Stony Brook University Professor Nathanan Tantivasadakarn Named a 2026 Packard Fellow for Science and Engineering by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation

STONY BROOK, NY-October 22, 2026-The State University of New York at Stony Brook (Stony Brook University) Assistant Professor Nathanan Tantivasadakarn from the C.N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics and Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Arts and Sciences has been named a 2026 Packard Fellow from the David & Lucile Packard Foundation. The Packard Foundation established the Packard Fellowships for Science and Engineering to allow the nation's most promising early-career scientists and engineers flexible funding to take risks and explore new frontiers in their fields of study.

Professor Tantivasadakarn was selected for his research and expertise in the area of condensed matter theory and quantum information, with a focus on topological phases of matter, quantum error correction and quantum computation, non-equilibrium quantum dynamics and generalized symmetries. Professor Tantivasadakarn recently joined the faculty of Stony Brook University.

"I'm thrilled to congratulate Nathanan Tantivasadakarn on being named a 2026 Packard Fellow - a wonderful recognition of his promise in advancing fundamental knowledge in the area of condensed matter theory and quantum information - areas in which Stony Brook is widely recognized for its expertise," said David Wrobel, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. "This early career recognition is closely aligned with the College's core mission of creating new knowledge of the physical world, and we look forward with great anticipation to the results of his innovative research."

"This wonderful news is a significant and well-deserved recognition of Nat Tantivasadakarn's accomplishments and the potential of his vision," said Distinguished Professor and Director of the C.N Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics George Sterman. "The Packard Fellowship will go far to help bring that vision to reality. We feel that Nat is one of the brightest young stars in the constellations of quantum information science and condensed-matter physics today, and Stony Brook research is stronger for his presence on our faculty."

Each year, the David & Lucile Packard Foundation selects 20 Fellows from 50 invited institutions to receive individual grants of $985,834 distributed over five years. Fellows are encouraged to look at complex issues with a fresh perspective. They can use their funds in whatever way they would best advance their research. Fellows have gone on to receive the highest accolades, including Nobel Prizes in Chemistry and Physics, and elections to the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine.

"I am deeply honored and grateful to receive the Packard Fellowship. I would like to thank the David and Lucile Packard Foundation for their generous support and for recognizing the importance of curiosity-driven, interdisciplinary research," said Professor Tantivasadakarn. "I hope to use the freedom and opportunities afforded by this fellowship to nurture a new generation of 'multilingual' researchers here at Stony Brook-scientists who can bridge traditional boundaries between physics, mathematics, and engineering, and bring together diverse perspectives to tackle some of the most exciting challenges in theoretical physics and quantum science."

Prior to coming to Stony Brook University, Professor Tantivasadakarn was a Sherman Fairchild Postdoctoral Scholar research associate in theoretical physics at the California Institute of Technology and a visiting researcher at Microsoft. He received a bachelor of arts in physics/mathematics/astrophysics from the University of California, Berkeley; his master of science degree in physics from the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics and his doctor of philosophy degree from Harvard University.

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About State University of New York at Stony Brook (Stony Brook University)

The State University of New York at Stony Brook is New York's flagship university and No. 1 public university. It is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. With more than 27,700 students, more than 3,000 faculty members, more than 237,000 alumni, a premier academic healthcare system and 18 NCAA Division I athletic programs, Stony Brook is a research-intensive distinguished center of innovation dedicated to addressing the world's biggest challenges. The university embraces its mission to provide comprehensive undergraduate, graduate and professional education of the highest quality, and is ranked as the #59 overall university and #24 among public universities in the nation by U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges listing. Fostering a commitment to academic research and intellectual endeavors, Stony Brook's membership in the Association of American Universities (AAU) places it among the top 71 research institutions in North America. The university's distinguished faculty have earned esteemed awards such as the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, Indianapolis Prize for animal conservation, Abel Prize, Fields Medal, Breakthrough prizes in mathematics and physics, and MacArthur Fellows Genius Grants. Stony Brook has the responsibility of co-managing Brookhaven National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy - one of only eight universities with a role in running a national laboratory. In 2023, Stony Brook was named the anchor institution for the New York Climate Exchange on Governors Island in New York City. Providing economic growth for neighboring communities and the wider geographic region, the university totals an impressive $8.93 billion in increased economic output on Long Island. Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/stonybrooku/ and X @stonybrooku.