Nanomaterials Webinar | Emerging Frontiers in Nanofiber and Nanocomposite Research
4 March 2026
Welcome from the Chairs
It is our honour and privilege to welcome you to this webinar entitled “Emerging Frontiers in Nanofiber and Nanocomposite Research.”
The purpose of this event is to provide a rigorous and comprehensive forum for discussion on one of the most promising and rapidly evolving areas in contemporary materials science. Nanofibers and nanocomposite materials, characterized by their unique structural, mechanical, electrical, optical, and magnetic properties, have emerged as a transformative class of materials at the intersection of materials science, engineering, and nanotechnology. Their multifunctional nature offers vast potential for applications across diverse fields, including energy storage, biomedical engineering, environmental remediation, and beyond.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our invited speakers for sharing their expertise and for their valuable contributions to this event. We also extend our appreciation to all participants for your interest and engagement. Your presence reflects a shared commitment to scientific excellence and collaborative innovation.
We encourage everyone to actively participate throughout the session and engage in meaningful discussions that will enrich our collective knowledge.
Date: 4 March 2026
Time: 14:00 (CET) | 08:00 (EST) | 21:00 (CST Asia)
Webinar ID: 897 2471 2280
Webinar Secretariat: journal.webinar@mdpi.com
Registration
This is a FREE webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar.
Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.
Certificates of attendance will be delivered to those who attend the live webinar.
Can't attend? Register anyway and we'll let you know when the recording is available to watch.
Event Chairs
Materials Science and Engineering Area, Higher School of Experimental Sciences and Technology, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
Dr. Alberto Jiménez-Suárez is a professor at Universidad Rey Juan Carlos in Mostoles, Madrid, Spain, where he co-leads the Smart and Sustainable Polymers and Composites Research Group. He obtained his B.S. degree in Industrial Engineering from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid and his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Universidad Rey Juan Carlos in 2012. Since 2008, his research has been focused on the field of polymers and composites, including the addition of nano reinforcements to obtain new multifunctional and smart materials with applications in the field of transportation and energy industries. His expertise is related to the processing of these nanocomposites by optimizing the dispersion, concentration, and morphology of the nano reinforcements used. Currently, his research has also been focused on the sustainability of these materials by working on bio-based matrices, covalent adaptable networks, and other formulations combined with nanoparticles to modify their behavior.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, USA
Lihua Lou is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Clemson University. She received her Ph.D. from Texas Tech University and completed postdoctoral training at Virginia Commonwealth University and Florida International University. Her research spans multiple disciplines, including Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Pharmaceutics, Biomedical Engineering, Environmental Toxicology, and Textile Engineering, reflecting a multidisciplinary approach. Her lab focuses on advancing nanomanufacturing, 0D/1D/2D materials nanomechanics, the fabrication and application of nanocomposites, and innovations in cardiac bioengineering.
Keynote Speakers
Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, USA
Dr. Lihua Lou is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Clemson University. She received her Ph.D. from Texas Tech University and completed postdoctoral training at Virginia Commonwealth University and Florida International University. Her research spans multiple disciplines, including Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Pharmaceutics, Biomedical Engineering, Environmental Toxicology, and Textile Engineering, reflecting a multidisciplinary approach. Her lab focuses on advancing nanomanufacturing, 0D/1D/2D materials nanomechanics, the fabrication and application of nanocomposites, and innovations in cardiac bioengineering.
Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, College of Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania, USA
Dr. Cheng is the James L. Henderson, Jr. Memorial Associate Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics at Penn State University. He has been affiliated with the Penn State Institutes of Energy and the Environment, the Materials Research Institute (MRI), the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS), the Engineering, Energy, & Environmental Institute (E3I), the Sustainability Institute, and varying centers at Penn State. He has also served as an advisor or the Graduate Faculty for the Schreyer Honors College, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Architectural Engineering, and Additive Manufacturing and Design. His research group focuses on the design, fabrication, and application of the standalone stretchable device platform. He also serves as the associate editor for 7 journals and reviewer for > 200 journals.
Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Dr. Dania Olmos Díaz is a researcher in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Chemical Engineering at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M), based at the Escuela Politécnica Superior on the Leganés campus. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and a PhD in Materials Science. Her research focuses on polymer nanocomposites, with particular emphasis on the use of high-energy ball milling as an advanced preparation and processing technique. Her work contributes to the development of innovative materials with enhanced structural and functional properties for applications in advanced materials science and engineering.
Department of Applied Mathematics, Materials Science and Engineering, and Electronic Technology, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain.
Dr. Silvia González Prolongo is a Full Professor in Materials Engineering and Director of the Department of Applied Mathematics, Materials Science and Engineering, and Electronic Technology at Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC) in Móstoles, Madrid, Spain. She received her PhD in 2003, working on the synthesis and applications of hybrid thermosetting/thermoplastic blends. Her research focuses on polymer materials, nanocomposites, and advanced composite systems with enhanced mechanical and functional properties. She develops smart and multifunctional polymer and composite materials with intelligent properties such as structural sensing, Joule-effect self-heating, self-repair, and shape memory. Her work also addresses sustainability challenges through composite recycling, energy-efficient processing technologies, and the development of reversible thermosetting resins, contributing to circular economy approaches in materials engineering. She is Director of the research group Smart and Sustainable Polymers and Composites and a founding member of the High-Performance Materials Science and Engineering Research Group. Dr. González Prolongo has been included annually in the World’s Top 2% Scientists Ranking published by Stanford University since 2019.
Programme
| Speaker / Presentation | Time (CET) | Time (EST) |
|---|---|---|
| Journal Internal Presentation | 14:00–14:10 | 08:00–08:10 |
|
Prof. Alberto Jiménez Suárez (Chair) |
14:10–14:20 | 08:10–08:20 |
| Dr. Lihua Lou (Chair, Speaker 1) | 14:20–14:40 | 08:20–08:40 |
| Dr. Huanyu Cheng (Speaker 2) | 14:40–15:00 | 08:40–09:00 |
| Dr. Dania Olmos Díaz (Speaker 3) | 15:00–15:20 | 09:00–09:20 |
| Prof. Dr. Silvia González Prolongo (Speaker 4) | 15:20–15:40 | 09:20–09:40 |
| Q&A Session | 15:40–16:05 | 09:40–10:05 |
| Closing of Webinar | 16:05–16:10 | 10:05–10:10 |
Relevant Special Issue
"Nanofiber and Nanomaterial Composites: Energy, Healthcare and Beyond"
Edited by Dr. Lihua Lou and Prof. Dr. Alberto Jiménez Suárez
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 April 2026
Sponsors and Partners
Organizers
