An Insightful Conversation with Prof. Jun Chen, Associate Editor of Soft Science

On June 20, 2024, the Editorial Office of Soft Science conducted an online interview with its Associate Editor, Prof. Jun Chen, from the Department of Bioengineering at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), California, USA. In the interview, Prof. Chen discussed his current research and shared his perspectives on the journal's future development.

Prof. Chen introduced his research group's main research directions and key projects, spanning soft matter, condensed matter physics, soft bioelectronics, smart textiles, body area networks, personalized healthcare, and energy and sustainability. He highlighted the role of interdisciplinary approaches in advancing materials science, engineering, and healthcare, and shared his recent work on a self-powered wearable sensing and actuation system based on soft magnetoelasticity.

As Associate Editor, Prof. Chen outlined his expectations for Soft Science, noting that innovation, scientific rigor, and interdisciplinary relevance will be key criteria in manuscript evaluation. He also identified personalized healthcare and smart bioelectronics as important areas of future growth in the field.

Finally, Prof. Chen offered advice to early-career researchers and young scholars entering the field of flexible science, encouraging them to pursue bold ideas, engage in interdisciplinary research, and build a strong foundation for long-term scientific innovation.

Watch the full interview with Prof. Jun Chen:

Interview Questions:

Q1: Could you briefly introduce the current research directions and key projects of your research group?
Q2: As the new Associate Editor of Soft Science, what are your expectations for the future development of the journal? What criteria will you prioritize when selecting manuscripts?
Q3: Your team has recently developed a self-powered wearable sensing and actuation system based on soft magnetoelasticity. Could you elaborate on the design concept of this system and its potential application fields?
Q4: In your opinion, what are the future development trends in the field of bioelectronics? Are there any specific key research directions or hot topics that you are particularly focused on?
Q5: For young scholars entering the field of flexible science, what advice or experiences would you like to share?

About the Interviewee:

Editor: Mirra Du
Language Editor: Catherine Yang
Production Editor: Ting Xu
Respectfully Submitted by the Editorial Office of Soft Science