Ohodnicki Lab

Prof. Paul R. Ohodnicki, Jr. leads the Magnetic, Electronic, and Photonic Materials and Device Laboratory in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Pittsburgh, where he is also R.K. Mellon Faculty Fellow in Energy and Director of the University of Pittsburgh Center for Energy. Our research connects functional material properties, electronic band structure, and nano/microstructure with the devices and systems those materials make possible.

On the magnetics side we develop soft magnetic materials for electric power conversion, in two main areas: soft magnetic ferrites and ferrite/metal nanocomposites, and amorphous and nanocrystalline alloys. The work spans synthesis, novel processing methods including electromagnetic field, strain, and additive manufacturing routes, and characterization of the properties that matter in application. It targets the transformers, inductors, and motors behind vehicle electrification, grid modernization, and the rapid growth in electric power demand.

On the sensing side we develop photonic and electronic thin films and the platforms built on them such as distributed fiber optic sensing, electromagnetic and quantum sensing, and the physics-informed AI, machine learning and agentic AI methods needed to interpret what they measure. These are applied to power transformers, battery systems, pipelines, bridges, nuclear plants and dry cask storage, and urban infrastructure monitored through existing dark fiber.

In both areas, the fundamental scientific questions we pursue have a clear linkage with real-world application needs. The laboratory is equipped for materials synthesis, thermal and electromagnetic processing, magnetic and high frequency electromagnetic characterization, single crystal optical fiber growth, and sensor testing, and works closely with national laboratories, industry partners, and the AMPED and INSITES consortia. Since the group was founded in February 2020, its research has been supported by the Department of Energy, ARPA-E, the Office of Naval Research, NASA, the National Science Foundation, DARPA, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Our first doctoral graduates completed their degrees in 2026.

In the Lab