Tongcang Li has been selected to receive the 2025 Arden L. Bement Jr. Award, an honor that recognizes Purdue University faculty for their exceptional recent contributions in pure and applied science and engineering. Li, a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is a renowned expert in quantum sensing, levitated optomechanics, and nonequilibrium thermodynamics. His groundbreaking work in quantum information science and technology, including developing a new qubit platform based on nuclear spins in two-dimensional materials, has earned him recognition and multiple awards.
Li’s research, published in Nature, achieved the first detection of single nuclear spins in 2D materials, opening up new possibilities for quantum information science and technology. His work on spin qubits has also led to advancements in quantum sensing using 2D spin defects. Additionally, his research in optomechanics has been widely acknowledged, notably by Optics & Photonics News and Physics magazine.
Li’s collaborations with Toyota and a leading semiconductor company focus on quantum sensing for various applications, demonstrating the real-world potential of his research. The Bement Award, named after esteemed professor Arden L. Bement Jr., celebrates Purdue faculty members whose research has had a significant impact on science and engineering.
Li will be speaking at the Excellence in Research Award Lectures event, scheduled for May 6 at Purdue Memorial Union. Notably, Purdue University is a public research institution known for its commitment to excellence and impact on a large scale. With over 106,000 students across multiple campuses, Purdue is dedicated to knowledge dissemination and accessibility. Their strategic initiatives, including Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative, embody their continual pursuit of innovation and progress.
