Benjamin Hsiao

Benjamin S. Hsiao (born 12 August 1958) is a Taiwanese-American materials scientist. He served as the vice-president for research and chief research officer at Stony Brook University from May 2012 to December 2013.

Early life and education

Hsiao was born in Taipei, Taiwan, and attended the all-boys Taipei Municipal Chien Kuo High School. He graduated from National Taiwan University with a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering in 1980. He then earned his Ph.D. in polymer science from the University of Connecticut in 1987.

Academic career He went on to work at the University of Massachusetts between 1987 and 1989 as a postdoctoral research fellow in the department of polymer science and engineering under the tutelage of Richard S. Stein and H. Henning Winter. Immediately afterwards, he was sought by the DuPont Company to work in the Pioneering Laboratory. He stayed with DuPont for 8 years in Wilmington, Delaware until 1997 as a senior staff scientist in the Central Research and Development Department, after which he embarked upon an academic career at Stony Brook University.

Joining Stony Brook University as an assistant professor in 1997, Hsiao was promoted to full professor in 2002 and appointed to the chair of the chemistry department in 2007. It was under his leadership, that the chemistry department at Stony Brook was identified as one of the top departments in the nation, and designated a National Historic Landmark for the invention of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) by the American Chemical Society.

Research

Hsiao's laboratory at Stony Brook University aims to understand the structural, morphological development and manipulation of complex polymer systems during preparation and processing in real time at both molecular and nanoscopic scales.

His research in polymer science and engineering has led to novel water purification techniques, Together with his colleague Benjamin Chu, Hsiao has used combined electrospinning and cellulose nanofibrous membranes technologies to produce an hierarchical non-woven pattern of different size fibers (from micrometers to nanometers) to filter water. Along with its mechanical integrity and its interconnected pores and thus high pore density, these filters have high volumetric flow rates without compromised resistance to fouling. Since such filters can have several times better water flux, they are energy efficient and have a broad range of applications ranging from desalination to energy generation.

Such nanofibrous formats are also useful for tissue engineering and drug delivery. As biodegradation rates and drug release rates in medical treatments are functions of fiber, porosity, morphology and chemical compositions, Hsiao and Chu have developed many useful new solutions for biomedical applications, such as nanofibrous scaffolds for tissue engineering and heart tissue constructs, and methods to prevent post-surgery induced abdominal adhesions.

Synergistic activities

Sigma Xi, 1985 Phi Kappa Phi, 1985 Member of Editorial Board for Membranes, since 2011 Member of Editorial Advisory Board for Macromolecules 2010–2012 Member of Editorial Advisory Board for ACS Macro Letters, since 2012 Member of Editorial Advisory Board for Polymer, since 2003 Member of Editorial Advisory Board for J. Macromol. Sci. – Phys., since 1995 Member of Editorial Advisory Board for J. Polymer Research, since 1996 Member of Executive Editorial Board for High Performance Polymers, since 1996 Member of Editorial Advisory Board for Chinese Journal Applied Chemistry (Yingyong Huaxue), since 2001 Member, Advisory Board, American Chemical Society, Petroleum Research Fund, 2007–2012 Member, Science and Technology Steering Committee (STSC), BSA Board of Directors, Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), 2010-2012

Professional societies

Society of Plastics Engineers (1983–1997, 2002–2005) The North American Thermal Analysis Society (1985–1997) American Institute of Chemical Engineers (1989–1997, 2007-) American Chemical Society, Polymer Chemistry Divisions (since 1984), Polymer Materials Science and Engineering Division (since 1989), Rubber Division (2003–2006) American Crystallographic Association (since 1991) American Physical Society, High Polymer Physics Division (since 1985) American Association for the Advancement of Science (since 1990) Materials Research Society (since 1989)