79 nanofilms have also been explored as waterproof wound dressings, particularly for patients with largescale burns; they can be adopted for the design of robotic motions; and they can be applied to electrical appliances for high-energy density capacitors. Prof. Gao might have an incredible scientific mind, but she also derives strength and inspiration from the worlds of art and philosophy. She enjoys reading philosophy and classic Chinese and Western poems, and finds art to be more than just an escape from a hectic day; it stimulates her curiosity in all things. Philosophers argue there is no such thing as objective reality, she thinks, so how can scientists seek truth to understand the world better? She imparts this holistic approach to her students at HKUST, encouraging them to broaden their worldviews as much as possible. With a sense of civic duty, responsibility, and courage, Prof. Gao readily extols the virtues of polymer science to all industries and sectors, citing inventions that will drive new eras of human evolution and meet our desire for future development. Her next goal? To establish and build a multidisciplinary Advanced Materials Thrust at HKUST (Guangzhou). The impressive new campus has already attracted the interest of international academics, researchers, and scientists — music to Prof. Gao’s ears, as she believes addressing global challenges requires people from different backgrounds and fields to work together. Prof. Gao sees the new campus as an opportunity to push the achievements of HKUST even further and to build the world’s best materials department. It seems like it’s only a matter of time until we’re living in a world in which Prof. Gao’s nanocomposite fibers and materials are the building blocks of our daily lives — and it’s a future we can’t wait to see materialize.
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