Materials Science Research Lecture

Abstract: The ultimate or end point of functional materials development is the realization of strong coupling between all energy regimes (optical, electronic, magnetic, and elastic), enabling the same material to be utilized for multifunctionalities. Emerging functional and responsive materials provide solutions to some of the current challenges in our future emerging technology needs, and would potentially lead to high power conversion efficiency system and high energy density materials at low cost. A challenging task in this area is to manufacture nanostructured materials and assemble them into desired structural forms, so that their unique properties can be harvested for renewable energy conversion and multisensing capabilities. In this talk, I will discuss my group's recent research on the rational design and manufacturing of emerging nanomaterials (both soft and hard matters) combined with the development of "bottom-up" strategies. Specifically, I will focus on two main topics: (a) energy-transduction organic functional materials for energy harvesting and sensing wearable electronics; (b) a novel advanced nanomanufacturing strategy of high energy product metallic nanostructures for energy sustainability. The key aim of this talk is to provide a unique new insight into the emerging materials from energy, sustainability and critical technology to future prospects.

More about the Speaker: Dr. Shenqiang Ren is an Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering and Temple Materials Institute, at Temple University. He earned his Ph.D. degree in Materials Science at the University of Maryland College Park, and then served as a postdoc fellow at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He received 2015 National Science Foundation – CAREER Award, 2014 Army Research Office – Young Investigator Award, 2014 RSC Emerging Investigator – Journal of Material Chemistry, 2013 NSF EPSCOR First Award, 2013 Air Force Summer Faculty Fellowship, 2012 KU New Faculty General Research Fund, 2009 China's National Award for Outstanding Graduate Students Abroad, 2009 Dean's Doctoral Research Award (First Prize) and Distinguished Doctoral Dissertation Award at University of Maryland, College Park. He is North American editor of J. Exp. Nanoscience, and editorial panel member of Scientific Report.