Winners of the second Nano Materials Science Awards

Konstantin Novoselov

National University of Singapore, Singapore

Professor Sir Konstantin ‘Kostya’ Novoselov FRS was born in Russia in August 1974. His most notable achievement was the isolation of graphene at The University of Manchester in 2004. Proficient in condensed matter physics and mesoscopic physics, he has earned international acclaim for his contributions to these domains.

In recognition of his pioneering work with graphene, Prof Novoselov was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2010, cementing his status as a leading figure in the scientific community.

Currently holding the esteemed positions of Langworthy Professor of Physics and Royal Society Research Professor at The University of Manchester, Kostya Novoselov's career has been marked by a series of prestigious awards and accolades, including:

• Nicholas Kurti Prize (2007)
• International Union of Pure and Applied Science Prize (2008)
• MIT Technology Review Young Innovator (2008)
• Europhysics Prize (2008)
• Bragg Lecture Prize from the Union of Crystallography (2011)
• Kohn Award Lecture (2012)
• Leverhulme Medal from the Royal Society (2013)
• Onsager Medal (2014)
• Carbon Medal (2016)
• Dalton Medal (2016)

His prolific research output is a testament to his dedication to advancing the field, with over 480 papers (according to Scopus) to his name, including more than 25 papers in esteemed journals such as Nature and Science, and over 45 in Nature Physics, Nature Materials, and Nature Nanotechnology. His work has garnered over 270,000 citations, and his h-index stands at an impressive 143, with a current annual citation rate exceeding 20,000. Prof Novoselov's profound impact on the world of science and nanotechnology is undeniable, and his contributions continue to shape the future of these fields.

This is outdated. He is currently at NUS as a distinguished professor, and notably as the Director of the Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials, a Research Centre of Excellence in Singapore (hosted by the National University of Singapore).

https://ifim.nus.edu.sg/people/konstantin-sergeevich-novoselov/

Ke Lu

Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Professor Ke Lu, born in May 1965, completed his B.Sc. at Nanjing University of Science & Technology in 1985 and his Ph.D. at the Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) in 1990. He held the positions of director at the Institute of Metal Research of CAS from 2001 to 2012 and director of Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science (SYNL) from 2000 to 2023. Currently, he serves as the President of Liaoning Academy of Materials and holds the position of research professor at the Institute of Metal Research of CAS.

Prof. Lu is a distinguished figure in the field of nanostructured materials, known for his groundbreaking research on various aspects, including the synthesis, microstructure characterization, mechanical and physical properties, and thermal stability of nanostructured metals and alloys. Additionally, his work explores the thermodynamics and kinetics of metastable phase transformation and non-equilibrium processing in advanced materials. Some notable achievements of Prof. Lu's team and collaborators include:

• Discovery of nano-twinned structures and their strengthening effect in metals and alloys, leading to superior mechanical and physical properties.
• Development of surface nanocrystallization technology, which generates gradient nanostructured metals and alloys, enhancing properties such as fatigue behavior, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and surface alloying kinetics for engineering materials.
• Discovery of a new metastable polycrystalline structure known as the Schwarz crystal structure, characterized by 3D periodic minimal surface grain boundaries, resulting in metals with exceptionally high strength and thermal stability.
• Introduction of the concept of "planification of materials," which tailors stable interfaces at different length scales with fewer or no alloying elements to advance material properties.

Prof. Lu's contributions are reflected in more than 430 international peer-reviewed journal publications. He has received numerous international honors and awards, including membership in esteemed organizations like the Chinese Academy of Sciences (2003), the World Academy of Sciences for Developing Countries (2004), the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (2005), and the U.S. National Academy of Engineering (2018). His accolades also include the TMS Robert Franklin Mehl Award (2022), Acta Materialia Gold Medal (2019), TMS Fellow Award (2017), AAAS Fellow (2014), MRS Fellow (2010), AvH Research Award (Germany, 2010), Kelly Lecturer (University of Cambridge, 2010), THERMEC 2006 Distinguished Award, the Third World Academy of Science TWNSO Technology Prize, and the Ho Leung Ho Lee Technology Science Prize (1999), among others.

Shaojun Guo

Peking University, China

Dr. Shaojun Guo is a Boya Distinguished Professor at Peking University and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. He is recognized for his leadership in the development of nano/sub-nano/atomic materials for catalysis and energy applications. His significant contributions lie in the interdisciplinary domains of materials chemistry for energy electrocatalysis.

As a corresponding author, he has authored more than 200 papers in esteemed journals, with 29 of them appearing in top-tier publications such as Nature, Science, and related sister journals (h-index=136 and 66,000 citations). He has consistently been recognized as one of the Highly Cited Researchers in the fields of Chemistry and Materials from 2014 to 2022, according to Stanford University's ranking of the World's Top 0.1% Scientists. Throughout his career, Shaojun GUO has received numerous accolades, including the Xplorer Prize, National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, China Youth Science and Technology Prize, and recognition as Elsevier's Chinese Most Cited Researcher, among others.

Tierui Zhang

Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry (TIPC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)

Dr. Tierui Zhang is a Professor at the Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry (TIPC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and Director of the Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, CAS. He earned his B.S. in Chemistry in 1998 and his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry in 2003 from Jilin University in China.

His academic journey includes postdoctoral studies at various prestigious institutions: Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces with Prof Markus Antonietti and Dr Charl Faul (2003-2004), University of Alberta with Prof Hicham Fenniri (2004-2005), University of Arkansas with Prof. Z. Ryan Tian (2005-2007), and University of California-Riverside with Prof. Yadong Yin and Prof. Yushan Yan (2007-2009).

Dr. Zhang's research is primarily centered on catalyst nanomaterials for energy conversion, specifically in areas such as photocatalytic solar fuels and value-added chemicals. His extensive contributions to the field are reflected in his publication record, which includes over 330 peer-reviewed SCI journal articles in renowned international journals such as Nat. Catal., Nat. Commun., Adv. Mater., Angew. Chem., and J. Am. Chem. Soc. These publications have garnered more than 37,000 citations to date, with an H-index of 107. He has also been recognized in the annual Highly Cited Researchers lists from 2018 to 2022 by Clarivate Analytics and holds 44 national invention patents in China.

Dr. Zhang is actively engaged in editorial roles, serving as an associate editor for Science Bulletin, Industrial Chemistry & Materials, Nano Research Energy, and Transactions of Tianjin University. Additionally, he is an editorial board member for peer-reviewed journals, including Advanced Energy Materials, Advanced Science, Chemical Science, Small Methods, Small Structures, Scientific Reports, ChemPhysChem, Materials Chemistry Frontier, Solar RRL, Carbon Energy, Innovation, and SmartMat.

His dedication to research and excellence has led to various accolades, including the Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship, Royal Society-Newton Advanced Fellowship, National High-Level Talents Special Support Program, and recognition as an "Outstanding Young Scholar" of the National Science Fund. In 2017, he was named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC), and in 2023, he became a Fellow of the Chinese Chemical Society (FCCS). More details about Dr. Zhang's work can be found on his homepage and his ORCID number can be found here.

Giulia Grancini

University of Pavia, Italy

Dr. Giulia Grancini currently holds the position of Associate Professor at the Physical Chemistry Unit at the University of Pavia. She completed her Ph.D. in Physics with honors at the Politecnico of Milan in 2012, focusing her experimental thesis on the development of a femtosecond microscope for studying ultrafast phenomena at organic interfaces.

Following her doctoral studies, she served as a post-doctoral researcher at the Italian Institute of Technology (CNST@PoliMi) in Milan from 2012 to 2015. Subsequently, from 2015 to 2019, she was part of Prof Nazeeruddin's group at EPFL, where she received a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship and, since 2017, a Swiss Ambizione Energy Grant. This grant provided substantial support for her pioneering work in the energy sector.

Since July 2019, Giulia has been an Associate Professor at the Physical Chemistry Unit at the University of Pavia, where she leads the PVsquared2 team. She is also the Principal Investigator of the ERC StG Project "HYNANO," which focuses on advancing hybrid perovskite materials and innovative functional interfaces to enhance the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and stability of photovoltaic technologies.

Giulia Grancini's research contributions are extensive, comprising 160 peer-reviewed scientific papers that have earned her an impressive h-index of 53 and over 21,000 citations. Her work primarily revolves around material design and exploring the interface physics governing the operation of organic and hybrid perovskite devices. Her expertise has led to numerous awards, including the USERN Prize in Physical Science, the Swiss Physical Society Award for Young Researchers in 2018, and the IUPAP Young Scientist Prize in Optics.

Dr. Grancini is not only an established scientist but also an active member of the scientific community, serving as a USERN Ambassador for Italy and as a board member of the Young Academy of Europe.

For more information about her work, you can visit her homepage.