UWM’s Junhong Chen has been named one of the world’s most influential researchers in the materials science field, with his work among the top 1 percent of most-cited research papers over the past 11 years.

Chen, a distinguished professor in the College of Engineering & Applied Science, is one of 3,300 researchers from 900 institutions to achieve that status. It indicates he’s “won peer approval in the form of high citation counts” with work that inspires and challenges colleagues, according to Clarivate Analytics, a leading company that monitors scholarly data and produced the most-cited list.

Chen’s expertise is in the fields of mechanical engineering and materials science. His publishing reflects a wide range of research interests, including carbon nanotubes and hybrid nanomaterials, nanostructured sensors with wide applications, and renewable energy and corona discharges. He has developed a unique, inexpensive method of producing hybrid nanomaterials for use in advanced technology devices.

He’s grateful so many researchers worldwide are interested in his lab’s work. “This honor also belongs to UWM,” he says. “It has enabled me to grow my career and research program, which I really appreciate.”

Chen is on a leave of absence to serve as a program director of the Engineering Research Centers program at the National Science Foundation, but he retains his UWM faculty status.

“It comes as no surprise that Dr. Chen ranks among the most cited researchers in the world,” says Mark T. Harris, vice provost for research. “This recognition demonstrates the value of his research into the potential and nature of nanomaterials.”