Wenjie Zhou

Wenjie Zhou
Wenjie Zhou he/him/his
Assistant Professor

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Education

  • Ph.D., Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2022
  • Postdoctoral Scholar, Mechanical Engineering, Caltech, 2022-2025

Academic Positions

  • Assistant Professor, Materials Science and Engineering (100%)
  • Assistant Professor, Mechanical Science and Engineering (0%)
  • Assistant Professor, Materials Research Laboratory (0%)

Research Statement

Inspired by biological organisms, the Zhou Group aims to create intelligent materials that are dynamic, multifunctional, and resource-efficient, capable of operating autonomously in complex and changing environments. We combine synthetic chemistry and self-assembly to program molecular organization and entanglement, and leverage additive manufacturing to architect structures at meso- and macroscopic scales. By designing the geometry and topology of these materials, we transform materials into multifunctional machines that can sense, adapt, and perform tasks with minimal external input. At a fundamental level, we investigate how entangled networks and their dynamics dictate material properties across length scales. Our vision is to realize responsive, physically intelligent, and ultimately sentient material systems that push the boundaries of materials science and enable transformative advances in aerospace, robotics, and healthcare.

Research Interests

  • Data-Driven Materials Design and Discovery
  • Metamaterials
  • Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
  • Additive Manufacturing
  • Topological Mechanics

Selected Articles in Journals

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