LING ZANG portrait
  • Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
  • USTAR Professor, Nano Institute of Utah
801-587-1551

Professional Service

  • The 2nd International Electronic Conference on Chemical Sensors and Analytical Chemistry (CSAC2023). organization, and Keynote speaker. 09/15/2023 - 09/30/2023
  • 2023 International Conference on Advanced and Emerging Materials (AEM 2023). Organization Committee. 01/02/2023 - 09/17/2023
  • 2022 International Conference on Advanced and Emerging Materials (AEM 2022). Organization Committee, . 12/28/2021 - 08/27/2022
  • International Conference on Materials Science, Engineering & Technology. Organization Committee. 10/01/2021 - 11/01/2022
  • The 4th International Symposium on Energy and Environmental Photocatalytic Materials (EEPM4-2021). International Advisory Committee. 03/01/2021 - 07/25/2022
  • The 1st International Electronic Conference on Chemical Sensors and Analytical Chemistry (CSAC2021). Scientific Advisory Committee. 01/15/2021 - 07/15/2021
  • Chemosensors. editorial board. 09/01/2020 - present
  • American Scientific Publishers. Role: Guest editor. A Special Issue on New Trends in Functional Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Materials, for the journal "Science of Advanced Materials", Volume 7, Number 9, 2015. 01/2015 - 09/2015
  • Scientific Reports (a Nature journal). Editorial Board. 10/2014 - present
  • 2014 International Symposium on Nanoscience and Nanoengineering: Nanomaterials for Renewable Energy and Clean Environment, Urumqi, June 27-30, 2014. co-Chair, Steering Committee. 06/27/2014 - 06/30/2014
  • Science of Advanced Materials, a journal of American Scientific Publishers. Associate Editor. 11/2013 - present
  • 2013 China-US Symposium on Environmental Science and Technology, July 1-3, 2013, Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics & Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences. co-Chair. 07/01/2013 - 07/03/2013
  • 2013 International Symposium on Environmental Science and Technology, held in Dalian, China, June 4-7, 2013. Section Chair. 06/04/2013 - 06/07/2013
  • the Chinese‐American Chemistry & Chemical Biology Professors Association (CAPA). Chair, 2013 Biomatik Distinguished Junior Faculty Award selection committee. 01/2013 - 01/2013
  • NanoUtah2012 conference. Chair. 10/2012 - 10/2012
  • NanoUtah2011 conference. Session Chair and Organization Committee: NanoUtah2011 conference. 10/2011 - 10/2011
  • the international conference SOLARIS 2011. Scientific Committee: the international conference SOLARIS 2011, Czech Republic. 08/2011 - 08/2011
  • 3. Editorial Board (specially invited). Imaging Science and Photochemistry. 11/2010 - present
  • the international conference SOLARIS 2011, Brno University of Technology, Czech Republic. Scientific committee member,. 11/2010 - 11/2010
  • Editorial Board: . Journal of Nanoscience Letters. 07/2010 - present
  • Editorial Board. Journal of Nanoengineering and Nanosystems. 01/2010 - present
  • Funding Agency Reviewer/Panelist. NSF Panelist: for divisions of CMMI, CHE. 01/2010 - 01/2010
  • NanoUtah2010 conference. organization committee. 01/2010 - 01/2010

Honors & Awards

  • Fellow. the Royal Society of Chemistry, 05/2023
  • Fellow. the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 01/27/2022
  • Fellow, National Academy of Inventors. 12/08/2020
  • Overseas Expert, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), presented by the President of CAS. Chinese Academy of Sciences, 06/2012
  • Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program. National Science Foundation, 2008

Internal Service

  • RPT committee for one faculty 5-Y TFR review. committee chair, 11/2023 - 04/2024. Department service.
  • MSE-Metallurgy faculty recruiting committee. member, 11/2023 - 02/2024. Department service.
  • Critical Minerals Executive Committee, Critical Minerals Working Group, VPR office. member, 08/2023 - present. University service.
  • RPT committee for a faculty promotion to full professor. committee chair, 05/2023 - 11/2023. Department service.
  • RPT committee for one faculty promotion to full professor. committee chair, 05/2023 - 11/2023. Department service.
  • RPT committee for another faculty promotion to full professor. committee chair, 05/2023 - 11/2023. Department service.
  • RPT committee for one faculty annual review. committee chair, 03/2023 - 03/2023. Department service.
  • RPT committee for another faculty annual review. committee chair, 03/2023 - 03/2023. Department service.
  • RPT sub-committee for a faculty 3rd Year formal review. 09/2022 - 11/2022. Department service.
  • RPT sub-committee for a faculty 3rd Year formal review. 09/2022 - 11/2022. Department service.
  • Department RPT Committee Chair. Chair, 07/2022 - present. Department service.
  • RPT sub-committee for 2 faculty promotion from associate to full professor. Chair, 07/01/2022 - 11/07/2022. Department service.
  • RPT sub-committee for a faculty 2nd Year informal review. 03/2022 - 04/2022. Department service.
  • RPT sub-committee for a faculty 1st Year informal review. 03/2022 - 04/2022. Department service.
  • Chair, RPT committee for a faculty Tenured Faculty Review. 03/2021 - 04/2021. Department service.
  • RPT sub-committee for one faculty, 2021. Chair, 03/2021 - 04/2021. Department service.
  • RPT committee for a faculty Tenured Faculty Review . 03/2021 - 04/2021. Department service.
  • RPT committee for a faculty fifth year Review. 01/2021 - 02/2021. Department service.
  • MSE graduate Committee . 12/01/2020 - present. Department service.
  • RPT committee for a research faculty member. member. 12/01/2020 - 03/01/2021. Department service.
  • MSE department graduate recruiting committee. 08/01/2020 - present. Department service.
  • Judge for 2020 BENCH TO BEDSIDE COMPETITION. 07/01/2020 - 09/30/2020. University service.
  • RPT committee for a faculty Fifth Year Formal Promotion review. 12/2019 - 03/2020. Department service.
  • RPT committee for a teaching faculty member. member, 12/01/2019 - 03/01/2020. Department service.
  • RPT committee for a research faculty member. member, 12/01/2019 - 03/01/2020. Department service.
  • MSE Department Curriculum Committee. Chair, 02/19/2019 - 07/01/2019. Department service.
  • MSE ABET Committee. 02/19/2019 - 07/01/2019. Department service.
  • post tenure review committee for one faculty member. 02/19/2019 - 05/10/2019. Department service.
  • MSE outstanding dissertation review committee. 02/04/2019 - 02/25/2019. Department service.
  • Faculty Mentor to the student interns of Materials Characterization Lab. 08/07/2018 - present. Department service.
  • MSE department “internship committee”, reviewing the intern performance and grading the final technical report. 07/26/2018 - present. Department service.
  • RPT committee for a research assistant professor . Chair, 07/11/2018 - 01/15/2019. Department service.
  • RPT committee for a faculty member . 05/01/2018 - 10/17/2018. Department service.
  • 5th year informal RPT review committee and RPT committee for tenure promotion of one faculty member . 02/05/2018 - 04/30/2018. Department service.
  • RPT committee for tenure promotion of one faculty member. 05/2017 - 01/31/2018. Department service.
  • RPT committee for Jeff Bates. 02/2017 - 03/2017. Department service.
  • Subcommittee of faculty appointments advisory committee for reviewing and approving Visiting Graduate Students or Visiting Postdoctoral Scholars, Dec. 22, 2015 - . Chair, 12/01/2015 - 07/01/2019. Department service.
  • MSE RPT committee for two tenure track faculty members, Oct 2015-Nov 2016. 10/2015 - 11/2016. Department service.
  • RPT committee for two tenure track faculty members, May-Oct 2015. 05/2015 - 10/2015. Department service.
  • University Conflict of Interest Committee. member, 01/2014 - 03/2016. University service.
  • College Curriculum Committee. member , 01/2014 - 03/15/2016. College service.
  • MSE Curriculum Committee. member, 01/2014 - 03/15/2016. Department service.
  • Michael Scarpulla RPT committee. 10/2013 - 05/2014. Department service.
  • Chair, MSE Faculty Recruiting Committee. 01/2013 - 08/2013. Department service.
  • University Conflict of Interest Committee. member, 10/2012 - 03/2016. University service.
  • MSE Department Curriculum Committee. chair, 01/2012 - 08/2013. Department service.
  • Director, Utah Center for Interfacial Sciences, Nano Institute of Utah. 08/16/2010 - present. University service.
  • Core Leadership, Nano Institute of Utah. 08/16/2010 - present. University service.
  • Entrepreneurial Faculty Scholar. 08/01/2010 - present. University service.
  • Thesis supervising on multiple graduate students thesis committee. 01/2010 - present. University service.
  • IGERT service: as a major faculty member, involved in the cross-campus recruiting, education and research activities for the recently funded NSF Integrated Graduate Education Research and Traineeship (IGERT) project, primarily on Nanobiosensors, Nanomaterials, and Microfluidics. 2009 – present. 01/2010 - 01/2014. University service.

Community Partnership

  • Gave a lecture to the 7th graders at Hillside Middle School, SLC. 12/08/2016 - 12/08/2016
  • Judge: Beacon Heights Elementary School 6th grade Science Fair, 2015. 01/2015 - 01/2015
  • Science lab at Beacon Heights Elementary School . 10/2012 - 10/2012
  • Ling Zang and his team present the explosives detector devices developed from the University lab at the USTAR Science Fair at the State Capitol Rotunda, showcasing the Legislature and public people the Nanotechnology research at large and the current status of the USTAR cluster at the University, Feb. 16, 2012. 02/16/2012 - 02/16/2012
  • science presentation to McGillis Elementary School, SLC. 11/2011 - 11/2011
  • Judge: Beacon Heights Elementary School 6th grade Science Fair, Dec. 16, 2010. 12/2010 - 12/2010
  • Nanotechnology to Utah School-aged Children through NanoDays: Ling Zang and his three graduate students presented "the Magic of Color" and demonstrated hands-on excitments at NanoDays 2010, Utah. NanoDays is a nationwide festival of educational programs about nanoscale science and engineering. This year, NanoDays Utah was hosted by the Nano Institute of Utah, in partnership with the Utah Science Center, and the Utah Museum of Natural History. 05/2010 - 05/2010

Affiliations

  • Department of Chemistry (CHEM), faculty, 07/2012 - present
  • Vaporsens Inc. (VI), CSO, 05/2011 - present
  • Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), faculty, 08/2008 - present
  • Nano Institute of Utah (NIU), faculty, 08/2008 - present

In the Media

  • Dr. Zang is highlighted by the University of Utah PIVOT Center for his tech-transfer effort. 07/05/2023. https://pivotcenter.utah.edu/2023/07/05/academia-i...
  • Dr. Zang was elected to the 2023 Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. 06/06/2023. https://www.price.utah.edu/2023/06/06/mses-ling-za...
  • Dr. Zang was elected to the 2021 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). 01/27/2022. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ada032...
  • Dr. Zang was elected to the board of directors of Gentex (NASDAQ: GNTX) . 05/20/2021. https://ir.gentex.com/corporate-governance/board-o...
  • Gentex Acquires Vaporsens, a University of Utah Technology Company, founded by Ling Zang. 02/08/2021. https://www.techbuzz.news/gentex-acquires-vaporsen...
  • our nanofiber sensor technologies developed at the UofU have now been commercialized by Vaporsens, a Gentex company, to serve broader customers. 01/12/2021. http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/01/...
  • Zang was elected to the 2020 Fellow of National Academy of Inventors (NAI). 12/09/2020. https://www.utahbusiness.com/national-academy-of-i...
  • The nanofiber photo-chemiresistive sensor technology ( https://pubweb.eng.utah.edu/~lzang/images/LZ99.pdf ) has now been develoepd by Vaporsens into a new platform that can potentialy be used for non-distructive, remote detection of fentanyl, an opioid drug causing national wide problems with economic cost over $500B annually. see the report by KUTV, CBS2 channel. 11/08/2018. https://kutv.com/news/local/department-of-homeland...
  • Our nanofiber sensor technology has now been develoepd by Vaporsens into a new direction of applicaiton, Wearable Fentanyl Sensor, which can potentially used for alerting DHS and first responder personnel to the presence of harmful levels of fentanyl. 05/24/2018. https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/news/20...
  • KUTV, CBS2 channel, reported our recent technology development in nanofiber sensors and application in real-time monitoring of air pollutions. 05/23/2018. https://kutv.com/news/local/new-technology-provide...
  • Vaporsens and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality received a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to develop real time monitoring of air toxins in Utah. 05/21/2018. https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900019812/real...
  • Vaporsens is honored to be awarded a Phase I SBIR research grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, to continue the development of our nanofiber chemical sensors for monitoring formaldehyde in indoor environments. 09/19/2017. https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/salt-lake-city-co...
  • Our nanofiber sensor technology and Vaporsens was selected as finalist in Smart Cities Connect Innovation Challenge, an event taking place in Austin, TX, June 26-27, 2017. 06/13/2017.
  • Vaporsens was honored as a "top 40 University Start-Up" by the National Council of Entrepreneurial Tech Transfer. Being selected as one of the top 40 from 200 candidate startup companies is really a great honor with strong competition. There are over 800 university startups launched every year; as one of the thousands startup companies, Vaporsens strives to excel and promote UU’s high reputation in leading tech-transfer and commercialization. 03/20/2017.
  • Vaporsens, the UofU spinoff that licensed the sensor technology from our lab, was invited and sponsored by NSF for Tech Demo at CES 2017 Eureka Park . 12/20/2016. https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=190...
  • Nanofiber nose: our D-A nanofiber composite sensors for alkane detection. 04/04/2016. http://www.chemistryviews.org/details/news/9137631...
  • Fuel sensor work featured at ABC4 TV. 03/27/2016. http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/new-handh...
  • Interfacial Nanofiber Composites for Trace Alkane Detection, . 09/16/2015. http://ustar.org/interfacial_nanofiber_news/
  • Mar. 11, 2015, New Nanofiber-based Electronic Nose Introduced by Vaporsens, Demo at Pittcon Conference, Booth #227, March 9-12. 03/11/2015. http://www.virtual-strategy.com/2015/03/11/new-nan...
  • Feb. 2015, our collaborative work with Vaporsens was featured by CEP Magazine of AIChE (American Institute of Chemical Engineers), . 02/15/2015. http://www.aiche.org/resources/publications/cep/20...
  • Feb. 27, 2015, Homeland Defense and Security Information Analysis Center (HDIAC), Spotlight: Nanofibers For Trace Explosive Detection, . 02/2015. https://www.hdiac.org/node/1353
  • Jan. 28, 2015, our sensor research was featured in the President’s Blog, Institution of Chemical Engineers, . 01/28/2015. https://ichemepresident.wordpress.com/tag/ling-zan...
  • Jan. 21, 2015, Our carbon nanotube sensors were featured by NSF Science360.gov , . 01/21/2015. http://science360.gov/radio/episode/7b64fdf2-85ba-...
  • Dec. 22, 2014, our carbon nanotube research was among Top 5 News Features of 2014 on AZoNano.com,. 12/22/2014. http://www.azonetwork.com/blog/top-5-news-feature...
  • Dec. 8, 2014, Ling Zang was featured in Diplomatic Courier, A global Affairs Magazine, . 12/08/2014. http://diplomaticourier.com/channels/beijing-teleg...
  • Dec. 3, 2014, our sensor research was featured KSL news, . 12/03/2014. http://www.ksl.com/?nid=1012&sid=32600102
  • Nov. 13, 2014, Our carbon nanotube research was featured at AAAS Science Update,. 11/13/2014. http://www.scienceupdate.com/2014/11/nano-3/
  • Nov. 10, 2014, our research team was featured by Fox13 TV, Scientists working on bomb sniffing device at U of U, http://fox13now.com/2014/11/09/scientists-working-on-bomb-sniffing-device-at-u-of-u/ , the Daily Utah Chronicle. http://www.dailyutahchronicle.com/2014/11/10/u-engineers-design-better-bomb-detection-devices/. 11/10/2014.
  • Nov. 4, 2014, our carbon nanotubes sensor research was featured in Salt Lake Tribune newspaper, http://www.sltrib.com/news/1767816-155/research-bomb-defense-department-gases-material, Fox13 News, http://fox13now.com/2014/11/04/u-of-u-engineers-develop-new-bomb-sniffing-technology/, KUER Radio, http://fox13now.com/2014/11/09/scientists-working-on-bomb-sniffing-device-at-u-of-u/ , NSF, http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=133275, , and NSF Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/US.NSF/photos/a.78704022899.76895.30037047899/10152936136807900/. 11/04/2014.
  • Nov. 11, 2014, our explosives detection technique was featured by Fortune, . 01/11/2014. http://fortune.com/2014/11/04/a-better-bomb-detect...
  • R&D of our new sensor technology in collaboration with Vaporsens was covered in Channel 2 (CBS/KUTV) Morning News. 05/29/2013. http://www.kutv.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_5...
  • Our explosives detection technique was invited to demonstrate at the Innovation Fair at the State Capitol. 02/21/2013. http://mms.tveyes.com/Transcript.asp?stationid=210...
  • Our electronic nose research is reported in the Daily Utah Chronicle. 02/01/2013. http://www.dailyutahchronicle.com/?p=2583411
  • Our sensor research and commercialization effort through Vaporsens is highlighted in a report by the Salt Lake Tribune, "University of Utah is a startup machine, according to survey". 12/14/2012. http://www.sltrib.com/55452414-218/technology-univ...
  • KSL (Channel 5) TV covers our recent research success in narcotic sensors and the commercialization collaboration with Vaporsens Inc. 07/24/2012. http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=21401887
  • our research in electronic dog nose is reported in Innovation Utah. 07/19/2012. http://newmedia.innovationutah.com/2012/07/09/an-e...
  • my Ph.D. student Ben Bunes is awarded with the prestigious NASA Space Technology Research Fellowships (NSTRF). It is extremely competitive to get this award. Congratulations, Ben. 04/27/2012.
  • our lab is featured in the 2012 issue of "Business in Utah", the Official Publication of the Governor's Office of Economic Development. 04/19/2012. http://www.eng.utah.edu/~lzang/images/businessinut...
  • my Ph.D. students Ben, Miao and Helin, representing University of Utah, their project “Vapor Detection of Peroxide-Based Improvised Explosive Devices” won the ten finalists for the Sixth Annual National Security Innovation Competition --- The National Homeland Defense Foundation (NHDF) today. 03/15/2012. http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/3/prweb9332877....
  • one of our explosives detector devices was part of the USTAR Science Fair showcase at the State Capitol Rotunda, where our Ph.D. students Ben, Miao and Helin demonstrated how the device works (2nd and 3rd photos). 02/16/2012. http://www.standard.net/stories/2012/02/16/ustar-l...
  • December, 2011, our explosives sensor research and technology development were featured in the November/December issue of Zions Bank Community magazine: No Mean Feet - Nano Net Detects Explosives. 12/2011.
  • November, 2011, our heavy metal sensor research was covered in the Fall 2011 issue of UofU Innovations Newsletter. 11/2011.
  • October 6, 2011, Faster, cheaper mercury test could provide answers for China http://unews.utah.edu/news_releases/faster-cheaper-mercury-test-could-provide-answers-for-china/ . 10/2011.
  • October 8, 2011, Bringing mercury pollution to light: U. scientist creates faster, cheaper way to measure mercury. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705392164/Bringing-mercury-pollution-to-light-U-scientist-creates-faster-cheaper-way-to-measure-mercury.html , http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=17588913, http://www.utahpulse.com/view/full_story/15983607/article-Faster--Cheaper-Mercury-Test-Could-Provide-Answers-for-China?instance=top_story_pulse . 10/2011.
  • August 31, 2011, Dr. Zang commented on "Nanotechnology emerges in energy efficiency" with Leonardo Energy, http://www.leonardo-energy.org/nanotechnology-emerges-energy-efficiency. 08/2011.
  • July 13, 2011, Governor Herbert declared July 13, 14 and 15 as the Utah-Qinghai EcoPartnership days during the National Governors Association Meeting held in SLC. Metallosensors is part of the EcoPartnership, and mentioned in the declaration. Click here for the PDF of Declaration. 07/2011.
  • June 3, 2011, Utah Pulse: Nanotechnology and the New Energy Economy, reporting Dr. Zang's new book with Springer and his interview on renewable energy and the impact brought by nanotechnology; also covered in the USTAR network. 06/2011.
  • Feb. 1, 2011, our research and development work on sensors is highlighted by the Zions Bank "Speaking on Business" program through KSL News Radio. http://www.zionsbancorporation.com/zionsbank/resources/audio/20110201.mp3 the Zions Bank "Speaking on Business" is a radio program highlighting businesses throughout Utah and Idaho. The week of Jan. 31st, the spotlighted companies and breakthrough research associated with USTAR. The host of the program is Chris Redgrave, former general manager of KSL NewsRadio in Salt Lake City, and past chair of the Salt Lake Chamber Board of Governors. 02/2011.
  • Feb. 28, 2011, our research on trace explosive detection was featured on KUER radio: http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kuer/news.newsmain/article/0/1/1768597/KUER.Local.News/Utah.Innovation.Bomb-Sniffing.Technology . 02/2011.
  • Jan. 24, 2011, Chengyi's paper "Fluorescent nanoscale zinc(ii)-carboxylate coordination polymers for explosive sensing" was amongst the top ten accessed articles of ChemComm in the month December 2010 after published online. You can browse the full list of top 10 articles here: http://blogs.rsc.org/cc/2011/01/25/top-ten-most-accessed-articles-in-december/ . 12/2010.
  • May 15, 2010, Ben, Helin, and Miao presented "the Magic of Color" and demonstrated hands-on excitments at NanoDays 2010, Utah. NanoDays is a nationwide festival of educational programs about nanoscale science and engineering. This year, NanoDays Utah was hosted by the Nano Institute of Utah at the University of Utah, in partnership with The Leonardo, Utah Science Center, and the Utah Museum of Natural History, http://www.nanoinstitute.utah.edu/portal/site/nanoinstitute/menuitem.b8a5b35f12d1cba65b2c5b69c1e916b9/?vgnextoid=cac6bd6846fd7210VgnVCM1000001c9e619bRCRD more details can be found here: http://www.eng.utah.edu/~lzang/nanodays.html. 05/2010.