Minnesota Nano Center’s new director begins shaping vision for the future

Sarah Swisher is expert in flexible electronics, wearable sensors, and nanomanufacturing

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (11/07/2025)—University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering Professor Sarah Swisher was recently named the new director for the Minnesota Nano Center at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. One of Swisher’s key goals as director is to strengthen the Minnesota Nano Center’s role as a collaborative hub that connects research, education and industry across Minnesota.

Swisher is the Russell J. Penrose Professor in Nanotechnology in the University of Minnesota Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. She joined the University faculty in 2015 and served as the Minnesota Nano Center’s associate director for research advancement from 2024 until her appointment in July 2025 to the director position.

”The Minnesota Nano Center is a place where ideas move from concept to creation. I’m excited to build on our strengths in research and fabrication to empower new discoveries and expand Minnesota’s leadership in nanotechnology,” Swisher said.

The Minnesota Nano Center supports the fabrication, synthesis, and characterization of nanoscale devices and materials for both academic and industry users. The center maintains a state-of-the-art cleanroom facility, a full tool set for microfabrication, and core labs for research of nanomaterials and biological applications of nanoscience. 

Swisher is an accomplished researcher at the intersection of semiconductor device physics, materials science, and bioengineering. Her expertise is in flexible electronics, wearable sensors, and nanomanufacturing.

Her research approach is collaborative and multidisciplinary, with ties to the Center for Neuroengineering, the Institute for Engineering in Medicine and the Translational Center for Resuscitative Trauma Care. 

Her recent awards include the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, the Intel Foundation Robert Noyce Memorial Fellowship in Microelectronics and the Russell J. Penrose Excellence in Teaching Award.

Swisher received her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and her master’s and Ph.D. in electrical engineering and computer sciences from the University of California, Berkeley.