Argonne postdoctoral researcher’s use of the Advanced Photon Source to study additive manufacturing and materials science exemplifies award’s spirit

By Andre Salles | April 14, 2025

The award spotlights important scientific or technical accomplishments made at (or beneficial to) the APS.

Lin Gao, a postdoctoral researcher in the Nuclear Science and Engineering division at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory, is the recipient of the 2025 Rosalind Franklin Young Investigator Award. 

The award is given annually by the user organization of the Advanced Photon Source (APS), a DOE Office of Science user facility at Argonne. It recognizes important scientific or technical accomplishments made at (or beneficial to) the APS by a young scientist. The award is named after Rosalind Franklin, a chemist who played a critical — but largely unacknowledged — role in the discovery of the structure of DNA.

“It has been an incredible experience at the APS, where I have had the privilege of using state-of-the-art characterization techniques and collaborating with many exceptional scientists.” — Lin Gao, Argonne National Laboratory

Gao received the award for his work in additive manufacturing, specifically his research on wire-feed laser directed energy deposition processes. For this work, Gao used the APS to study laser-melted additive manufacturing as it happened, revealing the intricate effects of wire melting states on the microstructure of a particular material as it solidified. The insights gained through this experiment have implications for industries reliant on large-scale metallic parts, such as those found in the nuclear and aerospace sectors. 

Gao’s work was published in the International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture in January 2024. 

Gao was nominated for the award by APS beamline scientist Andrew Chuang, who had this to say: ​“Dr. Gao exemplifies the qualities of a rising young investigator. His collaborative spirit and ability to communicate complex scientific concepts have made him a valuable mentor to graduate students and a respected colleague among his peers. His dedication to advancing both science and practical applications aligns perfectly with the spirit of the Rosalind Franklin Young Investigator Award.”

Gao received his doctorate in materials science at the University of Virginia. He will give a talk as part of the APS and Center for Nanoscale Materials (CNM) Users Meeting on Monday, May 5. CNM is another DOE Office of Science user facility at Argonne.

“It has been an incredible experience at the APS, where I have had the privilege of using state-of-the-art characterization techniques and collaborating with many exceptional scientists,” Gao said. ​“At the APS, synchrotron techniques are employed to bridge critical knowledge gaps across various fields, and the complex scientific challenges we encounter, in turn, drive the ongoing advancement of synchrotron techniques.”

“Through this experience, I have come to realize that posing a compelling scientific question and fully understanding the potential of our tools are equally crucial,” Gao added. ​“This insight has not only shaped my research at the APS but has also profoundly influenced my broader research philosophy.”