Souleymane Diallo has been serving as the executive director of the Materials Characterization and Processing (MCP) facility since February, coming from the National Science Foundation’s Division of Materials Research (DMR). With 25 years of experience in research and development in both the public and private sectors, Diallo is advancing

Souleymane Diallo

initiatives at the MCP, establishing strategic partnerships with industrial, academic, government, and foundation-based collaborators.    

What factors influenced your decision to become part of Johns Hopkins and the MCP? 

Johns Hopkins is a world-renowned research institution, so when I saw an opportunity to be a part of the Hopkins community at the MCP, it was an easy decision. Joining the MCP allows me to bring together my passion for research and my knowledge of the materials characterization industry. Although my background is mainly in the management and oversight of research facilities, I am a researcher at heart, so I am excited for the chance to do both.  

What is your vision for the MCP? 

At the MCP, we care about scientific advancement and the quality experiences of each researcher who interacts with us. Our team is held to a high standard that will expand our national impact and provide the best user experience possible. We want to achieve excellence in everything we do, from training users in our cutting-edge technologies and providing top-notch service to everyone who steps through our doors. 

We are building partnerships within JHU and beyond, and I am eager to work with other stakeholders to develop a strategic plan for the MCP. I look forward to working alongside Ken Livi and in concert with the MCP director Mitra Taheri to push the boundaries of scientific innovation and expand our footprint, especially in the areas of artificial intelligence and machine learning.  

How has your career prepared you for leadership at the MCP? 

Previous to this role, I was a user of smaller facilities and managed very large facilities, so I’ve been all over the spectrum. My research experience extends back to when I was studying physics as a graduate student at the University of Delaware. I used neutron scattering to explore the connection between superfluidity – a macroscopic phenomenon characterized by the loss of viscosity in liquid helium at very low temperatures – and Bose-Einstein condensation, a quantum mechanical state in which a significant fraction of atoms collapses into the same zero momentum state. 

I leveraged my experience in neutron spectroscopy as a postdoctoral researcher in Ames Laboratory at Iowa State University to characterize newly discovered iron-based superconductors – a rather short episode in my career but one of the most exciting.  As a staff scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in charge of a neutron beamline, my research interests slowly shifted away from hard materials to soft and biological macromolecules.

For the past nine years, I supported other researchers in various managerial positions, most recently as a program director at the National Science Foundation Division of Materials Research (DMR). My time in industry was very rewarding and largely focused on product development, which included some materials characterization, statistical analysis, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. I was also fortunate to have partnered with some academic partners and student interns. 

So, I bring all different views, but I think my experience in management and interacting with the user community will benefit the MCP. 

How will you foster productive collaborations across the MCP’s academic and research communities?

I envision a highly collaborative team where instruments are available to faculty, students, and users who are outside of the Johns Hopkins community. I am especially excited to work with the students as they use instruments at the MCP for their research. Of course, I engaged with students when I worked in the private sector and government roles, but now I can actually co-advise some students. 

Is there anything else people should know about you? 

I am a passionate soccer fan and father of four children: three adult sons and a teenage daughter. My wife and I enjoy long walks by the Chesapeake Bay. We have lived across the United States, but Maryland is inarguably our favorite with its cosmopolitan environment and being conveniently located within driving distance of major cities and airports. 

My office is in the Stieff Silver Building, in the MCP. Please come by and say hello! I look forward to meeting you. 

This article was written by Conner Allen and can be found on the website of JHU Department of Materials Science and Engineering.