Professor Hongjie Dai won the Nano Research Award for his pioneering contributions to carbon based nanoscience and nanomedicine. Dai is the Jackson-Wood Professor of Chemistry at Stanford University. He is internationally recognized as a leader in carbon-based nanoscience, renewable energy materials and nanomedicine.

His pioneering work has facilitated basic research in chemistry and physics of quasi-1D carbon nano-materials, and opened up creative applications of nano-carbon materials from nanotubes sensors/field effect transistors, to graphite/graphene foam cathodes for aluminum ion battery, drug delivery and photothermal therapy for nanomedicine, and near-infrared-II (NIR-II)/short-wave infrared (SWIR) probes for imaging biological systems in vivo.

Specifically, Dai's contributions to carbon-based nanoscience including pioneering work on surface patterned carbon nanotube growth into ordered carbon nanotube arrays; the first synthesis of graphene nanoribbons; single-nanotube based nanoelectronic-sensors; nanotube based ballistic field-effect transistors; nano-carbon materials for renewable energy; invention of a rechargeable Al ion battery using graphite and graphene foam as the positive electrode; and recently, direct electrolysis of seawater to produce H₂ and O₂ without the need of desalination. Dai is also a pioneer and leader in nanomedicine.

He pioneered carbon nanotube and graphene materials for biological systems including drug delivery and photothermal therapy. Lastly Dai pioneered NIR-II/SWIR fluorescence imaging. Dai’s contribution to nanoscience and nanomedicine has led to awards from four major professional societies/organizations including the APS, ACS, MRS, and NIH.