origin scientists like Deep strengthens our competitive edge in materials science,' noted Ananth Krishnan, a policy analyst at the Brookings Institution, in a recent commentary on international STEM mobility. Krishnan highlighted that Indian-Americans hold about 10 percent of U.S. science and engineering doctorates, contributing disproportionately to patents and startups.
While Jariwala's transition from Penn to Tennessee marks a geographic shift, it builds on existing collaborations. He has previously partnered with ORNL researchers on projects involving van der Waals heterostructures, publishing joint work in 2021 on scalable synthesis methods. This continuity ensures minimal disruption to ongoing experiments. At UT, Jariwala will join the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, where he plans to mentor graduate students and establish a new lab focused on energy-efficient electronics.
The appointment also reflects broader trends in academic mobility amid post-pandemic recovery. Universities like UT have ramped up hiring to fill faculty positions, with STEM fields seeing a 15 percent increase in searches nationwide, per the American Association of Universities. For Jariwala, the move to Tennessee offers proximity to world-class facilities like ORNL's Spallation Neutron Source, which enables atomic-level materials analysis unavailable at many institutions.
Challenges in the field include funding uncertainties and ethical considerations in nanomaterials research, such as environmental impacts of production. Jariwala has advocated for sustainable practices, co-authoring a 2023 review in ACS Nano on green synthesis routes. ORNL's emphasis on responsible innovation aligns with these priorities, potentially amplifying Jariwala's influence on policy.
Looking ahead, Jariwala's tenure as Governor’s Chair, which typically lasts five years with renewal options, could spur spin-off technologies. Past chairs have led to breakthroughs like advanced batteries commercialized by startups in the Southeast. UT Chancellor Donde Plowman emphasized the economic ripple effects: 'This appointment will drive job creation in high-tech sectors, benefiting Tennessee's economy for decades.'
As Jariwala prepares to relocate—expected by the fall semester—colleagues and admirers from India celebrated the news. The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay alumni network issued a statement congratulating him, noting his role as an inspiration for aspiring engineers. In Philadelphia, Penn's engineering school hosted a farewell event, where Jariwala reflected on his journey: 'From Mumbai's bustling streets to Oak Ridge's labs, science has been my bridge across worlds.'
The broader implications of such appointments extend to international relations, as U.S.-India scientific ties deepen through initiatives like the Bilateral Clean Energy Partnership. Jariwala's success story may encourage more cross-border collaborations, addressing global challenges like climate change and digital transformation. For now, his new role promises to invigorate Tennessee's research ecosystem, positioning it as a hub for materials innovation.
In summary, Deep Jariwala's ascent to the UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair represents not just a personal milestone but a strategic win for collaborative science. As he embarks on this chapter, the scientific community watches eagerly for the discoveries that may emerge from this powerhouse partnership.