Hyesung Park | Chemistry and Materials Science | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Dr. Hyesung Park | Chemistry and Materials Science | Best Researcher Award

Korea University | South Korea

Dr. Hyesung Park, a distinguished Professor at Korea University, is an internationally recognized authority in hetero-dimensional materials synthesis and their applications in functional devices, including energy harvesting, nanoelectronics, and nanophotonics. His academic journey spans world-leading institutions such as MIT, Northwestern University, and UNIST, where he has consistently advanced renewable energy technologies and next-generation device engineering. He earned his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT with groundbreaking research on CVD graphene for organic photovoltaics, pioneering innovations in transparent conducting electrodes that have shaped subsequent advances in the field. Before joining Korea University, he held prestigious research and faculty positions that further strengthened his international reputation. At Korea University, Dr. Park leads pioneering work in integrative energy engineering, with research spanning hybrid nanostructures, scalable perovskite solar cells, electro/photo-catalysis, graphene-based devices, and triboelectric nanogenerators, producing notable innovations in solar cell production and energy harvesting materials. He has authored 116 Publications, accumulated 5,452 citations, and holds an impressive h-index of 36, reflecting the global impact of his scholarship. His highly cited works on graphene electrodes and hybrid solar cells have been published in top-tier journals such as Nature Nanotechnology, ACS Nano, and Advanced Energy Materials. Widely acclaimed for his leadership, impactful publications, and international collaborations, Dr. Hyesung Park is celebrated not only for advancing materials science and energy technologies but also for inspiring future scientists and engineers through his mentorship and academic contributions. Honored with national and international recognition, he exemplifies excellence in research, education, and innovation, and his pioneering contributions continue to drive breakthroughs in sustainable energy technologies that are shaping a cleaner and more efficient future.

Profile: Scopus | Google Scholar | ORCID

Featured Publications

Kim, K. K., Reina, A., Shi, Y., Park, H., Li, L. J., Lee, Y. H., & Kong, J. (2010). Enhancing the conductivity of transparent graphene films via doping. Nanotechnology, 21(28), 285205.

Park, H., Brown, P. R., Bulović, V., & Kong, J. (2012). Graphene as transparent conducting electrodes in organic photovoltaics: Studies in graphene morphology, hole transporting layers, and counter electrodes. Nano Letters, 12(1), 133–140.

Park, H., Rowehl, J. A., Kim, K. K., Bulović, V., & Kong, J. (2010). Doped graphene electrodes for organic solar cells. Nanotechnology, 21(50), 505204.

Park, H., Chang, S., Zhou, X., Kong, J., Palacios, T., & Gradečak, S. (2014). Flexible graphene electrode-based organic photovoltaics with record-high efficiency. Nano Letters, 14(9), 5148–5154.

Park, H., Chang, S., Jean, J., Cheng, J. J., Araujo, P. T., Wang, M., Bawendi, M. G., & Kong, J. (2013). Graphene cathode-based ZnO nanowire hybrid solar cells. Nano Letters, 13(1), 233–239.

Koo, D., Jung, S., Seo, J., Jeong, G., Choi, Y., Lee, J., Lee, S. M., Cho, Y., Jeong, M., & Park, H. (2020). Flexible organic solar cells over 15% efficiency with polyimide-integrated graphene electrodes. Joule, 4(5), 1021–1034.

Oh, N. K., Seo, J., Lee, S., Kim, H. J., Kim, U., Lee, J., Han, Y. K., & Park, H. (2021). Highly efficient and robust noble-metal free bifunctional water electrolysis catalyst achieved via complementary charge transfer. Nature Communications, 12(1), 4606.

Oh, N. K., Kim, C., Lee, J., Kwon, O., Choi, Y., Jung, G. Y., Lim, H. Y., Kwak, S. K., Kim, G., & Park, H. (2019). In-situ local phase-transitioned MoSe2 in La0.5Sr0.5CoO3-δ heterostructure and stable overall water electrolysis over 1000 hours. Nature Communications, 10(1), 1723.

Zhen Zhang | Chemistry and Materials Science | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Dr. Zhen Zhang | Chemistry and Materials Science | Best Researcher Award

Northwestern Polytechnical University | China

Dr. Zhen Zhang is a distinguished Professor and Doctoral Supervisor at the School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Waterloo, Canada, and subsequently held roles as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Senior Researcher at the same institution. Recognized as a Shaanxi Province High-Level Talent, Young Talent of Xi’an Association for Science and Technology, and Aoxiang Overseas Scholar, Prof. Zhang is a leading researcher in the field of energy electrocatalysis, with more than 5,500 citations, 14 ESI highly cited papers, and an H-index of 38.

Professional profile👤

Google Scholar

ORCID

Strengths for the Awards✨

Prof. Zhen Zhang exemplifies excellence in materials science and energy electrocatalysis. With a Ph.D. from the University of Waterloo and a robust academic trajectory, he has made pioneering contributions to confined electrocatalytic materials. His exceptional research productivity—over 50 SCI-indexed publications, including in top-tier journals like JACS, Advanced Materials, and Angewandte Chemie—alongside 14 ESI Highly Cited Papers, H-index of 38, and 5,500+ citations, clearly demonstrate profound scientific influence. His leadership in 16 competitive research projects, including national and industrial collaborations, speaks to both his technical depth and applied impact. Furthermore, his involvement in prestigious international collaborations and multiple editorial roles solidify his standing as a thought leader in his field.

🎓 Education

Prof. Zhang pursued his doctoral studies at the University of Waterloo, Canada, where he specialized in electrocatalytic materials and energy systems. His academic foundation laid the groundwork for innovative research in CO₂ reduction, hydrogen production, and advanced battery technologies. His global educational exposure significantly enhances his scientific perspective.

🧪 Experience

Prof. Zhang has a rich and varied research background, including appointments as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Senior Researcher at the University of Waterloo before returning to China. He now serves as a full Professor at Northwestern Polytechnical University, where he leads multiple national and provincial-level research initiatives. His industrial consultancy includes a 30 million RMB project on fuel cell power generation.

🔬 Research Interests On Chemistry and Materials Science

Prof. Zhang’s research centers on energy electrocatalytic materials and devices, especially focusing on CO₂ reduction reactions (CO₂RR), oxygen/hydrogen evolution and reduction reactions (OER/ORR, HER/HOR). His work facilitates the development of fuel cells, electrolyzers, and metal-air batteries for sustainable energy production ⚡. His innovations in confined electrocatalytic systems are advancing next-generation energy devices.

🏆 Awards

Prof. Zhang has received numerous prestigious honors, including the Advanced Materials Award from the International Association of Advanced Materials, Canadian Mitacs Accelerate Award, and the Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-Financed Students Abroad. He is also a Fellow of the Chinese Chemical Society and Chinese Materials Research Society. These accolades underscore his contributions to materials science and global energy sustainability 🌟.

📚 Publications

  • Microporous framework membranes for precise molecule/ion separations
    H. Dou, M. Xu, B. Wang, Z. Zhang, G. Wen, Y. Zheng, D. Luo, L. Zhao, A. Yu, …
    Year: 2021 | Citations: 285

  • Constructing multifunctional solid electrolyte interface via in-situ polymerization for dendrite-free and low N/P ratio lithium metal batteries
    D. Luo, L. Zheng, Z. Zhang, M. Li, Z. Chen, R. Cui, Y. Shen, G. Li, R. Feng, …
    Year: 2021 | Citations: 279

  • Quasi-Covalently Coupled Ni–Cu Atomic Pair for Synergistic Electroreduction of CO₂
    J. Zhu, M. Xiao, D. Ren, R. Gao, X. Liu, Z. Zhang, D. Luo, W. Xing, D. Su, A. Yu, …
    Year: 2022 | Citations: 244

  • Revealing the rapid electrocatalytic behavior of ultrafine amorphous defective Nb₂O₅–x nanocluster toward superior Li–S performance
    D. Luo#, Z. Zhang# (co-first author), G. Li, S. Cheng, S. Li, J. Li, R. Gao, M. Li, …
    Year: 2020 | Citations: 237

  • Template-guided synthesis of Co nanoparticles embedded in hollow nitrogen doped carbon tubes as a highly efficient catalyst for rechargeable Zn-air batteries
    Q. Zhou, Z. Zhang, J. Cai, B. Liu, Y. Zhang, X. Gong, X. Sui, A. Yu, L. Zhao, …
    Year: 2020 | Citations: 218

  • Synergistic engineering of defects and architecture in binary metal chalcogenide toward fast and reliable lithium–sulfur batteries
    D. Luo, G. Li, Y.P. Deng, Z. Zhang, J. Li, R. Liang, M. Li, Y. Jiang, W. Zhang, …
    Year: 2019 | Citations: 216

  • Rational design of tailored porous carbon-based materials for CO₂ capture
    Z. Zhang, Z.P. Cano, D. Luo, H. Dou, A. Yu, Z. Chen
    Year: 2019 | Citations: 213

  • Regulation of outer solvation shell toward superior low‐temperature aqueous zinc‐ion batteries
    Q. Ma, R. Gao, Y. Liu, H. Dou, Y. Zheng, T. Or, L. Yang, Q. Li, Q. Cu, R. Feng, …
    Year: 2022 | Citations: 212

  • “Two Ships in a Bottle” Design for Zn–Ag–O Catalyst Enabling Selective and Long-Lasting CO₂ Electroreduction
    Z. Zhang, G. Wen, D. Luo, B. Ren, Y. Zhu, R. Gao, H. Dou, G. Sun, M. Feng, …
    Year: 2021 | Citations: 200

  • Nano-crumples induced Sn-Bi bimetallic interface pattern with moderate electron bank for highly efficient CO₂ electroreduction
    B. Ren, G. Wen, R. Gao, D. Luo, Z. Zhang, W. Qiu, Q. Ma, X. Wang, Y. Cui, …
    Year: 2022 | Citations: 191

✅ Conclusion

🌟 Prof. Zhen Zhang is a visionary in the field of energy electrocatalysis, combining scientific innovation with a strong record of international collaboration. His pioneering work on confined electrocatalytic materials addresses critical challenges in catalyst performance, contributing to cleaner and more efficient energy systems. With a strong academic foundation, over 5,500 citations, prestigious awards, and leadership in over 16 major projects, Prof. Zhang exemplifies excellence and innovation, making him a compelling candidate for the Best Researcher Award 🏅.