Robert Cava

Robert Joseph Cava (born 1951) is a solid-state chemist at Princeton University where he holds the title Russell Wellman Moore Professor of Chemistry. Previously, Professor Cava worked as a staff scientist at Bell labs from 1979–1996, where earned the title of Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff. As of 2016 his research investigates topological insulators, semimetals, superconductors, frustrated magnets and thermoelectrics.

Cava was educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where he was awarded Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Materials Science and Engineering in 1974 followed by a PhD in ceramics in 1978. His PhD was supervised by Bernhardt J. Wuensch and investigated the electrical mobility of ions in fast ion conductors.

In his career, he has published over 500 peer-reviewed papers, 36 of them in Nature and 8 of them in Science. These papers have been cited over 30,000 times, including his seminal work on Ba₂YCu₃O_9−δ (YBCO), which has been cited almost 1500 times. He holds 15 patents.

In recognition of his contributions to the fields, he was named fellow of the American Institute of Physics (1988) and elected to the National Academy of Sciences (2001). Acknowledging Cava's achievements, the National Academy of Science specifically pointed to his mastery of the ternary and quaternary oxides that produced materials possessing high-temperature superconductivity. In 1996 Cava received the Bernd T. Matthias Prize for new superconducting materials. In 2001 he became a Fellow of the American Physical Society. He received in 2011 the Humboldt Prize and in 2012 the Linus Pauling Award. In 2014 received Doctor Honoris Causa degree from the Gdańsk University of Technology. In addition to research, Cava's ability to connect with students while teaching has earned him several teaching awards, including the Fall 2002 Excellence in Teaching Award from Princeton University.

He was elected a Foreign Member of the Royal Society (ForMemRS) in 2016.

His biography at the Gdańsk University of Technology describes him as a

New Yorker, dedicated supporter of the New York Yankees, passionate astronomer and amateur brewer.