APS graduate student recognized by global society

Liang Zhao recognized by European Materials Research Society with Best Young Researcher award.

Graduate student Liang Zhao has been awarded Best Young Researcher by the European Materials Research Society (E-MRS) at its most recent meeting for his presentation “High performance, high yield solution-grown FACsPbBr3 single crystals for gamma-ray spectroscopy.” The award is presented to young researchers whose work has an impact on novel materials for radiation detectors. In addition, the researcher’s presentation should receive considerable attention and interest from the radiation detector community.

“It is a great honor for me to receive this special prize,” says Zhao, who is a fourth-year graduate student in the Applied Physical Sciences Department. “I am excited to win this award, and I am very grateful to my advisor and group members.

Semiconductor radiation detectors have broad applications in medical imaging, homeland security, scientific research and industrial material inspection. Zhao’s research work focuses on developing perovskite material-based gamma-ray radiation detectors, which may potentially give high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy but are at least 100 times cheaper than state-of-the-art commercial products.

Founded in 1983, E-MRS has more than 4,000 members from industry, government, academia and research laboratories, who meet regularly to debate recent technological developments of functional materials. The E-MRS differs from many single-discipline professional societies by encouraging scientists, engineers and research managers to exchange information on an interdisciplinary platform.

Photo via E-MRS website.