WPI-SKCM² Researchers Receive Hiroshima University Award for Encouraging Female Researchers
Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI),
WPI-SKCM²
Postdoctoral Researcher,
WPI-SKCM²
On August 7, 2026,Elizabeth Dresselhaus, Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) and Naeimeh Bahrilaleh, Postdoctoral Researcher, at WPI-SKCM², Hiroshima University, were honored with the Hiroshima University Award for Encouraging Female Researchers for Academic Year 2026.
Established in Academic Year 2007, the Hiroshima University Award for Encouraging Female Researchers aims to encourage young female researchers at the University and further enhance their motivation to pursue research. The award provides recipients with research funding to support the advancement of their research activities. Hiroshima University currently provides research funding of up to ¥1 million through the award, with a total of ¥3 million distributed among recipients each academic year.
Making high-performance insulating materials stronger and more sustainable
For Bahrilaleh, the award will support her research on silica aerogels, extremely lightweight materials known for their excellent thermal insulation. Despite their remarkable insulating properties, silica aerogels are naturally fragile, which limits their use in practical applications.
in the laboratory
Her research explores a new approach to overcoming this weakness by incorporating [2]catenanes—interlocked molecular structures—into silica aerogels to improve their mechanical properties. By combining topology with materials science, the project aims to develop aerogels that retain their outstanding insulation while becoming more mechanically robust.
Transparent silica aerogels could potentially be used as highly efficient insulating materials in applications such as windows, helping reduce energy consumption and contributing to more sustainable technologies.
“I am deeply honored to receive the Hiroshima University Award for Outstanding Female Researchers. This recognition inspires me to continue exploring mechanically adaptive silica aerogels through the incorporation of topological structures, with the goal of developing materials that combine exceptional thermal insulation with enhanced mechanical performance.
I hope this research will contribute to more energy-efficient and sustainable technologies while fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.”
WPI-SKCM² Winter School 2025
Exploring disorder to create the textiles of the future
For Dresselhaus, the award will support her research into disordered textiles—materials that intentionally incorporate irregularity into their structures to create new properties and functions. While conventional textiles are typically based on regular and repeating patterns, her research explores what can happen when structural disorder is introduced by design.
This emerging research direction brings together ideas from hard and soft condensed matter physics, offering a new way to understand and design textile materials. The research could eventually contribute to applications ranging from breathable clothing suited to a warming climate to soft robotics that could improve the lives of people with disabilities.
Beyond textiles, insights gained from studying disordered structures may also contribute to other areas of materials science, including the design of materials for carbon capture.
Reflecting on the long history of textile innovation and the opportunity to contribute to its future, Dresselhaus said:
“Countless women have contributed for thousands of years to the advancement of textile technology. I am grateful for the opportunity to build upon their innovations as a researcher. Thank you to Hiroshima University and to WPI SKCM² for their support and for creating an excellent ecosystem for this research to grow.”
WPI-SKCM² extends its heartfelt congratulations to both researchers on this well-deserved recognition. Their achievements reflect the outstanding research being pursued across the institute and highlight the important contributions of women researchers to the scientific community.
We hope this recognition will further support their research and career development while inspiring other women researchers and the next generation of scientists to pursue their ambitions in science.
