Professor, Herbert L. Stiles Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering

• Mid-Career Achievement in Research Award. Iowa State University, 2020
• Mid-Career Achievement in Research Award. College of Engineering, Iowa State University, 2019
• “40 Under 40” award, Midwest Energy News, 2017
• Nanoscale Science and Engineering Forum Young Investigator Award from American Institute of Chemical Engineers, 2016.
• “Rising Star” selected by U.S. Council of Chemical Research, 2015.
• “2014 Emerging Investigators,” selected by Journal of Materials Chemistry A (Materials for Energy and Sustainability) to recognize the very best work from materials chemists in the early stages of their independent career.
• One of the two invited speakers from United States (totally ten worldwide) for Japan Nano 2013 sponsored by Japan National Institute of Materials Sciences and Japan Ministry of Education, 2013
• Air Force Summer Faculty Fellowship, 2010, 2011, and 2012
• DuPont Young Professor Award, 2010
• Miller Fellowship, University of California, Berkeley 2006-2009
• Materials Research Society (MRS) Graduate Student Gold Award, 2005

Work Experience

• 2014-2020; Herbert L. Stiles Professor, Iowa State University.
• 2009-2014; Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University (received an early promotion to tenured associate professor in April 2014).
• 2006-2009; Miller Research Fellow, University of California at Berkeley.

Professional Memberships

• American Chemical Society
• American Institute of Chemical Engineers
• Materials Research Society

• Ph.D. Chemistry, Harvard University, 2006
• B.S. Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, 2001

• Novel 2D transition metal carbide materials for electrochemical and gas phase catalysis.
• Thermal interface materials and thermal transport in nanostructured materials.
• Mechanical properties of metal carbides and high entropy alloys.
• Scalable nanomaterials production and processing; Materials for extreme condition requiring ultra high chemical stability, hardness, and thermal conductivity.
• Thermoelectric based energy harvesting and solid-state cooling; Thermal transport at interface; Thermal transport and storage in phase transition materials.

Research Projects Our group addresses the challenges in bulk nanostructured composite materials. Our research includes the rational design, scalable synthesis, hierarchical assembly, and controlled consolidation of molecular nanostructured materials, elucidation of the fundamental electronic, thermal, catalytic, and mechanical properties of these bulk nanocomposite materials, and exploration of new fundamental science and potential engineering device applications. For details, please visit our group’s website here.