South Middlesex Times

Rutgers Distinguished Professor Valery Kiryukhin has been appointed the Donald H. Jacobs Chair in Applied Physics. The appointment was approved by the Board of Governors during its recent meeting. Kiryukhin is a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Rutgers-New Brunswick and is part of the Condensed Matter Experiment research group.

Kiryukhin is recognized for his work in X-ray scattering and neutron scattering, techniques that help understand atomic structures within materials. His innovative approaches have paved new paths in studying matter properties.

His current research focuses on imaging magnetic materials' small-scale structures, contributing to spin-based computing development. This technology aims to use electrons' magnetic properties for creating efficient devices applicable in artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things.

“Energy efficiency is a crucial requirement for the advancement of modern computing. The Jacobs Chair award will enable my team to expand our research on functional materials into previously unexplored areas,” Kiryukhin said. “This research could potentially lead to the development of energy-efficient electronic devices that utilize magnetism instead of the currently employed electric charge."

Kiryukhin earned his doctoral degree from Princeton University in 1997 and joined Rutgers in 1999. He will hold the chair position, established with a gift from Rutgers alumnus Donald H. Jacobs' estate, from January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2027.