Amlan Datta, Ph.D. student in Ruslan Prozorov's lab, has been awarded a 2026-2027 Brown Graduate Fellowship in recognition for his research.
“Amlan Datta is a fifth-year graduate student in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. Broadly Amlan’s research is in superconductivity – a physical phenomenon in which certain materials, under certain conditions (e.g., pressure, temperature), allow electric current to flow without any resistance . . . Specifically, as a graduate researcher at the Department of Energy (DOE) Ames National Laboratory, and an active collaborator in the Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems (SQMS) Center, he investigates how microstructure, interfaces, disorder, and processing conditions in niobium- and tantalum-based superconducting quantum computing devices (e.g., the material-level limitations) influence quasiparticle dynamics, vortex behavior, and electromagnetic loss mechanisms relevant to qubit coherence (i.e., physical processes crucial to having functioning quantum computing technology). Solving these issues is a crucial step towards enabling scalable and reliable quantum computing, and his research is aligned squarely with various national initiatives and DOE priorities.
“In addition to research excellence, Amlan has demonstrated a strong commitment to education, as evidenced by his receiving multiple teaching excellence awards at both the departmental and university levels. He has also trained two undergraduate students on experimental cryogenic measurements in line with our departmental and university focus on providing students with valuable opportunities to participate in the research effort of Iowa State.
“Amlan’s research strengthens the strategic joint venture of Iowa State and Ames National Laboratory by advancing quantum materials research that is directly aligned with DOE mission priorities. His work also strongly aligns with the newly launched DOE Genesis mission by advancing foundational science that underpins next-generation information and energy-efficient computing technologies.”