Plenary Talks: A Journey Through NanoScience’s Leading Frontiers

The NanoSeries2022 plenary talks featured a stellar lineup of distinguished experts who shared pioneering research across diverse fields, sparking dialogue and inspiration. The following are highlights from these influential presentations:

1. Quantum Dots for Quantum Technologies
   Speaker: Prof. Dieter Bimberg, CIOMP, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and TU Berlin, Germany
   Prof. Bimberg delved into the revolutionary potential of quantum dots, highlighting how nanoscale advancements can shape the future of quantum computing and secure communications.
2. Recent Advances in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
   Speaker: Prof. Sabu Thomas, Mahatma Gandhi University, India
   Prof. Thomas provided an extensive review of nanoscience breakthroughs, exploring materials that promise to revolutionize healthcare, energy, and environmental applications.
3. Integrating Van der Waals Materials on Paper-Electronics
   Speaker: Dr. Andres Castellanos-Gomez, ICMM – CSIC, Spain
   This talk on sustainable electronics introduced a novel approach to integrating Van der Waals materials, offering insights into eco-friendly, flexible, and scalable electronic devices.
4. Nanostructure Electrochemical Sensors for Pharmaceutical and Environmental Monitoring
   Speaker: Prof. Hassan Karimi-Maleh, University of Electronics Science and Technology of China, China
   Prof. Karimi-Maleh presented a new era in nano-sensors, discussing their precision in detecting pollutants and applications for environmental and pharmaceutical monitoring.
5. Living Crystallization-Driven Self-Assembly: Recent Advances and Applications
   Speaker: Prof. Ian Manners, University of Victoria, Canada
   The talk explored self-assembling nanostructures, heralding a shift in responsive material design with applications in biomedical devices and smart materials.
6. Recent Research Progress of Photovoltaic Materials for Polymer Solar Cells
   Speaker: Prof. Yongfang Li, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
   With an eye on sustainable energy, Prof. Li presented advancements in photovoltaic materials, particularly in enhancing the efficiency of polymer solar cells.
7. 2D Perovskites: Soft Semiconductors for Optoelectronics
   Speaker: Prof. Paulina Plochocka, CNRS, France
   This talk showcased the potential of 2D perovskites in optoelectronic applications, emphasizing their flexibility and tunable properties for next-generation devices.
8. Oxide Nanostructures for Electronics and Energy Applications
   Speaker: Prof. Rodrigo Ferrão de Paiva Martins, Nova University of Lisbon, Portugal
   Prof. Martins provided insights into oxide nanostructures, underscoring their role in electronic devices and sustainable energy solutions.
9. Molecules Enabling Multi-Responsive and High-Performance 2D Optoelectronics
   Speaker: Prof. Paolo Samori, University of Strasbourg, France
   Highlighting a breakthrough in optoelectronics, Prof. Samori discussed molecules that enable adaptive responses in 2D materials, paving the way for high-performance applications.
10. RNA Medicines: Chemical Evolution of Nanocarriers
    Speaker: Prof. Ernst Wagner, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany
    This visionary talk explored the evolution of RNA medicines, focusing on the chemical design of nanocarriers for targeted therapies.
11. Micro-Engineered Hydrogels for Medical Applications
    Speaker: Prof. Nasim Annabi, UCLA, USA
    Prof. Annabi introduced engineered hydrogels with significant potential in wound healing and tissue engineering.
12. Differentiating Dental Pulp Stem Cells via Engineered Materials Interfaces
    Speaker: Prof. Miriam Rafailovich, Stony Brook University, USA
    This talk revealed advancements in stem cell engineering, showcasing the potential of nanotechnology in dental regeneration.
13. Towards an HIV Cure
    Speaker: Prof. Howard E. Gendelman, University of Nebraska Medical Center, USA
    Prof. Gendelman presented new insights into HIV research, inspiring hope for a future cure by employing nanotechnology to target viral reservoirs.
14. Insights Into Surface Charge Redistribution in Operando 2D-based Devices
    Speaker: Dr. Carmen Munuera, ICMM-CSIC, Spain
    Dr. Munuera discussed real-time charge dynamics in 2D materials, with implications for nano-device performance.
15. Optoelectronics with Transition Metal ChalcogenoPhosphates (MPX3s)
    Speaker: Dr. Reyes Calvo, Universidad de Alicante, Spain
    Dr. Calvo’s research on transition metal compounds provided valuable insights for future low-power devices.
16. Two-Dimensional Materials for Low-Power Logic and Memory Devices
    Speaker: Prof. Deep Jariwala, University of Pennsylvania, USA
    Prof. Jariwala explored the future of nanoelectronics, emphasizing energy-efficient materials for logic and memory applications.

Distinguished Session Chairs: Guiding Insights and Discussions

NanoSeries2022 featured a remarkable lineup of Session Chairs who led insightful sessions and guided impactful discussions across various topics:

• Prof. Dieter Bimberg, TU Berlin, Germany – Nano Photonics
• Dr. Andres Castellanos-Gomez, ICMM – CSIC, Spain – Nano Materials & Nanofabrication
• Alexander Holleitner, Technical University of Munich, Germany – Nanotech for Energy & Environment
• Prof. Deep Jariwala, University of Pennsylvania, USA – Nano Electronics
• Antonio Guerrero, Universitat Jaume I, Spain – Nanomaterials & Emerging Nanotechnologies
• Cecilia Menard-Moyon, CNRS, France – Nanotech in Life Sciences & Medicine
• Larysa Baraban, Helmholtz Center Dresden Rossendorf, Germany – Women in Nanoscience & Early Career Researchers (ECR) Day

On Day 4, a special ECR Forum, chaired by Dr. Maria C. Asensio, provided a platform for rising stars in nanotechnology to present their work, fostering mentorship and international collaboration.

NanoSeries2022 Awards: Honoring Excellence and Innovation

Recognizing the cutting-edge contributions of researchers, NanoSeries2022 celebrated innovation and outstanding achievements with the following awards:

NanoSeries Innovation Award Winners:

1. Pablo Ares, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain – Study of Few-Layer Antimonene Electrical Properties by Scanning-Probe-Assisted Nanowire Circuitry
2. Ilka Kriegel, Italian Institute of Technology, Italy – Light-driven Charge Transfer for Solar Energy Storage
3. Alexander Holleitner, Technical University of Munich, Germany – Atomistic Positioning of Quantum Emitters
4. Sejeong Kim, University of Melbourne, Australia – Hexagonal Boron Nitride for Integrated Quantum Photonics
5. Hugo Perez-Garza, DENSsolutions, Netherlands – MEMS-based In-situ TEM for Electrochemistry
6. Fabian Schuett, Kiel University, Germany – Soft Actuators Based on Graphene-Hydrogel Composites

Women in Nanoscience Award Winner:

• Prof. Nasim Annabi, UCLA, USA – Micro-Engineered Hydrogels for Medical Applications

NanoScale RSC Best ECR Awards:

• Juhi Srivastava, IIT Kanpur, India – Carbon Nanotube–Graphene Hybrid Systems
• Makars Siskins, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands – Nanomechanics of 2D Material Membranes
• Onur Cakiroglu, ICMM-CSIC, Spain – Automated Strain Engineering of MoS2
• Fulden Ulucan-Karnak, Ege University, Turkey – Early Stage Cancer Detection via Biosensors
• Josep Ingla Aynes, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands – Spin Transport in Van der Waals Heterostructures

Attendee Feedback: A Resounding Success

Feedback from attendees reflected the exceptional quality of the presentations and organization at NanoSeries2022. Based on 52 responses, an impressive 75% rated the presentations as “Excellent” (5 out of 5), while 19.2% rated them as “Very Good” (4 out of 5). This overwhelmingly positive response underscores the high caliber of content and the value NanoSeries2022 delivered to participants.