The University of Florida Research Foundation (UFRF) has named Alumni Professor of Materials Science & Engineering Richard Hennig, Ph.D., a UFRF Professor for 2020-2023.

The recognition goes to faculty who have a distinguished current record of research and a strong research agenda that is likely to lead to continuing distinction in their fields.

“Faculty chosen for UFRF Professorships have a proven record of research and scholarship and the potential for even more success in the future,” said David Norton, UF’s vice president for research in a statement. “UFRF Professors continue to earn significant grants; publish in the leading journals in their field; assume university leadership positions; and commercializing their discoveries.”

Dr. Hennig’s research interests include computational materials science and materials informatics; ab-initio and machine-learning methods; structure prediction algorithms; two-dimensional materials; materials for energy technologies; and solid-liquid interfaces. He earned his Ph.D. in physics from Washington University in St. Louis in 2000. After working as a postdoctoral researcher and research scientist at Ohio State University, he began his teaching career at Cornell in 2006 as an Assistant Professor, where he received the Michael Tien ’72 Excellence in Teaching Award. Dr. Hennig joined the Department of Materials Science & Engineering at the University of Florida in 2014.

Dr. Hennig is the Associate Director of the Quantum Theory Project, an organizer for the Computational Materials Chemistry Conference and was awarded the National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Award in 2011. He has published more than 140 papers with over 9,000 citations and has been awarded over $15M in research funds as PI or Co-PI from the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy and National Institute of Standards and Technology while at UF. 

Read more about the UFRF professorship and the other recipients.