MSU researcher earns $550K NSF CAREER award to advance LED technology
Contact: Sarah Nicholas
STARKVILLE, Miss.—A Mississippi State University faculty member has earned a prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER award to develop the next generation of energy-efficient, transparent and environmentally friendly LED lighting.
Mahesh K. Gangishetty, an MSU assistant professor with appointments in both the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Physics and Astronomy, has been awarded the five-year, $550,000 grant to support innovative research into new types of light-emitting diodes made from safer, earth-abundant materials—specifically, a class of compounds called ternary copper halides.
His goal is to create LEDs that are not only highly efficient and long-lasting, but also capable of emitting a full spectrum of colors while remaining clear and transparent.
Gangishetty said the research could help pave the way for futuristic technologies like see-through phones and TV screens, car windshield displays, virtual and augmented reality interfaces and even window lighting that doubles as décor.
“This project will help us better understand the fundamental origin of light emissions in copper halides and control their emission at both the molecular and device levels. The outcomes of this proposal not only enhance our understanding of these emerging materials but also help in building next-generation displays and lighting technologies for the future,” he said.
Unlike many existing LEDs, which rely on expensive rare-earth metals or toxic materials, copper halides offer more accessible and safer alternatives. They also are highly stable and can be processed easily by solution-based techniques, which could reduce manufacturing costs and enhance the feasibility of large-scale fabrication.
Beyond its scientific impact, the project includes a strong educational and outreach component. Gangishetty’s team will collaborate with 4-H youth leaders and Mississippi K-12 schools to introduce students, especially those in rural areas, to careers in semiconductors, electronics and robotics. Hands-on experiments and interactive activities will help young learners explore the science behind lighting technologies and inspire future engineers and materials scientists.
Head of the Department of Chemistry Carl Lovely said, “I am thrilled that yet another colleague has been recognized with this award. Chemistry has a rich history of its faculty receiving NSF CAREER awards which is a testament to the environment in the department allowing these talented faculty to flourish. Our undergraduate students taking classes in chemistry are exposed to instructors that are at the frontier of science, which in turn allows them to inform students of the latest trends in science as well as fundamentals.”
Funded through NSF’s highly competitive Faculty Early Career Development Program, the award supports early-career faculty who demonstrate the potential to serve as academic role models and lead cutting-edge research and education initiatives in their fields.
MSU is Mississippi’s leading research university, ranked among the NSF’s top 100 institutions for research and development, including a top 25 ranking in materials science.
For more on Gangishetty’s research, visit https://gangishettylab.chemistry.msstate.edu.
For more information about MSU’s College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Chemistry, visit www.cas.msstate.edu and www.chemistry.msstate.edu.
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