What happens when you shine light on matter in just the right way?
According to Kennesaw State University physicist Mahmoud Asmar the answer could unlock entirely new phases of matter—ones with extraordinary electrical and magnetic properties that could revolutionize quantum computing, advanced communications, and even medical imaging.
Asmar earned a three-year, $799,800 U.S. Department of Energy grant to lead pioneering research into light-matter interactions. His focus is on creating and stabilizing topological out-of-equilibrium quantum states, or quantum phases that remain stable even under less-than-perfect conditions like material disorder.
The investment reflects more than a single research project—it signals Kennesaw State University’s emergence as a trusted research partner to the U.S. Department of Energy. By contributing to federally funded quantum science initiatives, KSU is helping advance priorities with national impact while building its reputation among the country’s leading research institutions.
While most research has studied how uniform light interacts with materials, Asmar is taking a different path. His work dives into the unexplored territory of structured, non-uniform light interacting with inhomogeneous materials. This combination could open the door to entirely new quantum phases that scientists have never been able to reach before.
One application, quantum computing, works by using tiny particles and special states of matter to process information much faster than regular computers. But these special states are very fragile and can easily get messed up by heat, defects, or other disturbances that slow down the computer or cause errors. By factoring in real-world variables like temperature effects and electron collisions, Asmar’s models aim to create a more stable and resistant quantum state that works faster and more accurately.
Asmar is partnering with Nancy Sandler, a professor of physics at Ohio University, where he earned his Ph.D. in 2015. The grant will fund a graduate student at Ohio University, a postdoctoral scholar, and two undergraduate researchers at KSU, along with summer internships for both undergraduate and graduate students.
For Asmar, student involvement is a driving force. “Research is where students move from absorbing knowledge to creating it,” he said. “It’s how they see themselves, not just as learners, but as contributors to science.”
“This grant significantly expands research opportunities for KSU students. They’ll be directly involved in the rapidly evolving field of theoretical condensed matter physics, positioning KSU at the forefront of innovation in quantum science and technology.” — Mahmoud Asmar, assistant professor of physics
As a theoretical physicist, Asmar uses mathematical modeling and advanced simulations to predict how light can alter the properties of quantum materials. His work doesn’t stop at theory. It guides real-world experiments by giving researchers a clear, precise framework for controlling matter at the quantum level.
This latest grant builds on his 2022 National Science Foundation award, which proved that vortex-like states can be generated in matter through light. His breakthrough helped secure his DOE funding.
Asmar’s DOE award is the latest in a series of high-profile wins for the Department of Physics at KSU. In August 2024, professors Marco Guzzi and Nikolaos Kidonakis secured a $360,000 NSF grant for theoretical particle physics work at CERN. Earlier this year, Chetan Dhital (physics) and Madalynn Marshall (chemistry) received a $799,934 DOE grant to study magnetic materials.
Students are also making headlines. Casey Hampson’s research conducted at CERN facilities in Switzerland earned NSF funding. Emily Manqueros became the first physics student to win top honors
at the Birla Carbon Scholars Symposium, while Siam Sarower became the first KSU physics student to receive the Barry Goldwater Scholarship, and he earned an American Physical Society ambassadorship.
Heather Koopman, dean of the College of Science and Mathematics at KSU, sees Asmar’s grant as part of a bigger trajectory.
“The grant that Dr. Asmar has secured from the Department of Energy is yet another feather in the cap of the stellar recent performance of CSM’s Physics DepartmentDepartment of Physics,” she said. “We have world-class researchers, along with incredible undergraduate students doing research and winning awards—it’s the perfect combination that is exactly in tune with CSM’s aim of achieving national prominence in Undergraduate Research.”
The DOE awarded only 40 grants nationwide, totaling $31 million, and making the inclusion of Kennesaw State University a point of pride for the entire university. In short: KSU is competing—and winning—among the nation’s best.
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