Sarah Swisher, new Director of the Minnesota Nano Center

Dr. Sarah Swisher, Russell J. Penrose Professor in Nanotechnology in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, was recently appointed the Director of the Minnesota Nano Center (MNC).

Swisher joined the University of Minnesota in 2015. Using her technical expertise, passion for public engagement, and strong vision for innovation in nanoscience and technology at the University and beyond, she has become a leader in flexible electronics, wearable sensors, and nanomanufacturing.

In 2024, Swisher joined the MNC as the Associate Director for Research Advancement. The MNC supports interdisciplinary research in nanoscience and applied nanotechnology, offering a comprehensive set of tools to help academic and industry researchers develop and characterize microscale and nanoscale devices.

What got you passionate about your research?
Swisher: You know that one teacher you can trace back to that lit a spark and inspired you to do something? For me, that was my calculus teacher in high school. At a young age, I really liked math and science. I loved understanding how things worked technically, peeling layers of details to the smallest part, which led to what my research focuses on now – nanomaterials, semiconductor device physics, and materials science.

What continues to inspire me is the power of engineering and its impact in workforce development and healthcare, especially through the flexible electronic wearables we are developing for neurological conditions and treatments, such as Tourettes and trauma care.

We are at an exciting point now where we’ve spent the last 10 years or so working on new semiconductor materials. In the last several years, we’ve also been able to build on top of traditional materials and integrate old and new materials together.

What brought you to the University of Minnesota?
Swisher: I came to Minnesota because of the state’s continuous rich history in semiconductors and medical devices. There are so many companies today in Minnesota working on medical device development one way or another. Minnesota is so remarkable at collaboration, especially here at the University. The fact that the College of Science and Engineering is just across the street from the Medical School and hospital speaks volumes. It creates a strong collaborative energy with faculty and students and a desire to work together.

What advice would you give young engineers today?
Swisher: Always keeping going even though you don’t know where the whole journey will take you. Take the opportunities that come to you and ignite passion and interest. Every choice you make in your career is just the next step. Even if it brings out a strength and weakness, everything together will create your path.

What are some future plans for the Minnesota Nano Center?
Swisher: At the MNC, we will continue supporting users across multidisciplinary areas of engineering, science, and healthcare. The MNC can support people beyond the nanotechnology community: we can help develop devices at the nanoscale and microscale, even chip integration. Our team is eager to work with different disciplinary areas at the University, especially those outside CSE and companies around the region.