A system for measuring the thermal diffusivity of a material includes a housing having an upper portion and a lower portion, a plate holding the material in a fixed position between the upper portion and lower portion of the housing, and a source at the lower portion of the housing projecting heat onto the material along a first axis that is perpendicular to the plate. A sensor at the lower portion of the housing is movable in relation to the plate and senses the heat radiating through the material along a second axis that is perpendicular to the plate and offset from the first axis. A controller receives data from the sensor and calculates the thermal diffusivity of the material.