Abstract
Our living environment plays a critical role in the quality of our life and well-being. To combat greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change, it requires new solutions that are low cost, energy efficient and highly scalable. I will discuss the design and manufacturing of geometric materials for efficient decarbonization. I will show case our recent work including aerodynamics-assisted, efficient and scalable kirigami fog collectors, moisture absorbing and water self-releasing from hybrid hydrogel desiccants, autonomous self-drilling seed carriers for aerial seeding, as well as our recent effort towards microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation.
Biosketch
Shu Yang is a Joseph Bordogna Professor of Engineering and Applied Science, Department Chair of Materials Science & Engineering at University of Pennsylvania (Penn). Her group is interested in synthesis, fabrication, assembly of soft and hybrid materials and their dynamic tuning, and the use of geometry to create highly flexible, super-conformable, shape changing and energy efficient materials. Yang received her B.S. degree from Fudan University, and Ph. D. degree from Cornell University. She was recognized by American Chemical Society (ACS)’s Langmuir lectureship, The International Liquid Crystal Society (ILCS) Mid-Career Award (LG), Inventor of the Year at Penn. She is a Fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Materials Research Society (MRS), ACS, American Physical Society (APS), and National Academy of Inventors.