​Yu Han, professor of chemical sciences and chemical engineering at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), has been awarded the prestigious Humboldt Research Award. The award honors researchers for their outstanding research record by sponsoring a research project of their own choice in Germany in close collaboration with fellow experts at a German research institution.

Han's award was received through the nomination and recommendation of Dr. Stefan Kaskel at Technische Universität Dresden (TU Dresden).

"I am proud to see that the ultra-low-dose electron microscopy technology we developed at KAUST has had an increasing impact internationally," said Han. "The award is a recognition of my research activities rooted in KAUST, which will encourage our team to be more committed to what we are doing."

Han's research interests at KAUST include the synthesis of nanoporous and nanostructured materials, resolution of their complicated structures, and development of novel applications for these materials in catalysis, separation, adsorption and sensing.

As part of the award, Han will visit TU Dresden twice in 2022, the first, in June to attend the annual meeting of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. While there, he will explore the possibility of establishing extensive collaborations with research groups in Germany that specialize in the fields of nanoporous materials and electron microscopy.

Kaskel will host Han to further support their research collaborations. "We are excited to host Professor Yu Han in Dresden in June 2022," said Kaskel. "We are proud to initiate a high-level cooperation in the field of advanced porous materials with an outstanding expert in the field of high resolution electron microscopy of beam sensitive materials."

Han and his group have a collaborative project with Kaskel's group on the high-resolution imaging of DUT-8, his well-known flexible metal–organic framework (MOF) material. "We are looking forward to expanding our collaboration areas from imaging to the applications of responsive porous materials in separation and catalysis," said Han.

Han, a highly cited researcher designated by Clarivate in 2019-2021, and valuable faculty member at KAUST, is affiliated with the University's Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Center and KAUST Catalysis Center.

Related links

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• High-resolution imaging of electron beam-sensitive materials
• Professor Raul Tempone awarded Germany's most endowed research award