Xiaohu Chen

Xiaohu Chen serves as an Associate Lecturer at the School of Engineering within Macquarie University's Faculty of Science and Engineering. He is a founding member and co-director of the NanoTech Laboratory (NTL), where he also acts as Lab Manager. His teaching responsibilities include MECH2005 and co-convening ENGG1000, while actively contributing to the university's Smart Green City initiative.

Education:

• Master of Material Science from Zhejiang University of Technology (2009-2012), specializing in Microstructure & Electrical Properties of Nano-diamond Thin Films.
• Ph.D. in Engineering from Macquarie University (2019-2024), focused on Super Sensitive Semiconductor based UV Photodetectors.

Dr. Chen's research centers on nanostructured materials design, miniaturized sensor development, and wearable electronics for personalized medicine. His work bridges environmental monitoring and healthcare applications, particularly in UV photodetection and gas sensing technologies. The NanoTech Laboratory under his co-direction pioneers innovations in nanomaterials for real-world medical and environmental challenges.

Analysis of his 12 publications (2011-2025) reveals a dominant focus on zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures for UV photodetectors (67% of recent work), with significant contributions to gas sensing (25%) and diamond-based materials (8%). His research demonstrates consistent evolution from fundamental nanomaterial synthesis toward applied healthcare and environmental monitoring solutions, particularly evident in the shift from diamond film studies (2011-2012) to wearable sensor systems (2023-2025).

Labs & Initiatives: As NTL co-director, Chen leads interdisciplinary teams developing next-generation sensors. The laboratory's work directly supports Macquarie's Smart Green City initiative through air quality monitoring systems and sustainable material innovations, with recent projects focusing on self-powered UV detection and carbon capture electrolysis.