Matthew McCluskey named 2025 American Physical Society Fellow

Washington State University Professor Matthew McCluskey has been named a 2025 American Physical Society (APS) Fellow for his research on semiconductor materials and microscopic scanning techniques. APS Fellowship recognizes members for exceptional original research, significant contributions in the application of physics, and remarkable advancements in education. It is only given to 0.5% of the entire APS membership.

"It feels great to be honored by my peers in the American Physical Society, in particular the Division of Materials Physics," said McCluskey. "Being elected as an APS Fellow is a recognition of the work done by my research group, especially the graduate students in my laboratory."

McCluskey's research centers on understanding how semiconductor materials behave at high voltages, temperatures, and frequencies by utilizing techniques that reveal structural and bonding information.

"Semiconductor materials are almost never used in their pure state," said Brian Saam, chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy. "They are doped with other materials or engineered with crystalline defects to achieve a desired property. Understanding semiconductor properties is often all about understanding these defects, and Matt is one of the world's foremost experts in this area."

By adding small amounts of other elements, scientists can fine-tune a semiconductor's properties, like how well it conducts electricity, how it interacts with light, or how it holds up under heat. This kind of materials research plays an important role in fields such as optoelectronics, high-pressure physics, planetary science, and quantum technologies.

McCluskey is the Westinghouse Professor of Materials Science and Engineering in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and is also a member of the WSU Institute for Shock Physics. He has been a WSU faculty member since 1998, and his work has resulted in more than 100 peer-reviewed publications. Through his research, McCluskey invented a new type of confocal microscope which resulted in the formation of Klar Scientific, a startup company headquartered in Pullman, WA.

"WSU is a wonderful place to do impactful research," said McCluskey. "I am definitely celebrating this honor and recognition."

The American Physical Society is a nonprofit organization working to advance physics by fostering a vibrant and global community dedicated to society and science. Founded over 125 years ago, APS represents more than 50,000 members across academia, national laboratories, and industry around the world.

McCluskey was honored with the APS Fellowship from the Division of Materials Physics "for the insightful use of spectroscopy, crystal growth, and innovative scanning microscopic techniques to provide key atomic-scale information about defects and impurities in wide bandgap semiconductors for UV/visible lasers and high-power electronics."