People At The Texas Center For Superconductivity

Congratulations to Prof. Venkat Selvamanickam, TcSUH PI and head of the TcSUH Applied Research Hub!

February 10, 2026

Congratulations to Prof. Venkat Selvamanickam, TcSUH PI and head of the TcSUH Applied Research Hub!

University of Houston engineering professor Venkat Selvamanickam has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering, one of the highest professional honors awarded to engineers worldwide.

Selvamanickam is the M.D. Anderson Chair Professor of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering and director of the Advanced Manufacturing Institute at the UH Cullen College of Engineering. He was recognized for his cutting-edge contributions to industrial-scale advanced manufacturing processes for high-temperature superconductor wires for electric power applications and their commercialization.

A globally recognized innovator in superconductivity, Selvamanickam, who earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in engineering at UH, has spent decades developing and commercializing high-temperature superconducting technologies that have transformed the energy industry. His work has helped modernize electric grids, strengthen energy resilience and accelerate the development of next-generation energy systems.

At UH, Selvamanickam has built one of the nation’s premier academic programs in advanced superconducting manufacturing, securing major federal and industry partnerships to accelerate domestic production of next-generation superconductors and strengthen U.S. competitiveness in critical energy technologies. Last fall, he was awarded $8 million in federal funding to advance superconducting magnet research for compact fusion reactors — work aimed at keeping the nation at the forefront of fusion innovation.

“Year after year, Professor Selvamanickam pushes the boundaries of engineering, producing breakthrough innovations to drive society forward,” said UH President Renu Khator. “From medical treatments to motors, his 40-year career advancing superconductor technology has significantly impacted quality of life and economic development. He personifies UH’s mission to transform lives and communities and is richly deserving of this honor.”

Selvamanickam is among 130 U.S. members and 28 international members in the NAE’s Class of 2026. He is the 29th NAE member from UH.

“Professor Selvamanickam’s election to the National Academy of Engineering shines a global spotlight on the groundbreaking work taking place in his lab and across the University of Houston,” said Diane Z. Chase, UH senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “Our students are learning and working alongside a true pioneer whose work is shaping the future of engineering, an experience that strengthens their education and reinforces UH’s reputation as a place where breakthrough ideas and student success go hand in hand.”

Election to the NAE honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to engineering research, practice or education, including significant advances in new and developing fields of technology. Academy membership represents the pinnacle of professional achievement in engineering.

“This is a proud and defining moment for the University of Houston as it is powerful validation of the transformative work happening in our classrooms and labs every day,” said Claudia Neuhauser, vice president for research at UH. “Selva’s research not only advances his field, it elevates UH’s standing as a leader in engineering innovation and reinforces the real-world impact our faculty and students are making on the technologies that shape our future.”

Selvamanickam and the other members of the class will be formally inducted during the NAE Annual Meeting in the fall.

For more information, read the original news release.

University of Houston Researchers Driving Breakthroughs in Building Longer-Lasting, Faster-Charging Batteries

October 01, 2025

University of Houston Researchers Driving Breakthroughs in Building Longer-Lasting, Faster-Charging Batteries

Houston – Researchers at the University of Houston, a global leader in energy research and innovation, are spearheading a study that could transform the future of battery technology. Yan Yao, an award-winning professor at UH’s Cullen College of Engineering, along with collaborators from Singapore, Zhejiang University and Seoul National University, have published a review in the journal Science eying alternative metals for battery anodes. If Yao and his fellow collaborators succeed, it could lead to longer-lasting batteries for electric vehicles, smartphones, laptops and more. “I think the most exciting part of this is the global interest in this new battery,” Yao said. “But we still have a lot of challenges ahead; there’s still a lot of learning that needs to be done.” The review highlights the similarities and differences in monovalent metals such as lithium, sodium and potassium, and multivalent metals, including magnesium, calcium and aluminum. The impetus for this review is that graphite, the standard anode for lithium-ion batteries, is reaching its practical limits. Lithium metal could be a strong alternative as it offers 10 times the charge storage capacity of graphite, but it tends to form tiny spikes called dendrites that can short-circuit batteries. Meanwhile, multivalent metals present promising alternatives because they are more abundant, safer and potentially able to store more energy at a lower cost. The downside to these metals is multivalent ions move more slowly, which can slow charging, but are less prone to forming dendrites.

To overcome these barriers, researchers are exploring textured electrode surfaces that guide smooth metal growth and developing new electrolytes that optimize ion movement and protective film formation. “This work underscores the need for continued research to overcome the technical barriers of multivalent metal batteries,” Yao said. “Advances in electrode design, electrolyte chemistry, and battery architecture are crucial to harness the full potential of these materials.” The study also identifies emerging design principles, such as using locally high salt concentrations and weakly solvating electrolytes for monovalent systems, and strongly solvating, weakly ion-pairing electrolytes for multivalent systems, offering a roadmap for next-generation electrolyte development. Other contributors include Yuanjian Li, Sonal Kumar, Gaoliang Yang and Zhi Wei Seh from the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) in Singapore; Jun Lu from Zhejiang University; and Kisuk Kang from Seoul National University. With global demand for high-performance, sustainable batteries growing, this research provides critical guidance for scientists and engineers striving to develop the next generation of energy storage technologies.

For more information, read the original news release.

Congrats to the UH UMC Team for Awards from Public Relations Society of America Houston Chapter

August 06, 2025

Congrats to the UH UMC Team for Awards from Public Relations Society of America Houston Chapter

Among their many accolades, the UH Division of University Marketing and Communications and the Division of Student Affairs were honored this year by the Public Relations Society of America Houston chapter for their public relations and storytelling. Additionally, UMC marketing and creative projects earned recognition for outstanding achievement from the American Marketing Association Houston and The Communicator Awards. https://stories.uh.edu/2025-UHT-Aug-uh-communicates-success/index.html

So glad to see our superconductivity video won a Crystal Award! Kudos to UH videographers, writers, photographers, editors, and of course, our TcSUH stars. The entire UMC team is such an asset to our UH community.

NCAA Commercial – Superconductivity: A national spot spotlighting UH’s pioneering superconductivity research and academic innovation.https://uh.edu/news-events/stories/2024/august/08302024-national-commercial-superconductivity.php

Susan Butler | (713) 498-9703 | sbutler@uh.edu

For more information, read the original news release.

TcSUH’s Troy Christensen Wins UH Division of Research’s Staff Excellence Award

June 27, 2025

TcSUH’s Troy Christensen Wins UH Division of Research’s Staff Excellence Award

TcSUH’s Troy Christensen was recognized by the UH Division of Research (DOR) at a luncheon on June 23, where he was presented with a Staff Excellence Award. Three awards are bestowed each year, with two from DOR Central departments and one from a DOR Center or Institute.

Claudia Neuhauser, Vice President for Research, presented Troy with a plaque and an award of $500.00, thanking him for his stellar performance contributions both to the Texas Center for Superconductivity at UH (TcSUH) and the University.

Working in TcSUH administration for over 30 years, Troy has received many accolades for his helpful demeanor and support of researchers, students, and administrators. As executive assistant to Professor Paul C. W. Chu, one of his major responsibilities is the technical editing of research papers, grant proposals, reports, and other documents. He pays incredible attention to detail and is very thorough and timely in his reviews.

In addition to his work, he has volunteered for numerous service activities at UH, particularly the Cougar First Impressions planning committee and Staff Council. He was integral in developing a database for scheduling and communication with Cougar First Impressions volunteers, a tool that is still used by the planning committee today. Troy provides exceptional customer service, as evident in his work at conferences related to the field of superconductivity. He sets a positive example for staff members across the Division and the University through his work and UH service, as well as his dedication, high integrity, and strong work ethic.

Ashley Merwin, DOR | S. Butler, TcSUH Office of Public Affairs

For more information, read the original news release.

University of Houston Scientists Recharge Battery Potential

June 05, 2025

University of Houston Scientists Recharge Battery Potential

Low-battery anxiety may soon be a little less stressful thanks to a recent discovery by researchers at the University of Houston.

For decades, scientists have struggled to understand what, exactly, is happening inside a solid-state battery in real time, which has made extending its life difficult. Now, a UH research team, in collaboration with researchers from Brown University, worked around that problem using operando scanning electron microscopy, a powerful high-resolution imaging technique. The technique helped them understand why solid-state batteries break down and what could be done to slow the process.

“This research solves a long-standing mystery about why solid-state batteries sometimes fail,” said Yan Yao, the Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UH and the corresponding author of this study published in the journal Nature Communications. “This discovery allows solid-state batteries to operate under lower pressure, which can reduce the need for bulky external casing and improve overall safety.” Prior to this revelation, scientists knew adding small amounts of other metals, such as magnesium, to lithium negative electrodes helped improve battery performance, but they didn’t understand why, said Yao, who is also the principal investigator at the Texas Center for Superconductivity at UH.

What Yao’s team learned is that over time, tiny empty spaces, or voids, form within the battery and merge into a large gap, ultimately causing the battery to fail. After a series of experiments, the team found that adding small amounts of alloying elements like magnesium can close these voids and help the battery continue to function. “We captured real-time, high-resolution videos of what actually happens inside a battery while it’s working under a scanning electron microscope,” said Lihong Zhao, the first author of this work, a former postdoctoral researcher in Yao’s lab and now an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at UH. “With just a small tweak to the battery’s chemistry, we can dramatically improve its performance, especially under practical conditions like low pressure.”

This discovery is a big step forward for electric vehicles. Currently, solid-state batteries are not ideal for daily use in vehicles. While they are more fire resistant and have the potential to reach high energy density, they also require high external stack pressure to stay intact while operating.

For more information, read the original news release.

Prize Winners Announced at 60th TCSUH Student Research Symposium

May 14, 2025

Prize Winners Announced at 60th TCSUH Student Research Symposium

Prize Winners Announced at 60th TCSUH Student Research Symposium

Twelve students present original research in juried competition

Houston, TX – May 14, 2025. Zhifeng Ren, Paul C. W. Chu and May P. Chern Endowed Chair in Condensed Matter Physics and Director of the Texas Center for Superconductivity at the University of Houston (TcSUH), is pleased to announce the winners of the 60th TcSUH Student Research Symposium, held May 2, 2025, at the University of Houston Science Center. The symposium is a juried competition for students selected from each research group headed by a TcSUH Principal Investigator. Prizes are awarded based on originality of research (25%), quality of research (25%), quality of presentation (25%), and skillful use of visual aids (25%).

The 2025 competition featured eleven graduate students and one undergraduate student from the departments of chemistry, physics, and chemical engineering. Professors Arnold Guloy (chemistry), Jae-Hyun Ryou (mechanical and space engineering), and Liangzi Deng (physics) served as judges.

The judges awarded the First Prize of $600 to Mr. Sudaice Kazibwe, a Ph.D. student in physics whose advisor is Liangzi Deng. He presented his research on the study of pressure effects at the megabar range on superconducting cuprates.

Two Second Prizes of $300 were awarded. Ms. Ange Benise Niyikiza, a Ph.D. student in physics whose advisor is Zhifeng Ren, discussed her work on the synthesis and characterizations of boron arsenide crystals. Ms. FNU Vidhi, a third-year Ph.D. student in physics, also won for her research presentation on enhancing oxygen evolution performance via leaching-induced surface reconstruction of iron-molybdenum oxide hybrid electrocatalysts. Vidhi's advisor is Shuo Chen.

The judges selected three Third Prize winners to receive $200 awards. Mr. Arman Karimaghaei, a chemistry undergraduate student whose advisor is Jakoah Brgoch, presented his work on machine learning guided discovery of oxidation-resistant materials. Mr. Asim Khan, a Ph.D. student whose advisors are Arnold Guloy and Allan Jacobson in the chemistry department, won for his work on topochemical reduction of Kagome-like MoO3 layers in Cs2(MoO3)3PO3CH3 by hydrogen spillover. Ms. Iqra Zahid, a 3rd year Ph.D. student in physics under the advisement of Paul C. W. Chu, discussed her research on the investigation of strain and pressure effects on La3Ni2O7 thin films. Photos are available in the attached pdf file.

All prize winners are eligible to apply for the TcSUH Student Travel Awards, which help defray expenses to attend conferences, workshops, and important reviews.

Each student presented in one of three sessions held throughout the day. The session chairs were Professors Shuo Chen (physics), Jakoah Brgoch (chemistry), and Oomman Varghese (physics). Graduate students in physics serving as assistant chairs were Ms. Navmi Naik and Mr. Junaid Ur Rehman, and Ms. Jinyulin Li, a postdoctoral fellow in physics.

For more information, read the original news release.

Congratulations to Piero Canepa for receiving a $300,000 grant from the Robert A. Welch Foundation.

May 12, 2025

Congratulations to Piero Canepa for receiving a $300,000 grant from the Robert A. Welch Foundation.

Pieremanuele Canepa, Robert A. Welch Assistant Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the Cullen College of Engineering, has received a $300,000 grant from the Welch Foundation to support research using machine learning to improve rechargeable batteries.

Pieremanuele Canepa, Robert A. Welch Assistant Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the Cullen College of Engineering, has received a $300,000 grant from the Welch Foundation to support research using machine learning to improve rechargeable batteries.

The proposal, “Exploring Links between Vibrational and Configurational Entropies in Complex Oxides via First principles and Machine Learning,” was selected by the foundation in April for funding. Research will be for three years, through May 2028.

Canepa said the goal of this specific project, and much of his research work, is to improve the structure of materials to increase the power and longevity of batteries.

“We will use the power of supercomputer and advanced algorithms to revel the effect of disorder in complex oxide materials,” he said. “These materials see primary application as electrode materials for rechargeable batteries.”

Recently, Canepa has published research on the potential of a new material for sodium-ion batteries. He is also the co-PI with Yan Yao, the Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Professor at the UH Cullen College of Engineering and principal investigator at the Texas Center for Superconductivity, on a major U.S. Department of Energy project. He and Yao were interviewed by Houston Public Media about the research.

Speaking about the research the Welch Foundation grant will support, Canepa said it was vital when it came to future developments.

“This line of research is important to unlock the design rules controlling complex materials that bring about significant intrinsic disorder,” he said. “If we identify these rules, we can design materials with significant complexity possessing unique properties that are uncommon in well-ordered and well-behaved materials. These materials see direct application as electrode materials for high-energy density lithium and sodium rechargeable batteries.”

For more information, read the original news release.

Three Ph.D. Students Receive Scholarships from Texas Center for

May 12, 2025

Three Ph.D. Students Receive Scholarships from Texas Center for

Scholarships Promote Research in High Temperature Superconductivity and Related Energy Materials

Houston, TX. Three Ph.D. students were awarded scholarships for the 2025-2026 academic year from the Texas Center for Superconductivity at the University of Houston (TcSUH) on May 2, 2025, at the 60th TcSUH Student Research Symposium.

The scholarships, awarded to graduate students working with or advised by TcSUH-affiliated faculty members, are based on merit and reward outstanding academic and research progress. They are intended to promote TcSUH research programs in high temperature superconductivity and related energy materials.

Professor Zhifeng Ren, the Paul C.W. Chu and May P. Chern Endowed Chair in Condensed Matter Physics and director of TcSUH, said the pool of applicants for this cycle was outstanding and the Scholarship Committee found it difficult to choose the final recipients.

Scholarship Winners include the following:

Ange Benise Niyikiza, Ph.D. student in Physics, Prof. Zhifeng Ren, advisor Sudaice Kazibwe, Ph.D. student in Physics, Physics, Prof. Liangzi Deng, advisor Wen Ren, Ph.D. student in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Prof. Yan Yao, advisor

In September, recipients will discuss their research projects at TcSUH’s 2025 Fall Welcome and Scholarship Symposium.

TcSUH Office of Public Affairs

Susan Butler, sbutler@uh.edu

713-498-9703