Sui Yang

When Sui Yang was a child, he saw a rainbow and wondered how it was made. That curiosity developed into his passion for materials science and optics. 

“Light-matter interaction is transforming our society and technologies,” Yang says, citing augmented reality, virtual reality, and light detection and ranging as possible applications. “The unique combination of materials and optics drive me to explore diverse materials innovations that could shape the way light interacts with materials, bringing solutions to next-generation applications ranging from imaging, sensing, energy to information technologies.”

Throughout his academic career, Yang has won the Microsystems & Nanoengineering Young Scientists Award, the Elsevier Reaxys PhD Prize and the NKT Photonics Student Award.

“There are infinite opportunities in creating diverse artificial materials and novel functions ahead of us, which continuously motivate me to explore in the field,” he says.

Yang will be joining the School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy as an assistant professor in January 2021 and is looking forward to teaching physical metallurgy and advancing his research using metamaterials design principles.

“I love creative ideas and engineering innovations,” Yang says. “ASU is well known for innovations, and the Fulton Schools of Engineering is especially unique, integrating many research areas in different disciplines. It is a truly exciting place for doing interdisciplinary research, which is exactly where I am gonna devote myself in the future.”

Outside of teaching, Yang enjoys soccer, surfing, hiking and music, and looks forward to exploring more of Arizona.