University of Michigan physicist Lu Li has been named among eight scientists selected for the prestigious 2026 class of Brown Investigators. This recognition comes from the Brown Institute for Basic Sciences at Caltech. The award grants Li up to $2 million over five years to tackle fundamental challenges in physical sciences, showcasing the Institute’s dedication to supporting research with potential long-term applications in chemistry and physics.
Lu Li, serving as interim chair and professor of physics at the University of Michigan, plans to use this grant to pioneer methods in thermal transport and resonance measurements in high magnetic fields. These efforts aim to examine the electronic states of insulators. In Michigan, a notable example of magnetic fields at work is the aurora, where Earth’s magnetic field interacts with solar particles. Li’s experiments seek to explore if magnetic fields can influence charge-less particles in certain insulators.
“It is such an honor to be part of the Brown Investigator Award. With this support, I am more confident that the proposed experiments will work,” he stated. “The success will open a new field in solid insulators. Given the rapid technological development in semiconductors and metals, I am sure society will see progress from this new research on insulators.”
Initiated by the Brown Science Foundation in 2020, the Investigator Awards are grounded in the belief that scientific discovery drives human advancement. The Brown Institute, established by Ross Brown in 2023, focuses on fostering breakthroughs in fundamental science to benefit society. Awardee selection involved nominations from 24 research universities, evaluating tenured faculty engaged in innovative research.
Notable past recipients include Kerri Pratt, a U-M professor, recognized in 2024 for her work on chemical processes in the Arctic’s warming atmosphere. The awards provide mid-career researchers with stable funding, enabling significant contributions to their fields.
—
Read More Michigan News
