Ryan Y. Manley
I'm an Electrical Engineering student at Purdue University working at the intersection of nanophotonics, 2D atomic materials, optical instrumentation, and quantum technologies. My work spans synthesizing anisotropic single crystals and mapping visible-frequency hyperbolic polaritons at Birck Nanotechnology Center, to engineering room-temperature optical quantum sensing microscopes at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. I also serve as President of the Purdue Quantum Student Organization (500+ members), Purdue Representative on the Midwest Quantum Collaboratory Student Task Force, and Executive Board Member of the global non-profit Quantum Coalition.
Purdue University · West Lafayette, IN
Elmore Family School of Electrical & Computer Engineering
Researching the Future of Materials & Devices
Throughout history, human technological ages have been named after the materials that defined them: the Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Silicon Age. Today, as conventional electronics hit their physical limits, the next frontier belongs to materials engineered at the quantum scale and the light that flows through them.
Nanophotonics breaks classical diffraction limits, squeezing light into atomic volumes to unlock quantum physics for radically greater energy efficiency. Working across Purdue's Birck Nanotechnology Center and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, I synthesize novel anisotropic 2D crystals, probe extreme light compression with near-field nanoscopy, and build quantum sensing instruments to shape the next material epoch.
Quantum Student Organization
500+ member student community, hardware teams & hackathons
Teaching QSO quantum password hacking using Grover's Algorithm
Crash course on quantum search, oracles, and amplitude amplification
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Empowering the Next Generation of Quantum Leaders
The frontier of quantum science demands more than a single discipline. Breakthroughs emerge at the crossroads: uniting curious minds across physics, engineering, computer science, and mathematics with national laboratory scientists around shared discovery.
Driven by the conviction that quantum materials will shape the next epoch, I am dedicated to empowering the community behind it. As President of the Purdue Quantum Student Organization, Midwest Quantum Collaboratory Representative, and Executive Board Member of the Quantum Coalition, I lead hands-on hardware teams and hackathons to prepare the next generation of quantum innovators.
Superconducting Levitation & Cryogenics
Demonstrating magnetic levitation & cryogenics with liquid nitrogen for student outreach
Purdue Quantum & STEM Open House
Guiding interactive demonstrations and mentoring future scientists
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Engineering Tangible Quantum Hardware & Open Systems
The precision instruments that power photonics research, such as sub-micron positioning stages and near-field optical probes, are extraordinary tools. They are also, typically, inaccessible. When cutting-edge equipment is locked behind prohibitive price tags, entire fields of inquiry become restricted by institutional budgets.
I build to change that. My engineering projects translate the physics and optics studied in the lab into open-source hardware and software. Through motorized quantum demonstration rigs, precision kinematic assemblies, and accessible analysis tools, I focus on creating reproducible platforms that open experimental science to everyone.
DIRECTORY
Site Map
Explore dedicated pages for laboratory research, engineering projects, publications, academic honors, community leadership, and background.
Research →
5 labs · 2D materials, quantum sensing, crystal growth
Projects →
Bloch sphere, quantum microscope, CrysTool Hub
Publications →
TMS oral talk, SURF honors paper, ECE technical report
Awards →
OQI Fellow, Outstanding Sophomore, Qualcomm Scholar
Community →
Purdue Quantum Student Org President, MQC Rep, Quantum Coalition Exec
About →
Background, gallery, piano, Exeter → Purdue