Bio
Divine Kumah received his B.S in Physics from Southern University, Baton Rouge, and a Ph.D in Applied Physics from the University of Michigan in 2009. His postdoctoral research work was performed at the Center for Research in Interface and Surface Phenomena at Yale University. His research interests are in experimental condensed matter physics and are aimed at understanding the novel electronic and magnetic properties which emerge at the interfaces between crystalline materials.
The Kumah Research Lab uses state of the art atomic layer-by-layer deposition techniques including molecular beam epitaxy to fabricate thin crystalline oxide films. The group is focused on understanding how atomic-scale structural distortions at interfaces can be manipulated to induce novel electronic and magnetic phenomena and the development of pathways for harnessing these unique functionalities for electronic and energy applications. Tools used by the group include atomic force microscopy, electron diffraction and synchrotron-based x-ray spectroscopy and diffraction.
Education
- M.S.E.E. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2007
- Ph.D. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2009
Positions
- Charles H. Townes Associate Professor of Physics
- Associate Professor of Physics
Awards, Honors, and Distinctions
- The 2022 Oxide Electronics Prize for Excellence in Research. International Workshop on Oxide Electronics . 2022
- National Science Foundation CAREER Awards - Multiple Sciences. National Science Foundation (NSF). 2018
Courses Taught
- PHYSICS 495: Thesis Independent Study
- PHYSICS 152L: Introductory Electricity, Magnetism, and Optics
- PHYSICS 152L9D: Introductory Electricity, Magnetism, and Optics (Discussion Component)
- PHYSICS 152L9: Introductory Electricity, Magnetism, and Optics (Lab Component)
- PHYSICS 151L9D: Introductory Mechanics (Discussion Component)
In the News
Representative Publications
- Hickman, C., K. K. H. Leung, A. H. Al-Tawhid, B. W. Filippone, P. R. Huffman, E. Korobkina, D. P. Kumah, and C. M. Swank. “Superconducting properties of commercially available solders for low-field applications.” Cryogenics 153 (January 1, 2026). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cryogenics.2025.104219.
- Shama, J. T. McCourt, M. Baksi, G. Finkelstein, and D. P. Kumah. “Superconductivity in spin-orbit coupled BaBi3 formed by in situ reduction of bismuthate films.” Physical Review Materials 9, no. 12 (December 1, 2025). https://doi.org/10.1103/xfr5-8qcy.
- McCourt, Jordan T., Ethan G. Arnault, Merve Baksi, Samuel J. Poage, Salva Salmani-Rezaie, Kaveh Ahadi, Divine Kumah, and Gleb Finkelstein. “Electrostatic Control of Quantum Phases in KTaO3-Based Planar Constrictions.” Nano Letters 25, no. 45 (November 2025): 16091–96. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c03680.
- Alexandradinata, Aris, N Peter Armitage, Andrey Baydin, Wenli Bi, Yue Cao, Hitesh Changlani, Eli Chertkov, et al. “The future of the correlated electron problem.” SciPost Physics Community Reports, June 25, 2025. https://doi.org/10.21468/scipostphyscommrep.8.
- Poage, S. J., X. Gao, M. Baksi, S. Salmani-Rezaie, D. A. Muller, D. P. Kumah, C. N. Lau, J. Lorenzana, M. N. Gastiasoro, and K. Ahadi. “Violation of the Pauli limit at KTaO3(110) interfaces.” Physical Review B 111, no. 21 (June 1, 2025). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.111.214506.