Xiwen Gong

Xiwen undertook her PhD at the Sargent group at the University of Toronto, having moved to Canada from China. At Toronto, she explored luminescent nanoparticles, known as colloidal quantum dots, which have applications in converting light into renewable energy and developing efficient light sources. As a Schmidt Science Fellow, Xiwen worked at Stanford University applying machine learning techniques and photonics expertise to advance progress in flexible electronics.

Xiwen is now Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Michigan, and by courtesy an assistant professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Macromolecular Science & Engineering, and Applied Physics. Her research at the University of Michigan focusses on developing soft electronic materials and devices.

The importance and potential impact of Xiwen’s work is nearly impossible to overstate. The global growth in demand for cheap and flexible renewable energy is proving relentless and is a necessity for the global economy to move away from fossil fuels. Xiwen’s work as a Fellow aimed to develop low-cost, large-area, and stretchable devices including efficient solar cells, light sensors, and light emitters. This work continues to open the potential for many far-reaching applications, including wearable electronics and artificial skins. Read more about Xiwen’s research at Gong Research Group.