Physics’ Laurent Bellaiche Receives SEC Faculty Achievement Award

J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences physicist Laurent Bellaiche has been named a winner of a 2019 SEC Faculty Achievement Award. These awards honor one faculty member from each SEC university who has a record of extraordinary teaching and nationally recognized scholarship.

“Laurent Bellaiche conducts research at the cutting edge of physics, and he takes a truly international approach to his work, collaborating with teams from around the world and mentoring students from across the globe,” said U of A Chancellor Joseph Steinmetz. “His dedication to building a better world through research, teaching and scholarship make him truly worthy of this recognition.”

Bellaiche uses modern computational and simulation methods to study ferroelectrics, semiconductors, magnetic compounds and two-dimensional systems. His research contributes to the fundamental understanding needed for progress in applied fields such as semiconductor technology, piezoelectric devices, and material science.

In addition to his role as a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Arkansas, Bellaiche also serves as a visiting faculty professor at Ecole Centrale in Paris, at Xi’an Jiaotong University in China and at the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology.

Bellaiche holds a doctorate from the University of Paris. He has published approximately 300 refereed articles in leading journals and delivered more than 200 invited presentations. He has secured nearly $45 million in grants and awards from a dozen agencies, including the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Defense, and NATO. He has supervised approximately 60 students and post‐doctoral researchers.

Bellaiche received the Ralph Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award from Oak Ridge Associated Universities in 1999, and a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation in 2000. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society and of the Arkansas Research Alliance.

About the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences: Fulbright College is the largest and most academically diverse unit on campus with 19 departments and more than 30 academic programs and research centers. The college provides the core curriculum for all University of Arkansas students and is named for J. William Fulbright, former university president and longtime U.S. senator.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among fewer than 2.7 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.

A version of this story also appeared in the U of A’s Newswire publication.