Takashi Matsuoka started his career at NTT in 1978. He moved to Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University as a Professor in February 2005. He has been an Emeritus Professor, and a Specially Appointed Professor, New Industry Creation Hatchery Center since April 2019. His research covers optoelectronic materials and devices. It is worthy of special mention that in 1981 he succeeded in the first CW operation of InGaAsP DFB lasers used worldwide for optical communications systems. He also proposed the InGaAlN system in 1986 and successfully grew InGaN for blue light in 1988. Based on his results, blue LEDs have become commercially available. In 2002, he corrected the band-gap energy of InN from 2 eV to 0.8 eV. This result has expanded the application of nitride semiconductors from infrared to ultraviolet. He also noted the crystalline polarity and developed N-polar HEMT for 5G.

Cornelia Gabriela Palivan is currently Professor in Physical Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry, the University of Basel, Switzerland. In addition, she is member of the management of the NCCR-Molecular Systems Engineering and the Swiss Nanoscience Institute. The main scientific interests of Cornelia are to develop functional hybrid materials that interface active compounds with supramolecular synthetic assemblies and then with cells. Her domain of expertise is in finding matches between biomolecules and synthetic matrices that preserve the bio-activity, and in producing functional hybrid systems, such as nanoreactors, processors, “active surfaces”, and functional membranes. The research resulted in more than 230 publications in peer-reviewed journals, books and chapters of books, and more than 200 invited oral presentations. She took part in various scientific panels and received during her career prizes, awards and fellowships.

Ping Liu is a professor in the School of Materials Science and Engineering and the Institute of Materials Science in South China University of Technology (SCUT). He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Sun Yat-sen University in 1986 and 1991, respectively, and his Ph.D. degree in Materials chemistry from Osaka University in Japan in 2000. He joined the Institute of Materials Science, South China University of Technology (SCUT) in 1991, and became a full professor in 2005. His research focuses on organic/polymer functional materials, including: organic/polymer optoelectronic materials and devices, organic/polymer flame retardants and flame retardant material, adhesives for automotive, pressure sensitive adhesives for power batteries, etc.

Professor Sanboh Lee received his Ph.D. in Materials Science from the University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, in 1980. He has served as Emeritus Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at National Tsing Hua University since 2018. Professor Lee’s professional career began at the Webster Research Center of Xerox Corporation. He subsequently held visiting professorships at Lehigh University (1987–1988) and at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (from 1996 onward). Over the course of his academic and research career, he has authored or coauthored more than 280 technical publications, contributing extensively to the advancement of materials science and engineering. His scholarly achievements have been recognized through numerous honors and awards, including the Outstanding Research Award, National Science Council, Taiwan; Roon Foundation Award (1998), Federation of Societies for Coatings Technology; Tsing Hua Chair Professor of Engineering (2003–2006); Tsing Hua Chair Professor (2006–2018); Fellow of ASM International (2004); Committee Member, Honors & Professional Recognition (H&PR), The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (2018); Lifetime Achievement Award (2022), VDGOOD® Professional Association, India. Professor Lee’s distinguished career reflects a sustained commitment to research excellence, academic leadership, and professional service. His contributions have earned him international recognition as a leading figure in materials science and engineering.