Nancy Sandler advances condensed matter physics through research, leadership, and global collaboration

Nancy Sandler, a faculty member in Ohio University’s Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Nanoscale and Quantum Phenomena Institute, continues to strengthen NQPI’s national and international presence through her research, student mentoring, and scientific leadership.

Sandler is a theoretical condensed matter physicist whose work explores how quantum materials behave under complex physical conditions. Her research interests include electronic properties of two-dimensional systems, time-dependent phenomena in driven and quenched electronic systems, and spin qubits in microwave cavities. These topics connect directly with NQPI’s mission to advance nanoscale and quantum science through interdisciplinary collaboration.

From October 2025 to January 2026, Sandler visited Argentina as a Fulbright Research Scholar, collaborating with the Condensed Matter Physics group at the National Atomic Energy Commission in Buenos Aires. During the visit, she also helped develop a new collaboration with Professor Joseph Corbett at Miami University, an alumnus of Ohio University’s physics program. As part of her Fulbright activities, Sandler gave presentations that introduced audiences not only to her research but also to life and academic opportunities at Ohio University and in Athens. Several students later contacted her to learn more about OHIO.

Her international engagement also extended to invited presentations at conferences in Sydney, Australia, and Punta del Este, Uruguay, further highlighting the global reach of NQPI's research.

Sandler has also contributed to leadership and advocacy within the physics community. In February 2026, she participated in the American Physical Society Leadership Meeting as an elected member of the Division of Condensed Matter Physics. During the meeting, she joined congressional visits to discuss the importance of physics research and federal support for science, including a productive interaction with Senator Jon Husted.

Student training remains central to Sandler’s work. At the March 2026 American Physical Society Global Summit, her group was represented by contributed oral presentations from undergraduate Honors Tutorial College student Jonathon Dvorscak and graduate students Trevor Walsh and Eric Caldwell. In addition, through a three-year DOE-FAIR grant with Professor Mahmoud Asmar of Kennesaw State University, Sandler helps host summer research internships at Ohio University for undergraduate students from KSU and OU. The program gives visiting students hands-on exposure to graduate-level research, laboratory tours, mentoring from graduate students, and a welcoming introduction to the Athens research community.

Through her scholarship, mentoring, international collaborations, and national service, Professor Sandler exemplifies NQPI’s commitment to advancing quantum and nanoscale science while creating opportunities for the next generation of researchers.