Leslie Schoop Named a Fellow in the American Physical Society
Professor of Chemistry Leslie Schoop has been named a Fellow in the American Physical Society (APS), one of the world’s most prestigious and influential physics organizations.
Schoop is acknowledged for pioneering the application of chemical bonding principles to predict and synthesize novel quantum matter, including the discovery of stable topological semimetals and the innovative design of low-dimensional, magnetic, and correlated electronic systems.
The 2026 cohort includes 153 Fellows selected from among APS’s membership of more than 50,000 physicists in academia, National Laboratories, and industry in the United States and around the world.
Professor of Chemistry Leslie Schoop, newly named a Fellow in the American Physics Society.
The fellowship, which was announced today, was conferred through the APS’ Topical Group on Magnetism, an acknowledgement by professional peers and the broader community for outstanding contributions to physics. The number of recommended nominees in each year may not exceed one-half percent of the then-current membership of the Society, excluding student members.
“I’m very happy to have received this honor and am grateful to my nominators,” said Schoop, adding that the fellowship highlights two main thrusts where her lab has had the most impact. “The APS meetings in particular have been very instrumental for my career. I made many connections there, started collaborations, and maintained those scientific relationships. It has been crucial for my research to be immersed in the field of physics so that I can make a contribution as a chemist. I’m very grateful those meetings exist.”
The Schoop Lab uses chemical bonding, electron counting, and electronic structure to predict, synthesize, and understand materials with exotic physical properties, from topological semimetals to printable 2D magnets. Schoop is the director of the Princeton Center for Complex Materials. She holds a leadership role as a co-PI in quantum chemistry and topological materials for the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Artificial Intelligence Materials Institute, established last year.
Schoop’s work has garnered a number of high-profile awards in recent years, including a PECASE award in 2025, an NSF CAREER award in 2022, and a Sloan Foundation fellowship in 2021. She joined the faculty at Princeton Chemistry in 2017.
The presentation of a fellow certificate will take place at the APS Global Physics Summit in April 2027 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Founded in 1899 at Columbia University, the APS advances physics by fostering a vibrant, inclusive, and global community dedicated to science and society.