Zhenan Bao facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Zhenan Bao
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| 鲍哲南 | |
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Bao in 2024
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| Born | 1970 (age 54–55) |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Alma mater | |
| Known for | Organic semiconductors, electronic skin |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Polymer science |
| Institutions | |
| Thesis | Exploration of palladium-catalyzed reactions for the syntheses of functional conjugated polymers (1995) |
| Doctoral advisor | Luping Yu |
| Notable students | Helen Tran Xiaodan Gu Jia Liu |
Zhenan Bao (Chinese: 鲍哲南; pinyin: Bào Zhé-nán; born 1970) is a famous chemical engineer. She was born in China and is now an American citizen. She works as a professor at Stanford University. Professor Bao is well-known for her amazing work with organic semiconductors and electronic skin. These materials can be used to create flexible electronics, which are electronics that can bend and stretch.
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Early life and education
Zhenan Bao was born in Nanjing, China, in 1970. Her father was also a professor who taught physical chemistry at Nanjing University.
In 1987, Bao started studying chemistry at Nanjing University. She worked in a lab there, studying special materials called polymers.
In 1990, she moved to the United States with her family. She first went to the University of Illinois at Chicago. A few months later, she was accepted directly into a PhD program at the University of Chicago. This was very impressive because she hadn't even finished her bachelor's degree yet! She earned this spot because of two awards she won in China.
At the University of Chicago, she studied how to make conductive (electricity-carrying) and liquid crystalline polymers. She earned her Master of Science degree in chemistry in 1993. Then, she received her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in chemistry in 1995. She never actually got a bachelor's degree.
Career and research
After finishing her PhD, Professor Bao joined the Materials Research Department at Bell Labs. This was a big research company. There, she helped create the very first all-plastic transistor. A transistor is like a tiny switch that controls electricity in electronics. Her invention was important for things like electronic paper.
During her time at Bell Labs, some research papers were published that included her name as a co-author. Later, these papers were found to have false information from another researcher. However, Professor Bao was found to have done nothing wrong. She was recognized as a top technical staff member at Bell Labs in 2001.
In 2004, she started teaching at Stanford University. At Stanford, her research focuses on organic semiconductors and carbon nanotubes. These are tiny materials that can conduct electricity. She also works on new ways to make these materials.
Her lab has developed exciting things like electronic skin and solar cells made entirely from carbon. Electronic skin can feel like real skin. It could be used for sensors on the body or even inside the body. Professor Bao has also helped start companies that use her research.
Amazing discoveries
Professor Bao and her team at Stanford are always working on new ideas. One of their projects is creating skin-like circuits using a special printing method. These circuits are very flexible. They can be used for sensors that stick to your skin. They could also be used for tiny electronics that go inside the body.
She has also worked with another scientist, Karl Deisseroth. Together, they developed special materials called biocompatible polymers. These polymers can change how certain cells in the body work. For example, they can affect how brain cells (neurons) send signals. This research helps scientists understand diseases like multiple sclerosis better.
Awards and recognition
Professor Bao has received many awards for her important work. Here are some of them:
- 2000: Named one of the Top 100 Young Engineers in the U.S.
- 2001: Won an R&D 100 Award for her work on plastic circuits for electronic paper.
- 2003: Listed among the Top 100 young innovators by MIT Technology Review.
- 2009: Awarded the Beilby Medal and Prize for her discoveries in organic semiconductors.
- 2015: Named one of Nature's 10 "people who mattered" in science. This was for her work on wearable electronics, like artificial skin that can feel touch.
- 2016: Elected as a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering. This is a very high honor for engineers.
- 2017: Received the L'Oréal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science. This award recognized her work on new polymers for electronics, energy storage, and medical uses.
- 2022: Awarded the VinFuture Prize in the Female Innovator category for creating electronic skins.
Personal life
One of Professor Bao's important mentors was Elsa Reichmanis. She was a director at Bell Labs. Zhenan Bao is married and has two children.
See also
In Spanish: Zhenan Bao para niños
