Two-dimensional materials are made of a single layer of atoms, but the research around them is multifaceted. SMART scholar, Carlos Torres, became a part of the SMART Program in 2008 to pursue a master’s and Ph.D. at the University of California-Los Angeles. His sponsoring facility, Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific in San Diego, California, hosted his internships during the summer and hired him after graduation where he is a Navy civilian researcher working on beyond next-generation warfighter technologies, specifically in the areas of 2D materials, nanotechnology and quantum sciences.
According to Carlos, the SMART Program gave him complete independence and autonomy in his research path as a student. With his sponsoring facility, Carlos finds excitement in his everyday work. He says, “I love the opportunities and support this organization provides to ambitious and motivated individuals. It is awesome being able to pursue research that you are passionate about and still have a great work-life balance in a beautiful city. I am motivated to explore how we can exploit the exotic properties of 2D and quantum materials for future Warfighter benefits. I have the opportunity to be a principal investigator of several (internally and externally funded) basic research projects based on 2D and quantum materials as well as establish a new state-of-the-art quantum/nano laboratory from the ground-up.” Carlos describes himself as a lifelong innovator and finds that his current position allows him to contribute to something greater than himself.
