Blusson QMI Scientific Director Andrea Damascelli has received the first edition of Ingegno Italiano Award by the Embassy of Italy in Canada for his outstanding contributions and leadership in the study of quantum materials through innovative approaches.

Image (left to right): Prof. Costanza Conti, Scientific Attaché, Embassy of Italy; Prof. Andrea Damascelli, Scientific Director, UBC QMI; Mr. Andrea Ferrari, Ambassador of Italy to Canada, Embassy of Italy.

Damascelli is a Professor at UBC’s Department of Physics & Astronomy, a Tier I Canada Research Chair in the Electronic Structure of Quantum Materials, and the co-director of the Max Planck-UBC-UTokyo Centre for Quantum Materials. He is a member of several important scientific societies, and his work has been recognized by prestigious fellowships and awards.

Positioned to lead the next transformative technological revolution across many industries, quantum materials are systems capable of exhibiting an astounding range of exotic effects, including unconventional and high-Tc superconductivity, giant and colossal magneto-resistance, charge-, spin- and pair-density waves, fractional quantum Hall effect, and Majorana modes.

Damascelli’s research on the electronic structure of solids and the development of innovative spectroscopy techniques to study and manipulate quantum materials has led to pivotal contributions to the field.

His publications are highly cited (175 peer-reviewed in total: 148 original research papers, 20 conference proceedings, and 7 invited reviews), with a career total of ~19,500 citations and an h-index of 59.

Damascelli received the award in Ottawa on May 10, where he also gave a talk on Quantum Materials by Design as part of a scientific discussion on the Italian contributions to science in Canada. The Italian Research Day in the World was also celebrated on this occasion.

Learn more about Andrea’s research here.