Kun Fu recognized with multiple awards from composites, materials societies
Kelvin (Kun) Fu, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Delaware, is on a winning streak.
Fu has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles and those work have been cited near 9000 times with 50 h-index. Fu studies additive manufacturing and processing of materials, structures, and devices across multiple length scales for applications in energy, environment, and health. Lately, for example, he has developed novel methods of 3D printing composite materials and designed new ultra-thick electrodes that could increase the energy density of batteries.
Materials experts are taking notice.
(SAMPE) Young Professionals Emerging Leadership Award
In August, Fu, who directs the Composite & Additive Manufacturing (CAM) Laboratory in UD’s Spencer Laboratory and is an affiliate of UD’s world-renowned Center for Composite Materials (CCM), was named one of 11 finalists for the 2020 Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE) Young Professionals Emerging Leadership Award.
This award recognizes the achievements of young professionals (who have graduated from university and are under the age of 35) by sending application finalists to the SAMPE North America technical conference and exhibition to network with peers and industry professionals, and to increase their understanding of the materials and process community.
Composites (ASC)/DEStech Young Composites Researcher Award
Later in August, Fu received the 2020 American Society for Composites (ASC)/DEStech Young Composites Researcher Award.
This award recognizes a member of the composites community who early in their career has made a significant impact on the science and technology of composite materials through a sustained research effort.
ACM ACE Award in Manufacturing Equipment and Tooling Innovation
Then, in September, Fu won the Awards for Composites Excellence (ACE) Award in Manufacturing Equipment and Tooling Innovation from the American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA). ACE is a prestigious composites industry competition held for over 20 years, which recognizes outstanding achievement and innovation in technology, manufacturing and product development. This award recognized Fu’s work with 3D Printing Continuous Carbon Fiber/Thermoset Composites.
“Our 3D printing technology is revolutionary and is the world’s first 3D printer that can print high-performance continuous carbon fiber reinforced thermoset polymer composites directly,” said Fu. “Currently, we have no competitor in this field.” His technology is now used to design and fabricate composites for NASA’s thermal protection application. Fu is a co-founder of a startup company, and he plans to commercialize his technology quickly to the market.
Fu joined UD in 2018 after working as a postdoctoral research associate and then assistant research scientist at the University of Maryland and Maryland Energy Innovation Institute. He received his doctoral degree in Fiber and Polymer Science from North Carolina State University in 2014.