Swihart to lead UB's New York State Center of Excellence in Materials Informatics

Mark T. Swihart, UB Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, has been named executive director of UB’s New York State Center of Excellence in Materials Informatics (CMI).

Swihart succeeds Alexander N. Cartwright, who had served as interim executive director before being named SUNY provost and executive vice chancellor.

Swihart is an acclaimed researcher, teacher and collaborator. As director of the UB 2020 Strategic Strength in Integrated Nanostructured Systems since 2007, he has guided the university’s diverse nanoscience and nanotechnology research.

In his new role, he will work with an established administrative and operations team to advocate for the university’s technology-based economic development programs and cultivate industry collaboration, while further growing UB’s expertise and reputation in the fast-moving field of materials informatics.

“As co-director of CMI since 2012 and in his new role as executive director, Dr. Swihart is committed to the CMI mission to propel innovation in materials science and advanced manufacturing, while facilitating collaboration among academia, industry and the public sector to drive economic development,” said Matthew Watson, director of Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR).

Added Venu Govindaraju, UB’s interim vice president for research and economic development: “Dr. Swihart has excelled in his position, assembling interdisciplinary faculty teams to partner with private industry in pursuit of major funding opportunities. He is a well-regarded researcher and colleague with established corporate relationships. We have full confidence that CMI will thrive with Dr. Swihart at the helm.”

Swihart’s research, funded primarily by the National Science Foundation, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and industry, is focused on the creation of new nanomaterials with applications in optoelectronics, such as light-emitting diodes and solar cells; in biomedical imaging and therapy; and in diverse energy-related applications.

He was the 2013 recipient of the Jacob F. Schoellkopf Medal, given annually by the Western New York section of the American Chemical Society to honor individuals from the Buffalo Niagara region for outstanding work and service in the fields of chemical engineering or chemistry. He was presented the medal in “recognition of his pioneering research in the field of inorganic nanoparticle synthesis and processing, and for his outstanding record of accomplishment in scholarship, teaching and service in the field of chemistry in Western New York.”

Among Swihart’s other honors are the J.B. Wagner Young Investigator Award from the High Temperature Materials Division of the Electrochemical Society and the Kenneth Whitby Award from the American Association of Aerosol Research. He has been selected four times as “Professor of the Year” by undergraduates in his department and has been honored by the McNair Scholars program and the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation. He has authored or co-authored more than 135 peer-reviewed journal manuscripts.

Swihart is co-holder of five U.S. patents and has served on the scientific advisory boards of several startup companies. Since joining the UB faculty in 1998, he has served as research adviser to more than 50 graduate students and more than 90 undergraduate researchers.