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Erin Ratcliff

We spoke with Professor Erin Ratcliff, an electrochemist-turned-materials scientist, about her interdisciplinary career path, her research in printable electronics, and her role on the Materials Horizons Editorial Board. Erin also shares advice for early career researchers and reflects on the evolving ways we communicate science today.

Could you tell us a bit about your background and research interests?

I’ve had what you might call a non-traditional academic path. I started at a liberal arts college with no engineering or materials program, so I carved my own way—triple majoring in chemistry, maths, and statistics, and working on fundamental electrochemistry phenomena.

I’ve always loved working across disciplines and developing new techniques

My PhD at Iowa State University moved me deeper into physical chemistry and inorganic materials, especially fuel cell catalysis. Then during my postdoc at the University of Arizona, I joined Neal Armstrong’s (not the astronaut!) group, where I transitioned into organic semiconductors—just as printable electronics and organic photovoltaics were booming. That period really shaped my approach and perspective, where I picked up photoelectron spectroscopy and used my electrochemical knowledge to focus on molecular and nanometer length scales.

Now, my lab at Georgia Institute of Technology focuses on interface science and printable electronic materials—everything from conducting polymers to metal halide perovskites. We’re interested in surface science, spectroscopy, transport, charge transfer and how materials behave across different scales and applications.

Science is a puzzle. The joy is in pulling together data from different angles and seeing how the pieces connect.

How has collaboration shaped your career?

Hugely. I’ve always loved working across disciplines and developing new techniques. At one point I was coordinating research across 15 principal investigators as part of an Energy Frontier Research Center. That role gave me the chance to think about research from a broad, strategic perspective.

To me, science is a puzzle. The joy is in pulling together data from different angles and seeing how the pieces connect. That mindset is what I try to instill in my students, even if it feels overwhelming at first!

What challenges have you faced in your career, and how have you approached them?

One of the biggest challenges for me was learning how to lead. I’m a very collaborative person, and I believe in the value of listening, but when you’re supervising a team, people still look to you to make decisions. Finding the balance between collaboration and leadership has been an ongoing process.

More broadly, I’ve also had my share of setbacks. You don’t get through a career in science without some kind of failure, whether it’s an experiment, a proposal or even a relationship that doesn’t go as planned. But those moments are also where the growth happens. I’ve learned that the most important thing is to reflect, regroup and keep moving forward.

What drew you to join the Materials Horizons editorial board?

I’ve followed the journal since it launched, and I’ve always appreciated its bold editorial vision. Materials Horizons is about more than incremental improvements – it’s about inspiring new thinking and opening up entirely new and exciting research directions. I use early papers from the journal in my teaching to show what it looks like to push boundaries.

Materials Horizons inspires new ways of thinking.

The journal’s community is also remarkable. These are researchers who really understand how to bridge fundamental science with applied outcomes – and who know how to communicate that work with clarity and inspiration.

What trends are you seeing in materials science that you find exciting?

I’m fascinated by how far materials science has come in terms of collaboration and comprehensiveness. It’s rare now to see just a synthesis paper. Instead, we’re seeing integrated studies with synthesis, theory, function and future applications all in one.

That’s where shines – it is a platform for those kinds of studies that make a big impact across disciplines.

How do you stay up to date with the field?

That’s a challenge now that many of the science-focused social media platforms have collapsed. Conferences help, especially smaller, topic-focused ones where people share unpublished work. I also love summer and winter schools, where you get that mix of expert perspectives and peer networking. I think there’s a real need for better platforms for scientific dialogue, especially for early career researchers.

What advice would you give to early career researchers?

Give yourself time to think – and time to write. My students sometimes struggle with starting manuscripts, so I tell them: use what you’ve already created. Record your group presentations, transcribe them, and use that as your starting draft.

Don’t underestimate the power of unplugging.

Scientific writing doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Write every day, even if it’s just your methods section. And don’t underestimate the power of unplugging – some of your best ideas will come when you’re not in front of a screen.

Are there any articles you’ve published with the ÃÛÌÒÉçÇø that stand out?

My early work in was published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry, before it split into A, B and C. That paper marked my foray into organic electronics and still holds personal significance. More recently, I that captured an experiment I’d wanted to run for years, finally possible after my move to Georgia Tech.

Finally, what role do you think journals like Materials Horizons play in shaping the future?

They’re essential. Especially in an era where there’s more content than ever, Materials Horizons helps surface work that inspires, not just informs. It’s about setting the tone for where the field is heading and encouraging researchers to think big.