ASME honor recognizes metamaterials pioneer
Distinguished Professor of Engineering Xin Zhang (ME, ECE, BME, MSE) has been selected to receive the 2025 Thomas A. Edison Patent Award, a premier achievement award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) honoring exceptional patented innovation. Zhang is being recognized for her pioneering contributions to the field of metamaterials, whose engineered properties are redefining the frontiers of wave control, sensing, and signal manipulation.
Established in 1997, the Edison Patent Award honors the creative ingenuity behind patented devices or processes that hold the potential to significantly advance engineering while making a lasting impact on industry and society. Past recipients have been credited with launching entirely new industries, dramatically improving technological efficiency, or elevating quality of life on a global scale.
Zhang’s suite of patented inventions harnesses the extraordinary capabilities of metamaterials—artificially structured materials with properties not found in nature—with applications in healthcare, infrastructure, and more. Her innovations have led to ultralight, compact, and high-performance systems for noise reduction, precision sensing, and advanced imaging, offering unprecedented control over acoustic, electromagnetic, and magnetic fields. Collectively, these advances reflect a new design philosophy in engineered materials, where tailored structure and function converge to solve complex, real-world challenges.
“This recognition is both humbling and deeply meaningful,” says Zhang. “As a child, the name Thomas Edison to me was synonymous with imagination, perseverance, and the transformative power of invention. To be associated with that legacy is profoundly moving. I’ve always believed that research must carry dual responsibilities: to advance knowledge and to improve the world around us. I’m deeply grateful to my students and collaborators—past and present—whose creativity and dedication have been integral to every step of this journey.”
Zhang holds a growing portfolio of patents in the United States and internationally, underscoring the global relevance and translational potential of her work. Driven by a deep commitment to interdisciplinary convergence, her research sits at the intersection of physics, engineering design, materials science, and mechanical and electrical engineering. With equal emphasis on rigorous theory and practical implementation, she is dedicated to developing technologies that address some of society’s most urgent challenges, in energy, healthcare, environmental sustainability, and beyond.
Zhang will be formally presented with the award in August at the 2025 ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference (IDETC-CIE), in Anaheim, California.