应王沿东教授邀请，美国西北太平洋国家实验室（PNNL，Pacific Northwest National Laboratory）的X. Sun 博士于2012年8月7号—8月12号期间来我校进行学术访问及交流活动，在此期间，双方就以下内容展开广泛而深入讨论：The development of third generation advanced high strength steels, with Mn added TWIP steel approach, as well as the different methods in characterizing constituent properties of advanced multi-phase steels. Most importantly, the topics are also related to the possibility of further collaborations between NEU and PNNL in a broader materials science and engineering area.
X. Sun 博士1990年毕业于上海交通大学，1991-1995年就读于美国密歇根大学并获得博士学位， 先后任职于美国巴特尔纪念研究所能源与车辆部（首席科学研究员），美国西北太平洋国家实验室计算数学组（五级科学研究员，项目带头人）。主要从事应用计算力学与材料的研究，研究方向包括：先进高强钢及镁铸件，固体氧化燃料电池，多尺度、多重物理场及多相计算模拟，先进核材料，汽车成型与焊接技术，增强非破坏性评估计算，透明和强化装甲系统的建模与仿真。主要业绩：1. 推动第三代高强度钢计算模拟的发展；2. 成功以多尺度模拟方法研究材料在极端环境中的力学行为；3. 首次将微观尺度模型应用于高强钢的热力学模拟。近期发表论文：
- Gao F, HY Xiao, Y Zhou, R Devanathan, SY Hu, Y Li, X Sun, and MA Khaleel. 2012. "Ab Initio Study of Defect Properties in YPO4." Computational Materials Science 54:170-175. doi:10.1016/j.commatsci.2011.10.005
- Khan A, M Baig, SH Choi, HS Yang, and X Sun. 2012. "Quasi-static and dynamic responses of advanced high strength steels: Experiments and modeling." International Journal of Plasticity 30-31:1-17. doi:10.1016/j.ijplas.2011.08.004
- Ryan EM, W Xu, X Sun, and MA Khaleel. 2012. "A Damage Model for Degradation in the Electrodes of solid oxide fuel cells: Modeling the effects of sulfur and antimony in the anode." Journal of Power Sources 210:233-242. doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2012.02.091
- Shen Y, X Li, X Sun, YD Wang, and L Zuo. 2012. "Twinning and martensite in a 304 austenitic stainless steel." Materials Science and Engineering. A. Structural Materials: Properties, Microstructure and Processing 552:514-522. doi:10.1016/j.msea.2012.05.080
- Tschopp MA, KN Solanki, F Gao, X Sun, MA Khaleel, and M Horstemeyer. 2012. "Probing grain boundary sink strength at the nanoscale: Energetics and length scales of vacancy and interstitial absorption by grain boundaries in a-Fe." Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics 85(6):Article No. 064108. doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.85.064108
- Tschopp MA, KN Solanki, MI Baskes, F Gao, X Sun, and M Horstemeyer. 2012. "Generalized framework for interatomic potential design: Application to Fe-He system." Journal of Nuclear Materials 425(1-3):22-32. doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2011.08.003
- Zhou Y, Z Wang, JL Nie, P Yang, X Sun, MA Khaleel, X Zu, and F Gao. 2012. "Vacancies in fully hydrogenated boron nitride layer: implications for functional nanodevices." Physica Status Solidi. Rapid Research Letters 6(3):105-107. doi:10.1002/pssr.201105513
- Zhou Y, Z Wang, P Yang, X Sun, X Zu, and F Gao. 2012. "Hydrogenated Graphene Nanoflakes: Semiconductor to Half-Metal Transition and Remarkable Large Magnetism." Journal of Physical Chemistry C 116(9):5531-5537. doi:10.1021/jp300164b.