“Condensed matter is the physics of stuff. We’re surrounded by wood, metal, and electronics that we take for granted. But we should be wondering more about materials. Why does a metal conduct electricity? Is it the little dudes running from one end to another?” Dr. Nadya Mason

Dr. Nadya Mason, a condensed matter physicist who studies unusual materials, is the Rosalyn Sussman Yalow professor of physics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the director of the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. She is also one of the 247 registered scientists at 1400 Degrees, an online directory highlighting the extraordinary contributions of women and marginalized gender identities to the fields of physics and astronomy.

In 2021, the Heising-Simons Foundation’s Science program launched 1400 Degrees to create a community space for women and gender minorities studying and working in the fields of physics and astronomy. The platform features stories of inspiring women discussing everything from career paths and research to personal inspirations, challenges, and passions. These stories are written by Sophia Chen, an accomplished freelance science writer with credits in Wired, Science, Physics World, New Scientist, among others.

In this interview, Ms. Chen and Dr. Mason talk about exploring the universe of materials. 

Learn more about the community of scientists by visiting 1400degrees.