Xu Hou received his B.S. degree (2006) from Sichuan University, China under the direction of Prof. Changxiu Wan, majoring in Biomedical Engineering. His scientific interest was materials of tissue engineering. At university, as a vice president of Sichuan University College Student Association of Science & Technology and the editor in chief of “Student Journal of Sichuan University”, Xu organized many interesting science forums and his editorial team edited and published lots of research papers in various scientific fields.
In 2006, Xu pursuedhis PhD in Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, majoring in Physical Chemistry. He completed his Ph.D. (2011) at National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, China (NCNST) under the direction of Prof. Lei Jiang. He focused on the design and fabrication of biomimetic smart nanopores/nanochannels. Xu said, "During the process of studying for my doctor degree, our center provided me a high-level international platform, such as top professors, first-class research equipments all over the world, and many opportunities to participate in various international conferences, to understand the most forward issues and the forefront of Nanoscience, which the most needed places are, and make me witness the elegances of many great masters, which will be a tremendous asset in my life; ...I would like to express my sincere appreciation to my advisor, the leadership of the center and teachers, especially graduate students office for their encouragement and the powerfully support...".
As a NCNST PhD student, Xu has published 20 research papers (SCI 2012, Total cited >420, Total IF>192), such as Chem. Soc. Rev., J. Am. Chem. Soc., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., Adv. Mater., ACS Nano, Chem. Commun., Adv. Funct. Mater. and Small, etc, and highlight by Nature,Nature China, etc. Many research groups all over the world have cited his papers as the first reference in their research papers, such as Max-Planck-Institute, Germany (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 8339); Pennsylvania State University, USA & University of Southampton, U.K. (Langmuir 2011, 27, 630); Catalan Institute of Nanotechnology, Spain (Electrochem. Commun. 2010, 12, 863).
Meanwhile, as one of the eight members of National Center for Nanoscience and Technology Student Academic Committee, China and editor in chief of Student Communication of National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Xu organized many interesting scientific activities and academic exchanges.Xu obtained on behalf of China to come to the International Interdisciplinary CCS Program 2009 in Australia which organized by International Energy Agency (56 opportunities all over the world); in 2010, he obtained “Student scholarship award of the chemical and biological defense science and technology conference in Orlando” awarded by U.S. Government and the United States Department of Defense (30 scholarships all over the world); Xu obtained "ICBN 2010 Student Travel Award Winner" awarded by Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology and Society for Biological Engineering, Singapore. Xu also won 2012 Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award of Chinese Academy of Sciences; 2011 Excellent President Award of Chinese Academy of Sciences for Graduates; 2011 Lu Jiaxi Outstanding Postgraduate Award, and the first prize of the 9th "Colloid Awards of China".
Dr. Hou is currently the Postdoctoral Fellow at Wyss Institute at Harvard University, USA. His current research interests include slippery surfaces, micro/nanomanufacturing, as well as bio-inspired materials.
