About

The Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), originally named Functional Nano & Soft Materials Laboratory, was founded at Soochow University on June 9th, 2008, and is led by the founding director Prof. Shuit-Tong Lee, an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Two years later, FUNSOM spearheaded our nano education initiative by founding the College of Nano Science & Technology (CNST), which was soon approved as one of the 17 National Pilot Colleges by the Ministry of Education in 2011. FUNSOM/CNST is dedicated to academic innovation, technological development, and the training of next-generation scientists and engineers in nanotechnology. At present there are 100 faculty members including 51 principal investigators conducting interdisciplinary and innovative research in the areas of new energy, optoelectronics, and biomedicine. Here, research, education, and industrialization are pursued in a “triangle” network to accelerate development and application. To date, FUNSOM has attracted more than US$150 million from national funding agencies. Its researchers have published 3,000+ papers in academic journals, including Nature and Science, and have received numerous international awards and honors. FUNSOM/CNST advances the training of young talents with creative thinking, interdisciplinary background, and global vision. More than 2,000 graduates have come through FUNSOM/CNST, many of whom have emerged as leading scientists and engineers in nanotechnology, including eight recognized as “Highly Cited Researchers” by Clarivate Analytics. In 2018, we were awarded the second prize of the National Teaching Achievement Award. Becoming a growing force in nanoscience and nanotechnology, FUNSOM/CNST will continue to advance education and research, pushing forward the transformation of cutting-edge research into real-world services and technologies.