Dr. William Ratcliff II

NIST Center for Neutron Research 100 Bureau Drive, Mailstop 6102, Bldg 235, Room E151 Gaithersburg, MD 20899 Phone: 301-975-4316 | Fax: 301-921-9847

Education

2003 - Rutgers University, New Brunswick, Ph.D. Physics Thesis Advisor: Professor Sang W. Cheong

1997 - University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, BSE in Engineering Physics

Research Interests

The primary focus of my research has been multiferroic materials. Recently, I have explored geometric ferroelectricity in the LuFeO₃ series of compounds in both bulk and thin film samples, culminating in work with collaborators in the development of superlattices with near room temperature magneto-electric effects. Our neutron scattering work was key in understanding the intrinsic magnetic ordering of the LuFeO₃ geometric ferroelectric which templates LuFe₂O₄ in the LuFeO₃-LuFe₂O₄ superlattice to dramatic effect.

Currently, I am working on topological materials. Of particular interest is the interplay of magnetism with topological materials. For example in the MnBi₂Te₄ system, our measurements of the magnetic structure under applied magnetic fields has direct implications for the band structure. I am also interested in the use of AI to accelerate neutron scattering measurements and analysis.

Career/Experience

2005-Present - Physicist at the NIST Center for Neutron Scattering

2019-Present - Adjunct Associate Professor, Materials Science and Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park

2023-Present - Adjunct Associate Professor, Physics, University of Maryland, College Park

2003-2005 - National Research Council Postdoc at the NIST Center for Neutron Research. Primary work concerned neutron scattering experiments on geometrically frustrated magnets and magnetoelectric systems.

1997-2003 - Worked with Sang W. Cheong in materials physics research including materials synthesis and characterization of novel magnetic systems.

Workshops Organized

2025 Data Science for Physicists Short Course, APS Global Physics Summit
2024 Data Science for Physicists Tutorial, APS Global Physics Summit
2023 AI and Scattering Workshop, University of Maryland
2023 Data Science Education Community of Practice Summer Workshop, University of Maryland
2022 National Society of Black Physicists Conference (Condensed Matter section), University of Virginia
2022 PNCMI, Annapolis
2022 PNCMI School (organizer/lecturer), NIST, Gaithersburg
2021 Data Science Education Community of Practice Workshop
2021 School on Representational Analysis and Magnetic Structure (RAMS), University of Maryland
2018 ACNS Satellite School: 7th School on Representational Analysis and Magnetic Structure (RAMS)
2018 Program Committee International Conference on Magnetism (ICM), San Francisco, CA
2017 Co-organizer of Fundamentals of Ferroelectrics Conference (FERRO), Williamsburg, WV
2015 5th School on Representational Analysis and Magnetic Structure (RAMS)
2012 Workshop on Representational Analysis and Magnetic Structure Determination, BARC, Mumbai, India
2011 The NIST/Georgetown 2nd School on Representational Analysis and Magnetic Structures
2010 Program Committee MMM Meeting, Atlanta, GA
2007 The NIST Workshop on Representational Analysis of Complex Magnetic Structures

Grants

APS Innovation Fund Data Science Education Community of Practice $200,000 for two years (2021)

Selected Honors and Memberships

Fellow of American Physical Society
Chair APS Topical Group on Magnetism (March 2025 - March 2026)
Past Chair APS Topical Group on Data Science (March 2024 - March 2025)
Secretary Neutron Scattering Society of America (January 2023-present)
Associate Editor of Science Advances (2019-present)
Neutron Scattering Society of America Service Award (2022)
NIST Bronze Medal (2021, 2012)
NIST AI-COI Member at large representing NCNR (2022-present)
Advisory board CREST Center for Research and Education in Quantum Leap Science and Technology at Norfolk State University (2021)
Member APS Committee on Honors (January 2023-December 2025)
APS Mission and Values Working Group (2023-2024)
Chair NCNR DEIA Committee (2022)
Member of APS Fellowship Committee (2021-2023)
Member of APS Committee on Informing the Public (2021-2023)
Steering Committee APS-IDEA Program (2020-2023)
Chair SNS-HFIR Beam time review committee single crystal instruments (2020-2023)
Chapter Leader DataKind DC (2018-present)
Elected Chair APS Committee on Minorities in Physics (2017-2018)
Elected ACA Neutron Scattering Special Interest Group Chair (2015-2016)
Minority in Research Science Trailblazer award (24th annual BEYA STEM) (2010)
NRC Postdoctoral Fellowship (2003-2005)
Member American Association for the Advancement of Science
Member American Physical Society
Member Sigma Xi
Member Neutron Scattering Society of America

Publications

Metrics

H-index: 46 (Google Scholar)
Citations: >9000

Book Chapters

Multiferroics, William Ratcliff and Jeffrey W. Lynn, Chapter 5 in Neutron Scattering - Magnetic and Quantum Phenomena, Felix Fernandez-Alonso and David L. Price, editors (Academic Press, London, 2015).
Magnetic Neutron Diffraction: William Ratcliff, Benjamin Frandsen, Juan Rodriguez-Carvajal, Efrain Rodriguez, Clarina Dela Cruz, Chapter 4 in Powder Diffraction: Theory and Practice 2nd Edition (Royal Society of Chemistry, 2026)

Selected Recent Publications

“Systematics of Neural Networks and Crystal Structure Classification” - Elizabeth Baggett, Edward G. Friedman, Abhishek Shetty, et al. - Digital Discovery (in-progress)
“Examining the Spin Structure of Altermagnetic Candidate MnTe Grown with Near Ideal Stoichiometry” - Qihua Zhang et al. - ACS Nano (submitted)
“Autonomous data collection for the neutron spin echo response function” - Robert Huarcaya et al. - APL Materials (submitted)
“Multiferroicity and phase diagram of ferro-rotational magnet RbFe(SO4)2” - Junjie Yang et al. - Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter 37 (17), 175701 (2025)
“Local Inversion Symmetry Breaking and Thermodynamic Evidence for Ferrimagnetism in Fe3GaTe2” - Sang-Eon Lee et al. - ACS Nano 19 (31), 28702–28718 (2025)

[Full publication list available in PDF version]

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