Skip to content

Materials Science and Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology Materials Science and Engineering

Menu
Close
  • ABOUT
    • CHAIR'S WELCOME
    • WHAT IS MSE?
    • ADVISORY BOARD
    • HISTORY
    • CONTACTS & DIRECTIONS
    • OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
    • STRATEGIC PLAN
    • CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
    • AVAILABLE POSITIONS
  • VALUES
    • DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
    • CREATING RESISTANCE TO SEXUAL HARASSMENT (CRSH)
  • GRADUATE
    • CURRENT STUDENTS
    • PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
    • FAQ
    • REQUEST INFO
    • APPLY NOW
    • CERTIFICATES
  • PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
    • GRADUATE
    • UNDERGRADUATE
  • UNDERGRADUATE
    • ACADEMIC ADVISING
    • CURRICULUM
    • MENTORING PROGRAM
    • MSE MINOR AND CERTIFICATES
    • PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
    • REQUEST INFO
    • RESEARCH
    • SCHOLARSHIPS
    • STUDENT RESOURCES
    • CHANGE MAJOR
  • PEOPLE
    • ALL
    • FTE FACULTY
    • STAFF
    • ACADEMIC PROFESSIONALS
    • RESEARCH SCIENTISTS/POST DOCS
    • ADJUNCT FACULTY
    • COURTESY APPOINTMENTS
    • EMERITUS FACULTY
    • GRAD STUDENTS
    • ADMINISTRATION
    • STAFF - WHO DOES WHAT
  • GIVING
    • STUDENT SUPPORT
    • SUPPORTING THE MILL
    • SUPPORTING RESEARCH AND FACULTY
    • SUPPORTING THE SCHOOL
    • WHY GIVE NOW
    • WAYS TO GIVE
  • MILL
  • RESEARCH
    • MATERIALS AND CHALLENGES
    • RESEARCH CENTERS
    • INDUSTRY RELATIONS
    • TOPICAL WORKING GROUPS
    • FACULTY RESEARCH OVERVIEW
  • INDUSTRY
  • SAFETY
  • Georgia Tech Home
  • Campus Map
  • Directory
  • Offices
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
Search

Search form

  • You are here:
  • Home

Faces of Research: Nazanin Bassiri-Gharb

Meet Nazanin Bassiri-Gharb, Harris Saunders, Jr. Chair & Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and faculty researcher at the Institute for Materials (IMat) and the Institute of Electronics and Nanotechnology (IEN). Bassiri-Gharb has a courtesy appointment in MSE.

IMat and IEN are two of Georgia Tech's 10 interdisciplinary research institutes (IRIs) within the Georgia Tech Research enterprise.

What is your field of expertise and why did you choose it?

I work on functional materials, their processing, characterization and fundamental science. These are materials that transform one type of signal into another: electrical to mechanical, chemical to electrical, optical to electrical. Given these transduction abilities, functional materials are the fundamental blocks enabling smart systems and devices, capable of interacting with the environment.

I am fascinated by how to translate the concept of functional material to “smart” material.

What makes Georgia Tech research institutes unique?  

Georgia Tech’s research enterprise is so vast that only the research institutes can truly connect all those involved in specific research and educational efforts under bigger scope umbrellas. Given the wide range of research interests at our Institute, it is not surprising to discover the impressive depth and breadth of the research institutes at Georgia Tech, and how often they are strongly tied into our education efforts. What I really appreciate is also the fact that the research institutes are fluid in their composition, that they are people and interest driven. I interact more with the Institute of Electronics and Nanotechnology when processing functional materials, with IMat when using characterization facilities, and the Institute of Data Engineering and Science when applying machine learning approaches to the data obtained. Georgia Tech has always prided itself in its interdisciplinary research innovation and this is indeed where the research institutes shine, moves across boundaries of School and College affiliations. And of course, our research institutes facilitate connections within Georgia Tech, but also to the outside research, science and engineering enterprise.

What impact is your research having on the world? 

While we cannot (yet!) make materials “think”, the ability of sensing the environment and reacting to it, designing such interactions and, ultimately, creating devices capable to translating that functionality to the physical world around us is at the core of the scientific endeavor. These capabilities enable a wide range of devices that started as mimicry of complex biological systems – localization with acoustic or ultrasound waves, infrared vision, chemical sensing – and many applications that were only science fiction not that long ago: mobile phones, miniaturized and portable computing, bionic limbs and robotics, space stations, and of course artificial intelligence. Almost everything in the modern world benefits from functional materials.

What do you like to do in your spare time when you are not working on your research or teaching?

I love spending time with my husband and two daughters, and I really enjoy travel, exploring different cultures, food, architecture, and history. When I am not traveling physically, I enjoy taking a flight of imagination with reading- from classical literature, to fantasy, thrillers, Victorian romance, leadership and self-improvement.

Nazanin Bassiri-Gharb

ABOUT

  • About
    • Chair's Welcome
    • Strategic Plan
    • What is MSE?
    • Careers
    • History
    • Contacts & Directions
    • Outreach Activities
    • External Advisory Board
    • Events
      • Past Events
    • News
    • Seminars
      • Brumley D Pritchett Lecture Series
      • Industry Executive Seminars
      • Past Seminars
      • Upcoming Seminars

Student Resources

  • Undergraduate Handbook
  • Undergraduate Registration
  • Overload Requests
  • Graduate Handbook
  • Lab Safety Policy
  • Student Mentoring Program

Faculty & Staff Resources

  • Faculty & Staff Directory
  • Administration
  • Institute for Materials
  • Financial Forms

Quick Links

  • College of Engineering
  • COE Ethics Statement
  • Bursar's Office
  • Registrar's Office
  • International Education
  • Financial Aid
  • Student Affairs
  • Tech Lingo
  • Title IX/Sexual Misconduct
Map of Georgia Tech

Georgia Institute of Technology
North Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30332
Phone: 404-894-2000

  • Emergency Information
  • Legal & Privacy Information
  • Accessibility
  • Accountability
  • Accreditation
  • Employment
  • Login
Georgia Tech

© Georgia Institute of Technology