Rowan physics professor selected for national honor

Samuel Lofland, Ph.D., a professor of physics and chair of the Department of Physics & Astronomy in the College of Science & Mathematics, has been named an American Physical Society (APS) Fellow in recognition of his contributions to the field.

Lofland was selected for the honor by the organization’s Council of Representatives, following a recommendation by the American Physical Society Forum on Industrial & Applied Physics. The number of recommended nominees in each year may not exceed a half percent of the society’s non-student membership.

A condensed matter physicist and associate director of Rowan University’s Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Institute, Lofland is an expert in magnetic materials, multifunctional materials, composites and catalysts. In recognizing his work, APS specifically cited Lofland’s “seminal contributions to the understanding of magnetism in functional oxide materials and for sustained effort in supporting and enhancing undergraduate physics education.”

In 2022, he led an interdisciplinary team of international researchers which discovered highly unusual properties of a new piezoelectric material, making it possible for use in advanced sonar devices as well as detectors and sensors. In partnership with Sekisui Chemical, Lofland led work to develop a cost-effective method for converting carbon dioxide into resources that could replace petrochemicals.

“Giving students the opportunity to study relevant topics within their field of study is one of the more meaningful aspects of research,” Lofland said.

“It’s important to have research be more than something that sits in an ivory tower,” he added.

Lofland received bachelor degrees in physics and mathematics from the University of Maryland, where he also received his master’s and doctorate degrees in physics. He was later a postdoctoral fellow at the university in condensed matter physics.

A prolific researcher, Lofland has taught at Rowan University since 1998.