Dr. Benjamin Hunt

Associate Professor

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Biography

Benjamin M. Hunt is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics at Carnegie Mellon University, also holding a courtesy appointment in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. He earned his PhD from Cornell University in 2009. His research interests are centered around condensed matter physics, focusing on the behavior of electrons under extreme conditions such as ultra-low temperatures and high magnetic fields. He studies phenomena including superconductivity, charge fractionalization, and crystallization in low-dimensional materials, particularly in van der Waals heterostructures. Hunt employs various nanofabrication techniques to create mesoscopic devices, investigating electronic transport, capacitance, tunneling spectroscopy, and shot noise. His significant publications include works on quantum spin Hall edge states and Ising superconductivity in two-dimensional materials. He has been awarded the Kaufman Young Investigator Award in 2016, the DOE Early Career Research Award in 2017, and was named a Cottrell Scholar in 2019.

Research Interests

Experience

Associate Professor

2021-01-01 — Present

Carnegie Mellon University • Pittsburgh, PA

Teaching and research in Physics and Materials Science & Engineering.

Assistant Professor

2015-01-01 — 2021-01-01

Carnegie Mellon University • Pittsburgh, PA

Teaching and research in Physics.

Post-doctoral Research

2014-01-01 — 2015-01-01

Columbia University • New York, NY

Research in condensed matter physics.

Post-doctoral Research

2009-01-01 — 2014-01-01

Massachusetts Institute of Technology • Cambridge, MA

Research in superconductivity and electronic materials.

Awards

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Kaufman Young Investigator Award

2016-01-01
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DOE Early Career Research Award

2017-01-01
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Cottrell Scholar

2019-01-01

Requirements for Carnegie Mellon University

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.5
GRE General
Verbal
Required:158
Quantitative
Required:149
Analytical Writing
Required:4
Overall
Required:4
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Psychology or related field Research experience/publications
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Transcripts
  • GRE scores (optional but reported in profile)
  • English Proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo)
Specialization Notes

Admission is extremely competitive with no strict GPA cut-offs; holistic review is used.