Email:
wsoboyejo@wpi.edu
OFFICE LOCATION:
10 Blueberry Lane Northborough, MA 01532
Personal website:
https://www.wpi.edu/offices/provost/about
About me:
Prior to joining WPI, Dr. Soboyejo was a Professor in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University for approximately 17 years. He is a materials scientist whose research focuses on biomaterials and the use of nanoparticles for the detection and treatment of disease, the mechanical properties of materials, and the use of materials science to promote global development. His current projects include the use of nanomaterials for targeting and treating cancer; a shear assay technique that may be able to measure the mechanical properties of organelles in the cell; the development of low cost solar cells/light emitting devices; and sustainable approaches to providing clean water, affordable housing and education to people in the developing world. Dr. Soboyejo brings to WPI an exceptional record of achievement in engineering research and academic leadership, as well as impressive accomplishments in international development and a noteworthy track record in building global research and educational partnerships. For example, he founded the U.S./Africa Materials Institute at Princeton, one of six international materials institutes supported by the National Science Foundation. He has also served as President and Provost of the African University of Science and Technology (AUST) in Abuja, Nigeria, a Pan-African university founded by the Nelson Mandela Institutions (NMI). Dr. Soboyejo has also served as the chair of the African Scientific Committee of the NMI. He held research positions at the McDonnell Douglas Research Laboratories in St. Louis and the Edison Welding Institute in Columbus, Ohio, as well as faculty positions at The Ohio State University and MIT, before joining the Princeton faculty in 1999.
Education:
- B.Sc. (Hons.) in Mechanical Engineering, King’s College, London University, England
- A. K. C. Associateship of King’s College, Ethics, Theology & Philosophy, King’s College, London University, England
- Ph.D. in Materials Science and Metallurgy, Churchill College, Cambridge University, England. Thesis Title: The Propagation of Defects Under Fatigue Loading. Advisor: J. F. Knott, F.R.S. (Deceased)
Research:
My research focuses on the structure and properties of multi-functional materials that have potential applications that address global grand challenges in health, water purification, energy, the built environment, and transportation systems. In each of these areas, my group uses a combination of experiments and models to study the structure and properties of materials at different length scales. We also work with interdisciplinary teams to translate our work into practice.
Materials for Health – Biomaterials and biomedical systems are being developed for applications in medicine, dentistry, water and air purification. These include: textured and protein-coated biomaterial surfaces that enable the integration of dental/orthopedic biomedical implants with bone; nanoparticles, drugs, drug delivery systems and medical robotics for the detection and treatment of cancer and covid-19; disinfectant textured/micro-/nano-porous surfaces for the removal of bacteria, viruses and chemical contaminants from water or covid-19-contaminated aerosols and surfaces.
Materials for Energy – The structure and opto-electronic properties of layered materials are being explored for applications in low cost solar cells, light emitting devices, batteries and supercapacitors. Experimental and theoretical/computational studies of adhesion, surface contacts, and charge/light/ion transport are providing new insights for the development of novel devices. The research on solar cells has resulted in pressure-assisted fabrication processes for the processing of perovskite solar cells with photoconversion efficiencies of 24.1% (close to the world record). Our prior work has resulted in a patented process that has been licensed by Samsung for the fabrication of light-emitting devices. Sustainable fuels are also being developed for the bio-chemo-mechanical processing of bamboo into biofuels (bio-butanol and bio-ethanol).
Materials for the Built Environment and Transportation – The structure and properties of materials are being studied to provide new insights for the design and processing of robust thermo-structural materials and bio-inspired robotics. These include structural alloys; thermo-structural materials; earth-based materials; functional coatings, and bio-inspired robotics. Cold spray processing, 3D printing, and novel roboticaly-assisted processing methods are being developed and guided by experiments and models for the prediction of the effects of processing on the structure and mechanical properties (deformation, fracture, fatigue, creep) of materials.
Development Engineering – The work in my research group is motivated by the desire to use research, education and outreach in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) as engines of development. Our goal is to develop solutions to global grand challenges in health, energy, the built environment and transportation. I am particularly interested in linking these with the intersections between the Smart World of the 21st century and the future of education and the worker. Within this context, I collaborate with social scientists, natural scientists, artists and humanists, artisans, engineers, policymakers, industry and civil society and development stakeholders to explore integrated approaches to Development Engineering. I also work closely with global organizations, such as the World Bank and the United Nations, to engage in research, education, and outreach that promote global development.