Zipeng Guo

Where are you from?

I'm originally from Beijing, China.

Why did you choose UB?

I came to the UB industrial and systems engineering department because of its high-ranking and well-known reputation in industrial engineering. ISE has wide research areas led by outstanding faculty. 

What do you like most about engineering at UB?

The people and the research resources. The faculty and staffs are kind and very supportive. And there are lots of shared labs and instruments provided by the engineering school. I (or any SEAS students) can use these resources to conduct research. 

What is your favorite place on campus?

I like going to libraries in Lockwood and Capen Hall. It's the perfect place for studying, as well as discussing projects with teammates. 

What are you working on right now?

Currently, I'm working with my advisor, Dr. Chi Zhou, on developing novel 3D printing processes and fabricating functional materials. Our 3D-printed multi-scale and multi-functional objects can be further developed for organ transplantation, thermal insulation materials, energetic materials, energy absorbers, etc.

What have you done that you are most proud of?

The project that I'm most proud of is the 3D printing of artificial organs. We designed and developed a novel 3D printing technique called FLOAT. Using FLOAT, we are able to fabricate the centimeter-sized artificial organs for around 10 minutes. The 3D-printed organs have high accuracy and biocompatibility, and they can be further developed for the production of artificial tissues and organ transplantation. Being an engineer, I am proud to be able to solve real-world challenges and contribute to life sciences. 

Another thing is during the COVID shutdown back in the spring of 2020, we transferred our experimental works back home. Since we are working in the 3D printing process, which can rapidly produce customized structures, we designed the face shield structures and used 3D printers to fabricate more than 100 face shields. These face shields were delivered to local hospitals and clinics at the neediest time.

What are you passionate about?

Developing skills and advancing knowledge. And I also enjoy traveling.

Has there been a particular faculty or staff member that has been formative during your time at UB, and how so? 

Yes, that's my PhD advisor Dr. Chi Zhou. I've been working with Dr. Zhou on the research works for the last five years. He's very knowledgeable and has a creative vision in additive manufacturing, which is our research area. He has influenced me a lot in being a researcher and a kind person. Together, we've created lots of meaningful research outcomes, and we published more than 10 research papers. I'd also like to mention Dr. Shenqiang Ren and Dr. Jason Armstrong from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering for their great guidance and support on my dissertation.

What are your future plans?

After graduating from the Ph.D. program, I want to pursue my career in academia and continue working on additive manufacturing. 

What is your advice for prospective students?

Explore opportunities outside the classrooms. UB and SEAS create an exclusive environment for students to improve and shape themselves. You can find dedicated programs (such as the engineering management program) to learn management skills. You can join labs to conduct research. Keep the momentum going on and explore the unknowns of yourself. 

Zipeng Guo received the Dean's Graduate Achievement Award in 2022.