Liangbing Hu receives MRS Medal from Materials Research Society
Liangbing Hu, the Carol and Douglas Melamed Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering and Materials Science, has been awarded the Materials Research Society (MRS) Medal, one of the field's most prestigious honors. The MRS Medal specifically recognizes exceptional achievement in materials research accomplished within the past ten years, focusing on major advances that have demonstrated significant impact on the progress of the field.
Hu received the award "for outstanding achievements in engineering nanostructured wood materials exhibiting multifunctionality and adaptivity" — work that has transformed the field over the past decade.
Hu's pioneering research has transformed the way scientists think about wood as an engineering material. Through nanoscale cell-wall engineering, he has shown that the physical properties of ordinary wood can be drastically modified to create materials with exceptional strength and transparency.
Hu's research spans physics, chemistry, electrical engineering, and materials science. His interdisciplinary approach has resulted in disruptive processing methods that achieve record-high mechanical performances in engineered wood structures.
The breakthrough has practical implications beyond the laboratory. Hu is the lead inventor of Super Wood technology and founded InventWood Inc. to commercialize these innovations. The company secured a $20 million Department of Energy grant to manufacture and scale Super Wood products, supporting both sustainable materials development and decarbonization efforts.
Hu joined the Yale Engineering faculty in July 2024, where he serves as founding director of the Center for Materials Innovation and is a member of the Energy Sciences Institute on Yale's West Campus. His research has generated over 120,000 citations across approximately 500 peer-reviewed papers, with work regularly featured in Science and Nature.
The MRS Medal adds to Hu's growing list of recognitions, which includes election as a fellow of both the Materials Research Society and the American Chemical Society, the Nature Spinoff Prize, and the Anselme Payen Award from the American Chemical Society’s Cellulose and Renewable Materials Division.
Hu will receive the MRS Medal at the 2025 MRS Fall Meeting in December, where award recipients will present lightning talks on their research and participate in a panel discussion.
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Published Date
Oct 27, 2025
