Xin Zhang (engineer)

Xin Zhang is a Distinguished Professor of Engineering at Boston University (BU).

Education
Dr. Zhang obtained her Ph.D. from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). She subsequently served as a postdoctoral researcher and research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Career
Dr. Zhang joined the faculty of Boston University in 2002 and currently holds the esteemed title of Distinguished Professor of Engineering. Her appointment spans across the Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, and Materials Science & Engineering.

Current research
Dr. Zhang directs the Laboratory for Microsystems Technology (LMST) at Boston University, which specializes in metamaterials and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS or microsystems). Her recent research endeavors in metamaterials have captured widespread global attention. Her pioneering work encompasses the creation of metamaterials tailored for highly efficient air-permeable sound silencing and noise reduction, alongside innovations that notably enhance MRI signal-to-noise ratio, thereby revolutionizing MRI performance. These groundbreaking achievements have resonated across hundreds of media outlets,     eliciting profound interest from both the scientific community and industry leaders.

Professional memberships

 * Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (2015)
 * Fellow of the Optica (2016)
 * Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (2016)
 * Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (2017)
 * Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2016)
 * Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (2017)
 * Fellow of the American Physical Society (2019)
 * Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (2019)
 * Member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts (2023)

Honors, awards and special recognitions

 * 2024: ASME Robert Henry Thurston Lecture Award
 * 2023: Member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts
 * 2023: IET Excellence and Innovation Awards - International Award (Finalist)
 * 2023: Sigma Xi Walston Chubb Award for Innovation
 * 2023: Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year (Finalist)
 * 2023: IEEE EMBS Technical Achievement Award
 * 2023: STAT Madness All-Star Award
 * 2023: ASME Per Bruel Gold Medal
 * 2022: IET Innovation Award on Chief Engineer of the Year (Finalist)
 * 2022: Guggenheim Fellowship
 * 2022: Distinguished Professor of Engineering, Boston University
 * 2021: Rajen Kilachand Fund for Integrated Life Science and Engineering
 * 2021: IET Innovation Award on Digital Health and Social Care (Finalist)
 * 2021: IET Innovation Award on Tech for Good (Finalist)
 * 2021: Invented Here! Honoree, Boston Patent Law Association
 * 2020: IET Achievement Medal (Finalist)
 * 2020: Invented Here! Honoree, Boston Patent Law Association
 * 2020: IET Innovation Award on Excellence in R&D (Finalist)
 * 2019: Fellow of National Academy of Inventors
 * 2019: IET Innovation Award on Emerging Technology Design
 * 2018: Boston University Innovator of the Year Award
 * 2018: Charles DeLisi Award and Distinguished Lecture
 * 2016: IEEE Sensors Council Technical Achievement Award

Education and outreach
Dr. Zhang serves as the Director for both the National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site and Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) Site in Integrated Nanomanufacturing at Boston University. Additionally, she holds the role of Associate Director at the Boston University Nanotechnology Innovation Center.