Dr. Ufuk Kilic, Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, received the 2025 Advanced Surface Engineering Division (ASED) Young Investigator Award at the American Vacuum Society (AVS) 71st International Symposium & Exhibition in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Kilic was selected for his significant contributions and continued promise in the field of advanced surface engineering, and he presented his research on “Wide-Bandgap Hybrid Metamaterials: Theory-guided Advanced Surface Engineering for UV-active Photonic Properties” during the symposium.
The ASED Young Investigator Award recognizes outstanding research contributions presented in the ASED program of the AVS Symposium and is awarded annually to an early-career scientist within five years of earning their PhD. The award highlights innovation, leadership, and promise in advancing the frontiers of surface engineering.
“I am honored to receive the 2025 AVS Advanced Surface Engineering Division (ASED) Young Investigator Award,” said Kilic. “This recognition serves as motivation to further pursue innovative directions at the intersection of surface engineering and nanophotonics. I deeply appreciate the support of the sponsors, organizers, and the ASED awards committee. I am sincerely grateful to Prof. Mathias Schubert, Prof. Eva Schubert, and Prof. Christos Argyropoulos for their continued guidance and encouragement.”
Kilic praised funders supporting the Emergent Quantum Materials and Technologies (EQUATE) collaboration—"enabling our research at the forefront of nanophotonics and optics.” He also acknowledged J.A. Woollam Company for its longstanding commitment to supporting our research. In addition, Kilic expressed gratitude for the collective dedication, effort, and perseverance of all past and present team members, collaborators, mentors, and “my incredibly supportive family.”
Kilic’s work has been supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) through EPSCoR RII Track-1: Emergent Quantum Materials and Technologies (EQUATE) Award OIA-2044049, NSF-CMMI 2211858, NSF-DMR 2224456, NSF-ECCS 2329940, Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) FA9550-19-S0003 (M.S.), FA9550-21-1-0259, and FA9550-23-1-0574 DEF, NASA Nebraska Space Grant (#80NSSC25M7128), the University of Nebraska Foundation, the J.A. Woollam Foundation, and the University of Nebraska Collaboration Initiative program.
