Andre Geim

University of Manchester

Andre Geim is a Dutch-British physicist and Regius Professor of Physics at the University of Manchester. He was awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics, shared with Konstantin Novoselov, for groundbreaking experiments regarding the two-dimensional material graphene—a single atomic layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb lattice. In 2004, Geim and Novoselov used the surprisingly simple technique of mechanical exfoliation with Scotch tape to isolate and characterize graphene, triggering an explosion of research into 2D materials. Graphene possesses extraordinary properties: it is the thinnest material ever made, stronger than steel, an excellent electrical and thermal conductor, and nearly transparent. These properties make it highly attractive for applications in electronics, photonics, energy storage, composites, and biomedical devices. Geim has also made notable contributions beyond graphene, including the discovery of the gecko tape effect (dry adhesion inspired by van der Waals forces), diamagnetic levitation, and the gecko-tape micromanipulator. He directs the National Graphene Institute at Manchester, a £61M facility dedicated to translating graphene research into commercial applications. Geim is notable for being the first person to receive both the Ig Nobel Prize (2000, for levitating frogs) and the Nobel Prize. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society and has received the Europhysics Prize, the Körber European Science Prize, and the John Tyndall Award.