Tian Li, University of Maryland, has received a Materials Research Society (MRS) Postdoctoral Award “for innovative and pioneering research in wood nanotechnology and nanocellulose toward energy, water and sustainability,” and Xianwen Mao, Cornell University, has received the award “for developing fabrication strategies and operando imaging techniques for nanoscale electrochemical materials systems important for environmental and energy applications.”
Li is currently a postdoctoral researcher with Liangbing Hu at the University of Maryland. Li obtained her bachelor’s degree from Huazhong University of Science & Technology in China. She obtained her PhD degree advised by Mario Dagenais in the area of electrophysics and nonlinear optics in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Maryland, where her research focused on experimental and theoretical studies aimed at establishing a fundamental understanding of the electrical and optical processes governing the operation of quantum dot solar cells. During her postdoc, she has focused her research on emerging cellulose science and engineering and high-temperature thermoelectrics. She has published in Science, Nature Materials, Nature Energy, and Science Advances as a lead author. Li has received the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Distinguished Dissertation Award, Outstanding Graduate Assistant Award, and Forbes 30 Under 30 in the energy category.
Xianwen Mao obtained his BS degree in polymer materials and engineering from Tsinghua University, China. He then went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for his PhD degree in chemical engineering. His PhD work focused on molecular engineering of polymer materials with tunable catalytic and adsorptive properties for sustainability technologies. He is currently a postdoctoral associate with Peng Chen in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Cornell University, working on developing single-molecule/particle operando imaging techniques for visualizing fundamental catalytic and adsorptive processes related to important energy and environmental applications, including water decontamination, water splitting, and artificial photosynthesis.
The MRS Postdoctoral Award recognizes scholars who show exceptional promise, which may include excellence in scientific research, leadership, advocacy, outreach, or teaching during their postdoc assignment. MRS acknowledges the Jiang Family Foundation and MTI Corporation for their generous support of this award.
