CU Boulder engineering professor Xiaobo Yin has been named a 2017 Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Moore Inventor Fellow, an award bestowed on scientist-inventors for their inventions in scientific research, environmental conservation and patient care.
Yin, an assistant professor in CU Boulder’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, was honored for developing a tailored optical metamaterial that can convert incident sunlight into longer wavelengths, which will dramatically increase the rate of photosynthesis and provide high-yield crop production. The aim of this invention is to develop engineering solutions for real-world environmental challenges.
Other 2017 Moore Inventor Fellows include: Jennifer Dionne of Stanford University; Viviana Gradinaru of the California Institute of Technology; Daniel Ludois of the University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Matthew Sheldon of Texas A&M University.
Each fellow will receive a total of $825,000 over three years, including $50,000 per year from their home institution. Starting with five fellows in 2016, the foundation plans to allocate nearly $34 million through 2026 to support 50 Moore Inventor Fellows.
“Embodying Gordon Moore’s passion for science and penchant for inventing, the Moore Inventor Fellows are problem solvers seeking to develop new tools and technologies that will accelerate progress in scientific research, environmental conservation and patient care, three areas of interest to our foundation,” said Harvey V. Fineberg, M.D., Ph.D., president of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. “These young inventors show great promise for creating positive outcomes for generations to come.”
The 2017 fellows will be recognized at an event on Nov. 7 at The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, California.