Prof. Richard B. Kaner received his Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania in 1984.  After carrying out postdoctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley, he joined the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), in 1987 as an Assistant Professor. He has published >475 papers in top journals and holds 85 U.S. patents, and is among the world’s most highly cited authors (Clarivate Analytics). He has received awards from the Dreyfus, Fulbright, Guggenheim, Packard, and Sloan Foundations, along with the Materials Research Society Medal, the Royal Society of Chemistry Centenary Prize, the Qian Baojun International Fiber Award, the Chemical Pioneer Award from the American Institute of Chemistry, the American Chemical Society’s Buck-Whitney Research Award, the Tolman Medal, Award in the Chemistry of Materials and the Award in Applied Polymer Science for his work on refractory materials including new synthetic routes to ceramics, intercalation compounds, superhard metals, graphene and conducting polymers. Founded 4 successful companies: Nanotech Energy which produces nonflammable lithium-ion batteries using graphene; SILQ Technologies whose surface treatments of medical devices prevent hospital-acquired infections; SuperMetalix which produces the world’s hardest metals for cutting and polishing; and Polycera, Inc. (acquired by PSP.US) which makes membranes that separate oil from water and are used to clean up messes created by oil fracking.