Ying Wang | Advanced Materials Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Ying Wang | Advanced Materials Engineering | Best Researcher Award 

Ying Wang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Macromolecular Science at Fudan University. She earned her Ph.D. in Macromolecular Science and Engineering from Virginia Tech and also holds a Master’s degree in Statistics. Her research focuses on solid-state polymer electrolytes for high-energy-density lithium batteries, integrating machine learning for materials discovery. She has extensive experience in polymer science, statistical modeling, and AI-driven materials optimization. Recognized as a Shanghai Leading Talent, she has received numerous awards, including the China National Natural Science Fund for Excellent Young Scientists. Her work advances sustainable energy storage through innovative polymer materials.

Prof. Ying Wang | Fudan University | China

🎓Education

  • Ying Wang earned her Ph.D. in Macromolecular Science and Engineering from Virginia Tech in December 2016 under the guidance of Professor Louis A. Madsen. Her doctoral research focused on the development and characterization of advanced polymer electrolytes for sustainable energy storage and conversion. In addition to her Ph.D., she obtained a Master’s degree in Statistics from Virginia Tech in May 2016. She completed her undergraduate studies at Beijing University of Chemical Technology, earning a Bachelor of Engineering in Polymer Science and Engineering in July 2010.

👨‍🏫Experience

  • Ying Wang is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Macromolecular Science at Fudan University, a position she has held since May 2021. Before joining Fudan, she worked as a Data Scientist at Hughes Network Systems from November 2017 to April 2021, where she applied machine learning and statistical modeling in engineering projects. She also gained postdoctoral research experience at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Molecular Foundry from January to October 2017, where she worked on polymer composite membranes for battery applications. Earlier in her career, she was a Visiting Scholar at Deakin University, focusing on the development of solid-state polymer composite electrolytes. Her research journey began as a Graduate Research Assistant at Virginia Tech, where she explored gel electrolytes for energy storage systems, and as a Research Assistant at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, where she investigated ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.

🏆Awards and Recognitions

  • Ying Wang has received numerous prestigious accolades throughout her career. She was invited to nominate candidates for the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and has been recognized as a Shanghai Leading Talent in 2022. She received the China National Natural Science Fund for Excellent Young Scientists in 2021 and was honored as a Shanghai Huawei New Engineering Talent in the same year. Her achievements also include innovation awards from Hughes Network Systems, finalist recognition in the Capital One Data Analytics Modeling Competition, and several research travel grants, including the NSF Polymer Travel Award and the Chevron-Phillips Chemical Professional Excellence Travel Award.

💡Skills and Certifications

  • With a strong interdisciplinary background, Ying Wang possesses expertise in polymer science, materials engineering, and statistical modeling. She is highly skilled in machine learning applications for materials science, particularly in developing and screening advanced polymer electrolytes for energy storage devices. Her technical competencies extend to rheology, electrochemical analysis, and nanotechnology, alongside proficiency in AI-driven materials discovery and predictive modeling. She also has significant experience in statistical consulting and data analytics, having worked extensively with experimental design and predictive analysis in both academic and industrial settings.

🔬 Research Focus

  • Ying Wang’s research primarily centers on the development and characterization of solid-state polymer electrolytes for safe and high-energy-density lithium batteries. Her work integrates artificial intelligence and machine learning to design and optimize materials, predict battery lifespan, and understand molecular self-assembly behaviors in polymeric liquid crystals. She also investigates ionic liquid-based polymer systems and their impact on next-generation energy storage technologies. Her contributions include pioneering studies on Li-ion conduction mechanisms, phase transitions, and interfacial transport in advanced polymer and inorganic composite electrolytes. Through her research, she aims to advance the field of sustainable energy solutions by developing high-performance polymer materials with superior ionic conductivity and stability.

🌎Conclusion

  • Dr. Ying Wang’s groundbreaking research, interdisciplinary approach, and strong leadership make her an ideal candidate for the Best Researcher Award. Her work not only advances scientific knowledge but also contributes to real-world technological solutions, particularly in the development of safer and more efficient energy storage systems. With her impressive achievements, recognition, and commitment to innovation, she exemplifies the qualities of an outstanding researcher whose contributions will continue to shape the future of materials science and energy technology.

📖Publications

  • Solid-state rigid-rod polymer composite electrolytes with nanocrystalline lithium ion pathways
    Authors: Y. Wang, C.J. Zanelotti, X. Wang, R. Kerr, L. Jin, W.H. Kan, T.J. Dingemans, …
    Journal: Nature Materials, 2021

  • Highly conductive and thermally stable ion gels with tunable anisotropy and modulus
    Authors: Y. Wang, Y. Chen, J. Gao, H.G. Yoon, L. Jin, M. Forsyth, T.J. Dingemans, …
    Journal: Advanced Materials, 2016

  • Double helical conformation and extreme rigidity in a rodlike polyelectrolyte
    Authors: Y. Wang, Y. He, Z. Yu, J. Gao, S. Ten Brinck, C. Slebodnick, G.B. Fahs, …
    Journal: Nature Communications, 2019

  • Molecular alignment and ion transport in rigid rod polyelectrolyte solutions
    Authors: Y. Wang, J. Gao, T.J. Dingemans, L.A. Madsen
    Journal: Macromolecules, 2014

  • Water and sodium transport and liquid crystalline alignment in a sulfonated aramid membrane
    Authors: J. Gao, Y. Wang, B. Norder, S.J. Garcia, S.J. Picken, L.A. Madsen, …
    Journal: Journal of Membrane Science, 2015