Jouni Partanen is a Professor at Aalto University's Department of Energy and Mechanical Engineering within the College of Engineering. His research focuses on advanced production technologies including Additive Manufacturing (3D-Printing), modern laser processing, and micromachining. Research Group: Materiaaleista tuotteiksi Specialization: Integration of AI in manufacturing processes Sustainability emphasis: Biochar-reinforced materials and carbon footprint reduction His work spans from fundamental material behavior analysis to industrial applications, particularly in metal additive manufacturing and composite fabrication. Recent research explores corrosion resistance in lattice structures and multiscale photopolymerization techniques. Publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches combining mechanical engineering with biomedical applications (e.g., patient-specific implants) and environmental health studies on industrial 3D printing emissions.
Cherie Kagan serves as the Stephen J. Angello Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, holding primary appointment in the Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering within the School of Engineering and Applied Science, with secondary appointments in Chemistry and Materials Science and Engineering. Her interdisciplinary research bridges chemistry, materials science, and electrical engineering to develop novel functional materials and devices that integrate optical, electrical, magnetic, mechanical, and thermal properties. Professor Kagan's research group combines the flexibility of chemical synthesis and bottom-up assembly with top-down fabrication techniques to design innovative nanomaterials. They employ advanced characterization methods including spatially- and temporally-resolved optical spectroscopies, AC/DC electrical measurements, electrochemistry, and various microscopy techniques. Her recent work demonstrates particular strength in colloidal nanocrystals and quantum dots for applications in quantum information science, sensing technologies, and energy conversion devices. Scientific Recognition Induction to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2025) IEEE Fellow (2024) for contributions to colloidal nanocrystals and their integration in optical and electronic devices George H. Heilmeier Faculty Award for Excellence in Engineering (2024-25) Humboldt Research Award Fellowship (2024) MRS Fellow for distinguished research accomplishments in materials science National Academy of Inventors Fellow for innovation in nanomaterials Professor Kagan actively mentors PhD students across multiple departments, with recent graduates including Gary Chen, Chavez Lawrence, and Shobhita Kramadhati. Her research is supported by significant grants including the IoT4Ag project focused on precision agriculture sensing systems. She maintains active collaborations with Nobel Laureate Moungi Bawendi, her former PhD advisor at MIT, and works with institutions including the Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids through her Humboldt Fellowship. The Kagan Research Group operates comprehensive facilities for nanomaterials synthesis, characterization, and device fabrication, combining expertise across chemistry, physics, and engineering disciplines. Current team members include PhD students from Electrical and Systems Engineering and Chemistry departments, postdoctoral researchers like Anamika Singh and Akhila Mallavarapu, and undergraduate researchers supported through programs like CURF.
Christophe Meunier is a researcher specializing in hybrid materials, particularly focusing on biohybrid systems that integrate biological components with inorganic matrices. His work emphasizes environmental applications and biomedical innovations through advanced material design. Key Collaborations: Su, B. L., Michiels, C., Wang, L. Research Themes: Photosynthesis mimicry, cell therapy microcapsules, hybrid alginate-TiO₂ systems Research Focus: Meunier has pioneered the biomimicry of photosynthesis via biosystem immobilization in silica matrices, aiming to create 'living materials' with functional biological-inorganic interfaces. His recent projects explore alginate@TiO₂ hybrid microcapsules for controlled insulin delivery and cell therapy applications, demonstrating high biocompatibility and stability. Academic Contributions: With 34 research outputs spanning material science, biomedical engineering, and environmental applications, Meunier's work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals through innovative hybrid material design. His collaboration network includes experts in chemistry, physics, and medical fields.
Dr. Ling Yin is an Associate Professor in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Adelaide, Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology. She joined the University of Adelaide in 2018 as an Associate Professor in manufacturing and served as Faculty Research Theme Leader in Advanced Manufacturing from 2019 to 2022. Dr. Yin leads multi-institutional projects on advanced manufacturing funded by Defence SA (2024-2025) and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) (2025-2028). Dr. Yin's educational background includes B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering from Huazhong University of Science & Technology in Wuhan, China. Her academic career spans five countries across three continents, including positions at Tianjin University in China, Kumamoto University in Japan, Kansas State University in the USA, the Australian National University and James Cook University in Australia, the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) in the USA, and A*STAR Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech) in Singapore. Dr. Yin's research focuses on manufacturing and mechanical characterization of advanced materials with applications in optics, semiconductors, mechanical structures, dental restorations, osteoporosis/osteoarthritis studies, and marine/animal sciences. Her work involves extensive collaborations across multiple disciplines. Her recent publications demonstrate expertise in ultrasonic vibration-assisted machining of dental ceramics, particularly zirconia and lithium silicate glass-ceramics, as well as advanced characterization techniques like micro-CT and in-situ SEM testing for understanding material behavior at micro and nano scales. JSPS Invitation Fellowship from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Japanese Government Scholarship from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan Supervisor for a PhD Thesis cum laude with a Medal of Excellence awarded by James Cook University in 2017 Supervisor for a Best Honours Project in Mechanical Engineering at Ingenuity awarded by the University of Adelaide in 2023 Dr. Yin is actively involved in supervising higher degree research students and has available PhD projects in 2025 focused on ultrasonic-vibration assisted manufacturing techniques for dental applications. She has successfully led international academic delegations through the New Colombo Plan to manufacturing facilities in Singapore and Japan. Dr. Yin is a senior member of the North American Manufacturing Research Institution (NAMRI) and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), and also a member of several professional organizations including ASME, OSA, American Ceramic Society, ASM International, and SPIE.
Judith Driscoll is Professor of Materials Science at the University of Cambridge in the Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy. She holds the prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Emerging Technologies and serves as a Visiting Staff Member at Los Alamos National Laboratory. As the founding Editor-in-Chief of APL Materials, she has significantly contributed to the materials science community. Dr. Driscoll's research focuses on Energy Efficient Oxide Materials for Information and Communications Technologies and energy devices. Her work spans the development of non-volatile memory, resistive switching devices, and ferroelectric materials for neuromorphic computing applications. She investigates oxide thin films for applications ranging from data storage to energy generation and conversion, with particular emphasis on creating more energy-efficient device technologies to handle the exponential growth of data-centric applications. Her recent publications demonstrate strong trends in developing novel oxide-based memory devices with improved energy efficiency, particularly for AI applications. The work shows significant progress in hafnium-zirconium oxide ferroelectrics, resistive switching mechanisms, and vertically aligned nanocomposite structures for enhanced device performance. These innovations address critical challenges in reducing the unsustainable energy demands of modern computing, particularly for artificial intelligence systems. Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering Fellow of the Materials Research Society Fellow of the American Physical Society Fellow of IOM3, IOP, and Women Engineers Society Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Recipient of ERC Advanced Grant Editor-in-Chief of APL Materials Dr. Driscoll leads a vibrant research group that has secured significant funding including her Royal Academy of Engineering Research Chair, an ERC Advanced Grant, and an ECCS-EPSRC grant in collaboration with researchers from the USA. She has founded the Cambridge Centre for Neuromorphic Computing (Neucam) in 2023. Her group operates world-leading growth equipment including pulsed laser deposition with RHEED control, high temperature oxide sputtering, and spatial ALD systems. She collaborates extensively across the University of Cambridge and with international partners to solve complex materials challenges, with her group's role often being to identify optimal materials for functional goals, predict fabrication methods, and then create and characterize these materials.
Stéphane BAUDRON is a CNRS Research Director at the Laboratory for the Synthesis and Functions of Molecular Architectures within the Faculty of Chemistry at the University of Strasbourg. His research spans multiple areas of molecular materials chemistry, with particular expertise in coordination polymers, metal-organic frameworks, and supramolecular architectures. Dr. BAUDRON's educational background includes undergraduate studies at the National School of Chemistry of Paris (1998), a Ph.D. from the University of Angers under Dr. Patrick Batail (2002), and postdoctoral research at the University of California Berkeley with Prof. Jeffrey R. Long (2002-2004). He joined CNRS as a researcher in 2004, received his Habilitation from the University of Strasbourg in 2009, and was promoted to CNRS Research Director in 2019. His primary research interests focus on dipyrrin-based complexes and assemblies for luminescent materials and heterometallic frameworks, conducting coordination polymers using redox-active ligands, and the application of deep eutectic solvents for sustainable synthesis of porous materials. His work bridges fundamental coordination chemistry with practical applications in materials science. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong trend toward green chemistry approaches for synthesizing metal-organic frameworks, with increasing focus on deep eutectic solvents as environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional solvents. His research spans both fundamental coordination chemistry and applied materials science, with particular emphasis on structure-property relationships in crystalline materials. Lavoisier fellowship (French Ministry of Foreign Affairs) JSPS short-term invitation fellowship at Kyoto University USIAS fellowship ANR DEEPCatCOF project (Principal Investigator) Dr. BAUDRON has successfully mentored numerous graduate students who have gone on to careers in both industry and academia, including positions at Michelin, BASF, and various universities. His current research is supported by multiple grants, including the ANR DEEPCatCOF project focused on deep eutectic solvents for catalytic metal-organic frameworks. His laboratory maintains strong international collaborations with research groups in Japan, Portugal, and other European institutions. Based at the University of Strasbourg's Institute Le Bel, Dr. BAUDRON leads a research team within the Laboratory for the Synthesis and Functions of Molecular Architectures, which is part of the larger Faculty of Chemistry structure. His group actively collaborates with other laboratories within the chemistry faculty, particularly those working on spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and molecular modeling.
Jaehong Kim is the Henry P. Becton Sr. Professor of Engineering at Yale University, where he serves as Professor and Chair of Chemical and Environmental Engineering in the School of Engineering and Applied Science. Prior to joining Yale in 2013, he held the Georgia Power Distinguished Professor position at the Georgia Institute of Technology. His research bridges environmental science, chemical engineering, and nanotechnology, focusing on photocatalytic materials, water quality engineering, and sustainable solutions for global health contexts. Ph.D., Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2002) M.S., Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University (1997) B.S., Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University (1995) Kim’s work addresses water treatment through advanced oxidation processes , electrochemical systems , and single-atom catalysts , with applications in nitrate removal, fluoride transport, and solar disinfection. His research emphasizes nanotechnology for environmental remediation and public health engineering in developing regions. Recent publications highlight electrified membranes for nitrate conversion, photothermal water disinfection , and single-atom catalysts for pollutant degradation. His team explores atomic-scale engineering and green chemistry approaches to enhance reaction efficiency and material durability. Georgia Power Distinguished Professor Yale Superfund Research Center investigator Kim leads interdisciplinary efforts in environmental health through collaborations with Yale School of Public Health and the School of the Environment. His lab develops monolithic catalytic membranes and nanobiochars for sustainable water treatment, balancing technical innovation with global accessibility.
Naresh N. Thadhani is a Professor and Chair of Materials Science and Engineering at Georgia Tech, with an adjunct role in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. His research focuses on shock-induced material changes, high-strain-rate mechanics, and dynamic compaction of powders. He leads a lab equipped with advanced facilities like gas guns and laser-accelerated systems for studying impacts up to 1200 m/s. Education: Ph.D., New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (1984); M.S., South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (1981); B.E., University of Rajasthan, India (1980). Research interests include shock compression of metals/ceramics, phase transformations in metallic glasses, and structural energetic materials. His work combines experimental diagnostics (e.g., VISAR, photonic Doppler velocimetry) with computational modeling (CTH/ALE3D codes). Key awards: APS Fellow (2007), ASM International Fellow (2000). Editorial roles include Associate Editor of Shock Waves and Key Reader for Metallurgical and Materials Transactions . Lab & Group: A team of 1 postdoctoral fellow, 11 PhD students, and 3 undergraduates. Over 30 graduates to date. Active in advisory roles for national/international conferences and industrial consultancies. Future work emphasizes nanocomposite magnets and meso-scale modeling of heterogeneous materials under shock.
Dist. Professor Rachel Caruso is a Professor at RMIT University's School of Science, specializing in nanomaterials, energy storage systems, and photocatalysis. Her research focuses on advancing materials science through innovations in titanium-based nanomaterials, perovskite solar cells, and sustainable hydrogen production. She is actively involved in research supervision, offering guidance on topics like carbon capture, electrochemical CO₂ reduction, and antimicrobial surface engineering. Her work integrates machine learning for material discovery and emphasizes interdisciplinary applications in environmental and biomedical fields. Research Interests: Macromolecular Chemistry, Nanotechnology, Energy Materials, Photocatalysis, and Biomedical Applications. Supervision Projects: Includes pioneering studies on direct air capture of CO₂, graphene-based photocatalytic films, and perovskite materials for biomedical uses. Professor Caruso collaborates extensively on projects addressing global challenges such as renewable energy and antimicrobial resistance. Her contributions span over 200 publications, with notable advancements in titanium suboxide synthesis and electrocatalyst design.
Dr. Nhiem Tran is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Applied Chemistry and Environmental Science at RMIT University's School of Science, part of the STEM College. He joined RMIT in 2015 as a Vice Chancellor's Research Fellow after completing his PhD in Physics at Brown University (USA, 2012) and postdoctoral research at Rhode Island Hospital (USA), CSIRO, and the Australian Synchrotron. His research focuses on developing biomaterials for drug delivery, gene therapy, and medical implants, particularly lipid nanoparticles and 3D-printed metallic implants. He leads the Biomaterial Interfaces group, investigating self-assembled lipid nanoparticles for cancer and autoimmune disease treatments. His work has resulted in over 65 high-impact publications and numerous awards, including the RMIT Vice Chancellor's Research Fellowship and the Stein/Bellet Foundation Fellowship. Tran's funding comes from grants such as the ARC Discovery Project, mRNA Victoria, and the CASS Foundation. His research interests span nanomedicine, biomedical engineering, and materials science, with a focus on applications in drug delivery, bacterial infection control, and orthopaedic implants. Education: PhD in Physics (Brown University, 2012) Key Projects: 3D-printed diamond-titanium implants, lipid nanoparticle drug carriers, and antimicrobial coatings. He actively supervises postgraduate research in areas like nanomaterials for drug delivery and biomedical applications.
Professor Hala Zreiqat AM is a leading biomedical engineer at The University of Sydney , serving as the Director of the ARC Training Centre for Innovative BioEngineering . A Fellow of all major Australian academies (AAS, ATSE, FAHMS, FRSN), she develops 3D printed bioceramics for bone regeneration while championing diversity through initiatives like the IDEAL Society and BIOTech Futures mentorship program. Her work bridges academia, clinical practice, and industry in musculoskeletal research . Research Focus: Her lab creates synthetic bone scaffolds that mimic natural bone architecture, strength, and porosity, enabling non-rejected bone regeneration via patient-matched implants. Key applications include orthopaedic, dental, and maxillofacial repair , with over $18M in competitive funding and multiple patents. Current projects explore AI-driven scaffold performance prediction and anti-senescence strategies for aging-related bone loss. Scientific Trends: Recent publications highlight 3D printed nanovoxelated ceramics , antisenescence biomaterials , and multifunctional theranostic platforms . Her team integrates machine learning for scaffold design, atom probe tomography for interface analysis, and two-photon imaging for cellular monitoring in 3D environments. 2021-2022 Fulbright Senior Scholar 2018 NSW Premier's Woman of the Year 2019 Eureka Prize for Innovative Use of Technology Fellow of Australian Academy of Science (2021) Over $18M in research funding Teaching & Leadership: She designed core courses like Tissue Engineering and Nanomaterials in Medicine , mentoring 158 students in 2020 alone. As Chair of CAAR (2020-2023), she strengthens Australia-Arab collaborations. Her lab trains early-career researchers , with alumni now in academia and industry.
Professor Shaun Gregory is the Director of the Centre for Biomedical Technologies at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), where he also serves as Co-Director of the Artificial Heart Frontiers Program, Founder and Director of the Heart Hackathon student team competition, and Director of the CardioRespiratory Engineering and Technology Laboratory. He holds appointments in the Faculty of Engineering, School of Mechanical, Medical & Process Engineering. His educational background includes Bachelor, Masters (research), and PhD degrees, all awarded by QUT. He also holds both NHMRC and Heart Foundation fellowships, demonstrating his significant contributions to cardiovascular research. Professor Gregory's research applies a translational approach to cardiovascular engineering with a particular focus on devices used to support or replace the heart. His work brings together multidisciplinary teams of engineering, biomedical science, design, and medicine to develop novel technical solutions for clinically relevant problems. His research has changed clinical practice on numerous occasions and assisted with the regulatory approval of medical devices. His areas of interest include mechanical circulatory support, artificial heart development, cardiovascular device engineering, and hemodynamics. His publication portfolio demonstrates a strong focus on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), ventricular assist devices, and cardiovascular device testing. His recent work has explored computational fluid dynamics in blood flow analysis, novel cannula design for circulatory support, and the hemodynamic effects of various cardiovascular devices. His research often bridges engineering principles with clinical applications, resulting in practical innovations in cardiac support technologies. NHMRC Fellowship Heart Foundation Fellowship President-Elect of the International Society for Mechanical Circulatory Support Professor Gregory has successfully secured more than $65 million in research funding and has published over 100 research articles in his field. He is actively involved in mentoring the next generation of researchers, currently accepting Honours, Masters, and PhD students. His CardioRespiratory Engineering and Technology Laboratory serves as a hub for interdisciplinary research that brings together engineering, biomedical science, and clinical expertise to address critical challenges in cardiovascular medicine.
Wolfgang Porod is a Professor of Electrical Engineering and holder of the Frank M. Freimann Chair at the University of Notre Dame. He is also a Hans Fischer Senior Fellow at the TUM Institute for Advanced Study (TUM-IAS) since 2009, affiliated with the Nanoimprint and Nanotransfer Focus Group led by Paolo Lugli. His research focuses on nanoelectronics and quantum devices, notably co-inventing the Quantum-Dot Cellular Automata (QCA) framework, a molecular-scale information processing paradigm. Porod earned his Diplom (M.S.) and Ph.D. from the University of Graz, Austria, and held postdoctoral roles at Colorado State and Arizona State Universities before joining Notre Dame in 1986. He directs Notre Dame’s Center for Nano Science and Technology, advancing interdisciplinary nanotechnology research. His academic accolades include Fellowships from the AAAS (2005) and IEEE (2001), and teaching awards such as the Kaneb Teaching Award (2005) and the Ruth and Joel Spira Award (2000). Porod’s work bridges quantum physics and engineering, with applications in low-power computing, spintronics, and nanoscale device fabrication. At TUM-IAS, he collaborates on nanoimprint lithography and nanotransfer technologies, advancing scalable nanomanufacturing methods.
Dr. Robert O’Connor is an Assistant Professor at the School of Physical Sciences, Dublin City University (DCU) , specializing in interface chemistry and thin film characterization. His work bridges semiconductor physics and energy harvesting technologies , with a focus on materials like high-κ dielectrics and III-V substrates. BSc in Applied Physics (2001), DCU PhD in Semiconductor Physics (2005), DCU His research employs X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) to study material interfaces in devices such as MOSFETs and photoelectrochemical systems . He leads a 4-year SFI-funded project on solar water splitting for hydrogen fuel and collaborates with Trinity College Dublin (SPOKE project) and IMEC, Belgium on area-selective deposition techniques. His lab utilizes a state-of-the-art integrated ALD-XPS tool . His scientific awards include the Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship , Irish Research Council EMBARK Fellowship , and SFI TIDA Award . Publications span high-κ dielectrics , self-assembled monolayers , and block copolymer lithography , with recent work on graphene oxide heterostructures and recyclability in additive manufacturing . He supervises 5 postgraduate students and teaches modules like Final Year Project (PS451) and Solid State Physics I (PS204) . Collaborations include institutions such as IMEC and Trinity College Dublin , with tools like the integrated ALD-XPS system at DCU.
Susanna Thon is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Johns Hopkins University (JHU), affiliated with the Whiting School of Engineering. She serves as Associate Director of the Ralph O’Connor Sustainable Energy Institute (ROSEI) and a member of the Data Science and AI Institute. Her research focuses on nanomaterials engineering for optoelectronic devices, emphasizing solar energy conversion and sensing. Notable areas include plasmonic-photocatalytic systems using aluminum nanoparticles and nanostructured materials like colloidal quantum dots for next-generation devices. Thon holds a BSc from MIT (2005) and MSc/PhD in Physics from UC Santa Barbara (2008/2010). She joined JHU in 2013 after postdoctoral work at the University of Toronto. Her work is funded by agencies such as the NSF, U.S. Army, and Maryland Energy Innovation Institute. She has published over 50 peer-reviewed papers and received JHU’s Catalyst and Discovery awards. Key research projects include developing plasmonic systems to enhance light absorption in titanium dioxide and creating scalable fabrication techniques for optoelectronic materials. Thon’s team also advances quantum dot solar cells and novel characterization methods for energy materials. She actively participates in professional societies, including the Optical Society of America and IEEE. Her grants and collaborations aim to train the next generation in sustainable energy research, with recent initiatives funded through NSF and Space@Hopkins seed grants. Thon’s lab integrates nanophotonics, materials science, and machine learning to address global energy challenges.
