Sefaattin Tongay

Professor, School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy

Born in Berlin, Germany, and educated across multiple countries, Prof. Dr. Seth Ariel Tongay is an internationally recognized researcher in advanced materials, semiconductor science, and emerging electronic technologies. He has authored more than 400 journal publications spanning two-dimensional materials, semiconductor physics, epitaxy, quantum materials, and next-generation electronic and optoelectronic devices. According to Google Scholar, his research ranks among the most highly cited worldwide in thin-film growth, epitaxy, and two-dimensional materials.

Professor Tongay has been named a Highly Cited Researcher for seven consecutive years (2019–2025) by Clarivate. His major honors include the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) and the NSF CAREER Award. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS), Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), and Institute of Physics (IOP).

At Arizona State University, he serves as Research Director of the School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Lamonte H. Lawrence Professor in Solid State Science, and Navrotsky Professor of Materials Research. His research program bridges fundamental materials discovery with semiconductor technology and manufacturing, with extensive collaborations across academia, national laboratories, and the semiconductor industry. He also serves on the editorial boards of Applied Physics Reviews and Nature 2D Materials & Applications.
Google Scholar Profile

Recognition

2025 – Highly Cited Researcher, Clarivate
2025 – Fellow, Institute of Physics (United Kingdom)
2025 – Lester E. Hendrickson Leadership & Teaching Award
2025 – Arizona State University Top 5% Teaching Award
2024 – Fellow, American Physical Society
2024 – Fellow, Royal Society of Chemistry
2024 – Navrotsky Professor of Materials Research
2024 – Highly Cited Researcher, Clarivate
2024 – Arizona State University Top 5% Teaching Award
2023 – Highly Cited Researcher, Clarivate
2023 – College of Engineering Teaching Award, Arizona State University
2022 – Highly Cited Researcher, Clarivate
2021 – Lamonte H. Lawrence Professorship in Solid State Science
2021 – Highly Cited Researcher, Clarivate
2021 – Teaching Excellence Award
2021 – Full Member, Sigma Xi
2021 – Fulton Impact Professorship Award
2021 – Top 5% Engineering Faculty Teaching Award, ASU
2020 – Highly Cited Researcher, Clarivate
2019 – Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)
2019 – Highly Cited Researcher, Clarivate
2019 – Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) Award in Scientific Achievement
2019 – Top 5% Engineering Faculty Teaching Award, ASU
2019 – World Nobel Laureates Association Young Scientists Winner
2018 – Associate Editor, Applied Physics Reviews
2018 – Top 5% Engineering Faculty Teaching Award, ASU
2017 – Jewish National Fund Fellowship
2017 – Ira A. Fulton Outstanding Assistant Professor Award, ASU
2017 – NSF CAREER Award
2017 – Outstanding Reviewer Award, Chemistry of Materials
2017 – Top 5% Engineering Faculty Teaching Award, ASU
2016 – Top 5% Engineering Faculty Teaching Award, ASU
2016 – Scientist of the Year Award, Turkish Science Heroes Foundation
2016 – Researcher Award, French National Institute of Applied Sciences
2015 – Top 5% Engineering Faculty Teaching Award, ASU

Education

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Berkeley, 2014
Ph.D., University of Florida, 2010.