Sebastian Streichan, David Patterson and Andrea Young each secure $1.3M to pursue high-risk research in living matter, molecular physics and quantum materials, underscoring the world-class caliber of the MLPS Physics Department.
Three UC Santa Barbara physicists from the Division of Mathematical, Life, and Physical Sciences—Sebastian Streichan, David Patterson and Andrea Young—have been named 2025 Experimental Physics Investigators by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. This prestigious honor, awarded to only 22 mid-career researchers nationwide, provides $1.3 million in support over five years for their innovative, high-risk research.
The selection of three faculty from a single cohort is a testament to the strength of the Physics Department. The awards will fund their work, from investigating the fundamental physics of living tissue, to observing the infinitesimal differences in “left-” and “right-handed” chiral molecules and developing novel quantum materials.
“For three of our faculty to receive this honor in a single cohort is a powerful affirmation of the world-class caliber of our Physics Department. The Moore Foundation invests in the person, not just the project, and by selecting professors Young, Patterson and Streichan, they are betting on three incredibly creative minds to push the boundaries of science,” said Shelly Gable, dean of mathematical, life and physical sciences. Read the full story on The Current.