2026 Young Investigator Award
Dr. Ran Tao is an associate materials scientist in the Materials Measurement Laboratory at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Her research advances measurement science for complex materials, with an emphasis on rheology, thermal analysis, and structure–property relationships in polymers, multifunctional composites, and complex fluids. She earned her PhD in Chemical Engineering from Texas Tech University and her BS in Polymer Science and Engineering from Sichuan University.
Dr. Tao develops metrology and materials characterization methodologies that support NIST’s mission to advance measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that strengthen U.S. innovation, industrial competitiveness, and public safety. Her work bridges fundamental materials science with practical measurement needs in advanced semiconductor packaging, additive manufacturing (AM), and safety and security. She collaborates closely with industry, academia, and national laboratories to tackle complex scientific problems and translate rigorous measurement science into tools that lead to real-world impact.
Dr. Tao’s recent research addresses key measurement challenges in polymer-based materials for advanced semiconductor packaging, supporting accelerated R&D and improved manufacturing efficiency for the U.S. semiconductor industry. She develops reproducible rheological protocols and in situ rheo-USAXS capabilities for the characterization and qualification of ceramic AM feedstocks, helping address persistent measurement challenges that limit broader implementation of ceramic AM technology. Earlier at NIST, Dr. Tao developed calibration protocols for orthogonal superposition rheology and, in collaboration with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, established a measurement framework for ballistic witness materials to support future documentary standards for body armor testing.
Her contributions have been recognized with the 2025 NIST Katharine B. Gebbie Young Investigator Award, the 2022 ACS PMSE Young Investigator Award, and the 2024 NATAS Outstanding Service Award. Dr. Tao is co-chair of the Heterogeneous Integration Roadmap Metrology Chapter. She is also a past president of the NIST Chapter of Sigma Xi. During her term, she created and led the chapter’s first virtual Early-Career Poster Presentation at the height of the pandemic, engaging researchers and collaborators across all NIST locations and helping the chapter earn the 2022 Sigma Xi National Chapter of Excellence Award.