Bo Zhen

Bo Zhen is the Jin K. Lee Presidential Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Pennsylvania, within the School of Arts & Sciences. His academic journey includes a B.S. in Mathematics & Physics from Tsinghua University (2008) and a Ph.D. in Physics from MIT (2014). He previously served as an Assistant Professor at UPenn (2018–2024) and a Postdoctoral Associate at MIT and Technion (2014–2017).

His research focuses on experimental nano-photonics, addressing problems in condensed matter physics and quantum electrodynamics with applications in topological photonics, non-Hermitian physics, polaritonics, and photonic integrated circuits. He teaches courses such as Phys 151 (Principles of Physics II), Phys 361/362 (Intermediate Electromagnetism), and Phys 518 (Condensed Matter Physics).

Research Highlights: Bo Zhen’s work explores topological phases in light-matter systems, including Floquet Chern insulators, non-Hermitian physics, and photonic crystal engineering. His studies leverage advanced materials like van der Waals interfaces and monolayer semiconductors to achieve breakthroughs in nonlinear optics and integrated photonics.

• Awards: PECASE (2024), Sloan Fellowship (2021), ONR Young Investigator Award (2021), and multiple grants including the Air Force YIP (2018).
• Grants & Fellowships: Elliman Faculty Fellow (Vagelos Institute), MIT Presidential Fellowship (2008).

Labs & Teams: The Bo Zhen Lab at UPenn drives interdisciplinary research in photonics, with collaborations on quantum engineering and nanoscale optical systems. The lab fosters innovation in topological materials and nonlinear optical devices.