Philip Leverhulme Prizes recognise the achievement of outstanding researchers whose work has already attracted international recognition and whose future career is exceptionally promising.
One of the recipients of the 2015 prize is Dr Suchitra Sebastian, Lecturer at the Cavendish Laboratory and affiliated with the Winton Programme for the Physics of Sustainability.
Dr Sebastian’s work has received international recognition for the discovery of new physical phenomena by combining materials synthesis, low temperatures, high magnetic fields, and large applied pressures to access previously unexplored regions of phase space.
She said: “We are working toward the design of new superconductors by applying high pressures to selected non-superconductors, following our discovery of the same in iron-based magnets.
“I also propose to use high magnetic fields to explore quantum materials positioned in-between metallic and insulating regimes, where we have uncovered preliminary signatures of a fascinating new phase of matter that is neither metal nor insulator, but has elements of both. The award will facilitate travel to perform experiments at international high magnetic field facilities.”