Ranga P. Dias
Sri Lankan condensed matter physicist / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ranga P. Dias is a researcher and academic who specializes in condensed matter physics. He is an assistant professor in the departments of Mechanical Engineering and Physics and Astronomy at the University of Rochester (UR), and a scientist at the UR Laboratory for Laser Energetics.
Ranga P. Dias | |
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Born | |
Alma mater | Washington State University University of Colombo |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Superconductivity |
Institutions | University of Rochester Harvard University |
Thesis | Phase Transitions, Metallization, Superconductivity and Magnetic Ordering in Dense Carbon Disulfide and Chemical Analogs (2013) |
Doctoral advisor | Choong-shik Yoo |
Website | labsites |
In 2020 and in 2023, his group published two papers claiming to have achieved room-temperature superconductivity, the first using carbonaceous sulfur hydride at extremely high pressure, and the second using nitrogen-doped lutetium hydride at near-ambient pressure. Both papers were later retracted after accusations of scientific misconduct, including data fabrication and manipulation.[1][2] Dias denied these charges, with an initial investigation by University of Rochester in 2020 reporting no evidence of misconduct.[3][4] However a later independent investigation performed by the American Physical Society did find such evidence,[5][6][7][8] and a March 2024 investigation by the University reported that Dias "engaged in research misconduct."[9]
As of 2024, Dias and his collaborator Ashkan Salamat at University of Nevada, Las Vegas have had four of their research papers retracted.[10][11]
Dias founded a company, Unearthly Materials, related to his research work, which was found to make misleading claims made about its funding and investors.[12]