![\"Wei](\"https:\/\/tex-cloud-cdn.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/textiles-ncsu\/20231108101355\/gao_wei-8128-1-small.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nWei Gao<\/span><\/a>, associate professor of<\/span> textile engineering, chemistry and science<\/span><\/a> (TECS) at NC State University\u2019s Wilson College of Textiles, had a strong interest in fibers and fabrics as a child growing up in <\/span>Jurong in Southeast China. Coincidentally, she noted, her given name \u201cWei\u201d corresponds to a Chinese character that can be translated as \u201cweft,\u201d a component of weaving.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet, that early interest in the field and an appropriate name for a textile enthusiast did not lead her initially into that realm \u2013 a passion for advanced materials research did. After earning higher-education degrees in chemistry and conducting research in materials physics and applications, she landed at the <\/span>Wilson College of Textiles<\/span><\/a> in 2015 and, since then, has made an indelible mark as a researcher, instructor and mentor.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n And Gao\u2019s impact has not gone unnoticed. She was recently named a prestigious <\/span>University Faculty Scholar<\/span><\/a> in NC State\u2019s 2021 class, joining 20 other early- and mid-career faculty who received this designation. The honor recognizes outstanding academic achievements and contributions to<\/span> NC State<\/span><\/a> through their teaching, scholarship and service to the university and beyond.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n “I am grateful for this recognition,\u201d said Gao. \u201cIt feels good when you do something you like as a career and get recognized for it. I am highly grateful for NC State and the Wilson College for giving me the opportunities here to pursue my career.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Gao\u2019s research interests lie at the interface between materials chemistry, textile engineering and renewable energy-related technologies. And her work in a group of materials called <\/span>\u201cgraphene oxides\u201d and their applications in fuel cells, supercapacitors and batteries \u2013 which was a major focus of her doctoral thesis \u2013 has already made her a leading researcher in this potentially game-changing area. <\/span>Gao is the first to demonstrate a monolithic supercapacitor system that is based on graphene, which offers comparable performance with existing commercial products. Because she was the first to discover that graphene was ionically conductive, her discovery has propelled her into worldwide recognition, with more than 8,000 citations referencing her pioneering role.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n In a letter nominating Gao for the designation, TECS Department Head and Professor <\/span>Jeff Joines<\/span><\/a> called her a \u201crising star whose research can transcend how we think about graphene and energy storage, and her work is likely to revolutionize the field.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Wilson College of Textiles Dean <\/span>David Hinks<\/span><\/a> called Gao a \u201ctreasure,\u201d not only within the Wilson College but at the university as a whole.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c<\/span>Dr. Gao clearly belongs in the esteemed group of emerging leaders at NC State as a University Faculty Scholar,\u201d Hinks said. \u201cThere are many reasons she earned this recognition, and one in particular is that she is already one of the most highly-cited faculty members, even though her faculty career is relatively young. In addition to her peers and colleagues citing her work, it is also clearly impactful, evidenced by the diverse industry and government agencies that are sponsoring her work. I am so very proud of Dr. Gao’s achievements. She truly earned this award.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Early influences<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n As a child, Gao aspired to be a teacher because of her admiration for her primary school teacher, she said. She was raised by parents who always told her that \u201cas a female, I have to be as independent as possible.\u201d In middle school, she read Charlotte Bront\u00eb\u2019s novel, \u201cJane Eyre,\u201d which helped drive home that lesson, she said.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI remember vividly the character of Jane,\u201d Gao said. \u201cIn my mind, her strong individuality is the crown jewelry of her personality, which makes her a role model. I studied hard in school and was a good student. When I look back, it was quite clear that God led me along the way throughout my life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Gao\u2019s dedication and commitment to learning led her to one of the top higher ed institutions in China, Nanjing University, where she earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in chemistry and analytical chemistry. From there, she enrolled at Houston-based Rice University, where she earned a doctorate in chemistry in 2012. She then <\/span>worked as a director\u2019s postdoctoral fellow on fuel cells and batteries in the Los Alamos National Laboratory for two-and-a-half years before discovering NC State.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen I was searching for faculty jobs, I had a strong thought in my mind that I wanted to work on something that applies to everyday life and makes a real difference to society,\u201d said Gao, who earned her U.S citizenship in 2018. \u201cThe textile industry looked quite interesting and intriguing to me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Since then, Gao has steadily made a name for herself at the Wilson College, the university, the textile industry and the broader world engaged in her areas of expertise. Early on, she was able to leverage her experience in carbon nanomaterials to approach problems in textiles by shifting her research to textile-based energy storage and conversion systems (e.g., fiber spinning for yarn shaped supercapacitors, etc.), Joines said. Within a few short years, her group of graduate students, visiting scholars and postdocs have made prominent contributions in this field, he added.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDr. Gao has an uncanny ability to identify the converging areas of two research fields,\u201d Joines said. \u201cThis has allowed her to make significant gains due to her multidisciplinary lens. Undoubtedly, wearable devices, especially for health monitoring and military applications, will exponentially grow over the next decade \u2013 and Dr. Gao will lead the charge in creating mechanisms needed to power these types of systems, mainly because of her hard work and multidisciplinary team.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Gao has obtained more than $1.7 million for her lab funding from sources spanning government agencies, industrial research consortiums and direct companies. Since joining the university, her research has resulted in more than 50 peer-reviewed journal articles in 22 publications. (<\/span>See a summary here<\/span><\/a>.)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cResearch is fun to me,\u201d Gao said. \u201cIt satisfies my curiosity. I see textile research as a niche where advanced materials research in the science community can converge with everyday reality. In other words, I want to see how those novel ideas and materials developed in the research community can be really useful in everyday life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Gao has more than 20,000 citations to her credit <\/span>\u2013 <\/span>an exceptional achievement among early-stage researchers in her field. She has also authored \u201cGraphene Oxide: Reduction Recipes, Spectroscopy, and Applications,\u201d which, in digital form, was among the top 25 percent most downloaded eBooks in 2018 in its respective collection, according to Wilson College Associate Dean for Research<\/span> Xiangwu Zhang<\/span><\/a>, who also wrote a letter supporting Gao\u2019s nomination for the University honor.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Gao has chaired doctoral and graduate students and has mentored or advised several visiting scholars, postdocs and undergraduates in her lab. What also helps set her apart is her work with high school students in the area, several of whom have won awards and are pursuing degrees in science fields, according to Joines.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShe is an excellent teacher and mentor of undergraduate and graduate students,\u201d Hinks said. \u201c<\/span>She is truly a rare faculty member who excels in all realms of her duties \u2013 teaching, research and service. She epitomizes our relatively new <\/span>Culture Charter<\/span><\/a> and our core values of compassion, equity, collaboration, innovation and sustainability.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hinks added that academia and the U.S. textiles Industry need more researchers, teachers and mentors such as Gao. \u201cShe is creative, is able to transfer basic research into impactful applied technology, and is able to inspire new students to enter the Wilson College and the textiles industry, who will become the future leaders and entrepreneurs.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":"\n\n\n\n\n By Devin Steele<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wei Gao<\/span><\/a>, associate professor of<\/span> textile engineering, chemistry and science<\/span><\/a> (TECS) at NC State University\u2019s Wilson College of Textiles, had a strong interest in fibers and fabrics as a child growing up in <\/span>Jurong in Southeast China. Coincidentally, she noted, her given name \u201cWei\u201d corresponds to a Chinese character that can be translated as \u201cweft,\u201d a component of weaving.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet, that early interest in the field and an appropriate name for a textile enthusiast did not lead her initially into that realm \u2013 a passion for advanced materials research did. After earning higher-education degrees in chemistry and conducting research in materials physics and applications, she landed at the <\/span>Wilson College of Textiles<\/span><\/a> in 2015 and, since then, has made an indelible mark as a researcher, instructor and mentor.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n And Gao\u2019s impact has not gone unnoticed. She was recently named a prestigious <\/span>University Faculty Scholar<\/span><\/a> in NC State\u2019s 2021 class, joining 20 other early- and mid-career faculty who received this designation. The honor recognizes outstanding academic achievements and contributions to<\/span> NC State<\/span><\/a> through their teaching, scholarship and service to the university and beyond.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \"I am grateful for this recognition,\u201d said Gao. \u201cIt feels good when you do something you like as a career and get recognized for it. I am highly grateful for NC State and the Wilson College for giving me the opportunities here to pursue my career.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Gao\u2019s research interests lie at the interface between materials chemistry, textile engineering and renewable energy-related technologies. And her work in a group of materials called <\/span>\u201cgraphene oxides\u201d and their applications in fuel cells, supercapacitors and batteries \u2013 which was a major focus of her doctoral thesis \u2013 has already made her a leading researcher in this potentially game-changing area. <\/span>Gao is the first to demonstrate a monolithic supercapacitor system that is based on graphene, which offers comparable performance with existing commercial products. Because she was the first to discover that graphene was ionically conductive, her discovery has propelled her into worldwide recognition, with more than 8,000 citations referencing her pioneering role.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n In a letter nominating Gao for the designation, TECS Department Head and Professor <\/span>Jeff Joines<\/span><\/a> called her a \u201crising star whose research can transcend how we think about graphene and energy storage, and her work is likely to revolutionize the field.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Wilson College of Textiles Dean <\/span>David Hinks<\/span><\/a> called Gao a \u201ctreasure,\u201d not only within the Wilson College but at the university as a whole.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c<\/span>Dr. Gao clearly belongs in the esteemed group of emerging leaders at NC State as a University Faculty Scholar,\u201d Hinks said. \u201cThere are many reasons she earned this recognition, and one in particular is that she is already one of the most highly-cited faculty members, even though her faculty career is relatively young. In addition to her peers and colleagues citing her work, it is also clearly impactful, evidenced by the diverse industry and government agencies that are sponsoring her work. I am so very proud of Dr. Gao's achievements. She truly earned this award.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Early influences<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n As a child, Gao aspired to be a teacher because of her admiration for her primary school teacher, she said. She was raised by parents who always told her that \u201cas a female, I have to be as independent as possible.\u201d In middle school, she read Charlotte Bront\u00eb\u2019s novel, \u201cJane Eyre,\u201d which helped drive home that lesson, she said.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI remember vividly the character of Jane,\u201d Gao said. \u201cIn my mind, her strong individuality is the crown jewelry of her personality, which makes her a role model. I studied hard in school and was a good student. When I look back, it was quite clear that God led me along the way throughout my life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Gao\u2019s dedication and commitment to learning led her to one of the top higher ed institutions in China, Nanjing University, where she earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in chemistry and analytical chemistry. From there, she enrolled at Houston-based Rice University, where she earned a doctorate in chemistry in 2012. She then <\/span>worked as a director\u2019s postdoctoral fellow on fuel cells and batteries in the Los Alamos National Laboratory for two-and-a-half years before discovering NC State.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen I was searching for faculty jobs, I had a strong thought in my mind that I wanted to work on something that applies to everyday life and makes a real difference to society,\u201d said Gao, who earned her U.S citizenship in 2018. \u201cThe textile industry looked quite interesting and intriguing to me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Since then, Gao has steadily made a name for herself at the Wilson College, the university, the textile industry and the broader world engaged in her areas of expertise. Early on, she was able to leverage her experience in carbon nanomaterials to approach problems in textiles by shifting her research to textile-based energy storage and conversion systems (e.g., fiber spinning for yarn shaped supercapacitors, etc.), Joines said. Within a few short years, her group of graduate students, visiting scholars and postdocs have made prominent contributions in this field, he added.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDr. Gao has an uncanny ability to identify the converging areas of two research fields,\u201d Joines said. \u201cThis has allowed her to make significant gains due to her multidisciplinary lens. Undoubtedly, wearable devices, especially for health monitoring and military applications, will exponentially grow over the next decade \u2013 and Dr. Gao will lead the charge in creating mechanisms needed to power these types of systems, mainly because of her hard work and multidisciplinary team.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Gao has obtained more than $1.7 million for her lab funding from sources spanning government agencies, industrial research consortiums and direct companies. Since joining the university, her research has resulted in more than 50 peer-reviewed journal articles in 22 publications. (<\/span>See a summary here<\/span><\/a>.)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cResearch is fun to me,\u201d Gao said. \u201cIt satisfies my curiosity. I see textile research as a niche where advanced materials research in the science community can converge with everyday reality. In other words, I want to see how those novel ideas and materials developed in the research community can be really useful in everyday life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Gao has more than 20,000 citations to her credit <\/span>\u2013 <\/span>an exceptional achievement among early-stage researchers in her field. She has also authored \u201cGraphene Oxide: Reduction Recipes, Spectroscopy, and Applications,\u201d which, in digital form, was among the top 25 percent most downloaded eBooks in 2018 in its respective collection, according to Wilson College Associate Dean for Research<\/span> Xiangwu Zhang<\/span><\/a>, who also wrote a letter supporting Gao\u2019s nomination for the University honor.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n