The Institute recently hosted a seminar, “Exploring the “Matterverse” with Data-driven Approaches for Clean Energy Applications” Presented by Prof. Bo Shen (沈浡) from City University of Hong Kong as speaker, and hosted by Prof. Qing Li.
Prof. Bo Shen is a Presidential Assistant Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at City University of Hong Kong, specializing in accelerating the discovery of novel materials for clean energy applications. With a Ph.D. from Brown University and postdoctoral training under Prof. Chad Mirkin and Prof. Chris Wolverton at Northwestern University, and with over 30 SCI publications in top-tier journals such as Nature Synthesis, Nature Communications, and JACS, Prof. Shen brought a wealth of expertise and insight to the seminar.
In his presentation, Prof. Shen masterfully addressed the core challenge of navigating the vast parameter space in polyelemental materials design. He detailed how a systematic methodology—combining solid-state synthesis, nanolithography, and computational simulations—enables the generation of large, high-quality datasets. These datasets train AI and machine learning algorithms to predict novel materials, thereby accelerating the exploration of the materials universe, or the “Matterverse.” He illustrated how this high-throughput approach has not only revealed design rules for unusually shaped nanomaterials but also identified promising candidates for clean energy applications, such as liquid fuel electrooxidation and CO₂ electroreduction.
The seminar concluded with an interactive discussion, where attendees engaged with Prof. Shen on the future applications of these high-throughput, AI-driven methods. It served as a valuable platform for exchange, deepening the audience’s appreciation for innovative strategies in clean energy materials discovery.
