Ian Leahy joined NREL in late 2022 as a postdoctoral researcher. His research focuses on characterization and functionalization of thin-film topological materials. He is also interested in hybrid perovskite spintronics. Ian obtained his bachelor’s degree in physics from Villanova University and doctorate from the University of Colorado at Boulder. His doctoral work focused on the electrical, thermoelectric, and magnetic properties of semimetals.

For more information, see Ian Leahy’s LinkedIn profile.

Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed on LinkedIn are the author’s own, made in the author's individual capacity, and do not necessarily reflect the views of NREL.  

Research Interests

Topological semimetals

Electrical transport

Thermoelectrics

Strongly correlated systems

Magnetism and magnetic materials

Spintronics

Education

Ph.D., Physics, University of Colorado at Boulder

M.S., Physics, University of Colorado at Boulder

B.S., Physics, Villanova University

Professional Experience

Postdoctoral Researcher, NREL (2022–present)

Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Colorado at Boulder (2021–2022)

Graduate Research Assistant, University of Colorado at Boulder (2015–2021)

Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of Colorado at Boulder (2014–2020)

Undergraduate Research Assistant, Villanova University (2013–2014)

Associations and Memberships

Member, American Physical Society

Featured Work

Field-induced Magnetic States in the Metallic Rare-Earth Layered Triangular Antiferromagnet TbAuAl₄Ge₂, Physical Review B (2022)

Direct Link Between Disorder, Mobility, and Magnetoresistance in Topological Semimetals, arXiv Preprint (2022)

Magnetic Ordering in GdAuAl₄Ge₂ and TbAuAl₄Ge₂: Layered Compounds with Triangular Lanthanide Nets, Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials (2022)

Electrical, Magnetic, and Thermoelectric Properties of Semimetals, Doctoral Thesis (2021)

Giant Thermal Magnetoconductivity in CrCl3 and a General Model for Spin-Phonon Scattering, Physical Review Research (2020)

Nonsaturating Large Magnetoresistance in Semimetals, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2018)

Anomalous Thermal Conductivity and Magnetic Torque Response in the Honeycomb Magnet RuCl₃, Physical Review Letters (2017)