UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Materials Research Institute (MRI) has made three leadership appointments focused on strengthening research strategy, external engagement and the scientific direction of MRI’s Nanofabrication Laboratory (Nanofab).
Aida Ebrahimi, Thomas and Sheila Roell Early Career Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering, has been named MRI associate director for research strategy. Sarah Boehm, director of research operations and professional development with the Center for Nanoscale Science, has been named MRI associate director for research engagement. Saptarshi Das, Ackley Professor of Engineering Science and professor of engineering science and mechanics, has been named scientific director of the Nanofab.
“MRI’s strength comes from bringing people and capabilities together to tackle important challenges, and Aida, Sarah and Saptarshi’s leadership elevates our ability to do that,” said Josh Robinson, MRI director. “I am excited about the new opportunities their combined efforts will create for our researchers, students and collaborators.”
Building research strategy
As associate director for research strategy, Ebrahimi will help identify emerging research directions and strategic funding opportunities, bring together interdisciplinary teams and develop initiatives that build on Penn State’s strengths in materials research. Working across colleges, institutes and research communities, she also will help connect expertise across the University and position MRI and Penn State teams for high-impact, large-scale opportunities and emerging national priorities.
“I’m particularly excited about emerging opportunities in materials research driven by AI, convergence with biotechnology, critical materials, and next-generation electronics and advanced packaging,” Ebrahimi said. “Penn State has tremendous strengths across these areas, and some of the most exciting opportunities are emerging at their intersections. I look forward to helping connect expertise from across the University to identify areas where Penn State can lead and catalyze new research directions and collaborations with broad impact.”
Ebrahimi is an associate professor of electrical engineering at Penn State, with affiliations in biomedical engineering and materials science and engineering. Her interdisciplinary research spans materials, bioelectronics, sensing devices and systems, and data analytics, with applications including human health, environmental monitoring and agriculture.
Her honors include the U.S. National Science Foundation CAREER Award, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering of the National Institutes of Health Trailblazer Award, ECS Sensor Division Early Career Award, Penn State’s Rustum and Della Roy Innovation in Materials Research Award and Penn State Engineering Alumni Society Outstanding Research Award, among others.
Expanding external partnerships
As associate director for research engagement, Boehm will focus on strengthening MRI’s relationships with industry, national laboratories, government agencies and research organizations. Her role includes building strategic partnerships that expand opportunities for collaborative research and innovation, connecting researchers with emerging opportunities and strengthening MRI’s external visibility and national impact.
“Penn State’s Materials Research Institute is home to world-class expertise and facilities, and I see tremendous opportunity to raise the visibility of that work among external organizations,” Boehm said. “Strong partnerships can accelerate discovery, expand funding opportunities, and help translate research into real-world solutions. I’m excited to help connect MRI’s researchers with collaborators who can amplify the impact of their work.”
Boehm joined Penn State’s Materials Research Science and Engineering Center in 2022, initially working in education and outreach before moving into operations and project management. She managed the center’s research operations and professional development portfolio, which included approximately 20 faculty members and 35 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.
Before returning to Penn State, Boehm worked at the chemical production company BASF in several positions across the United States, including product development, incubation and scouting, and research in 3D-printing solutions. She earned her doctorate in chemistry from Penn State in 2016. Her doctoral research focused on using nanowire assembly techniques to develop reconfigurable materials with switchable optical properties.
Shaping the Nanofab’s scientific future
As scientific director of the MRI Nanofab, Das will help guide the facility’s scientific strategy, faculty engagement, user community and future growth. His role complements the operational leadership of Chad Eichfeld, managing director of the Nanofab.
“My vision is for the Nanofab to help shape both the technologies and the workforce of the future,” Das said. “We want to give researchers the tools and collaborative environment to pursue ambitious ideas — from new materials and three-dimensional electronics to intelligent sensors and energy-efficient computing — and help translate those discoveries into technologies that have real-world impact.”
Das said stronger industry partnerships will be central to that vision. Such partnerships can bring emerging technological challenges into the research environment, create opportunities for joint development and give students hands-on experience with the processes, tools and teamwork needed to move an idea from discovery toward manufacturing.
“I hope the Nanofab will be a place where academic discovery, industry needs and workforce development reinforce one another, preparing the next generation to lead in semiconductor innovation,” Das said.
In announcing the appointment, Robinson said Das brings a strong vision for how the Nanofab can continue to expand its national impact, adding that the three appointments point to a strong research future at Penn State.
“Together, the appointments strengthen interconnected parts of MRI’s mission, from identifying emerging research opportunities and bringing interdisciplinary teams together to expanding external partnerships and advancing the facilities and expertise that support materials research,” Robinson said.