Research in the Tran laboratory focuses on addressing challenges in the functional properties of complex optical, magnetic and electronic materials for twenty-first century technologies by applying design-driven materials and chemistry approaches. The Tran group uses combinations of new synthetic tools and chemical insights, structure and physical properties characterization (e.g., advanced synchrotron X-ray, time-of-flight neutron diffraction, spectroscopic methods and electronic properties) and computational theories to design, explore and understand materials. The research program allows our team members (students and postdocs) to gain multidisciplinary experience in synthetic techniques, advanced characterization, analytical modeling and calculations and expand their understanding to other related fields.