Jun Lou

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Jun Lou is a materials scientist and nanotechnology researcher. He is a professor and associate chair in Rice University’s Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering. His work focuses on nanomaterials, especially two-dimensional materials like graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides, and how they can be used in energy, electronics, and biomedical devices.

Lou earned a BE and MS in materials science and engineering from Tsinghua University (1998) and Ohio State University (2000), and a PhD in mechanical and aerospace engineering from Princeton University (2004). After a postdoctoral stint at Brown University, he joined Rice University in 2005. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Materials Today and sits on the steering committee of Rice’s Advanced Materials Institute. He also directs the Nanomaterials, Nanomechanics, and Nanodevices Lab (N3L).

His research explores the mechanical, electrical, and electrochemical properties of nanomaterials. This work has helped advance flexible electronics, high-performance batteries, and biomaterials. He has published widely on low-dimensional materials.

Notable achievements include: in 2021, a study showing how 2D materials like hexagonal boron nitride can become tougher under stress; in 2023, the development of a strong and ultralight material at Rice; and in 2025, engineering multilayer hexagonal boron nitride to create a stronger alternative to graphene.