(2in) Hydrogen Transfer-Mediated Chemical Transformation and the Coupled Physical Effects

Improving sustainability is essential for the 21st century, which requires chemical and energy transformations. 6 out of 14 Grand Challenges for Engineering identified by the National Academy of Engineering lie in the complexity of these two transformations.One of the fundamental mechanisms is the hydrogen (H) transfer: A–H + B → A + H–B, which represents the coupled ion-electron transfer that is central to energy transfer in natural and artificial systems and increasingly recognized in many areas, including catalysis and materials chemistry.

My research is focused at the intersection of H-transfer-mediated chemical transformation and the coupled physical effects. My overarching research seeks to elucidate the underlying H-transfer mechanisms that give rise to complex physical properties in mechanics, charge transfer, ion transport, and chemical reactions. Conversely, my research aims to manipulate these coupled physical effects to overcome current bottlenecks in efficiency and stability, and then further enrich functionality. My proposed projects tackle several targets outlined by the U.S. DOE Energy Earthshots Initiative, and leverage my expertise at the intersection of catalysis, electrochemistry, and in situ X-ray analytical techniques. Through the years, I’ve successfully implemented a set of multimodal toolkits in studying coupled physical effects at the frontiers of catalysis and energy sciences.

Teaching Interests

In terms of graduate teaching, I have taught physical chemistry, catalysis, and physical characterization techniques. For undergraduates, I can teach these, as well as thermodynamics and chemical research engineering. I have especially enjoyed mentoring students of all backgrounds in active, project-based classes and I would welcome the opportunity to develop new courses, for example, solid-state chemistry. My experience working with mechanical engineering undergraduates and electrical engineering graduates at Stanford taught me just how many invisible rules block further success for many different people. This has awakened my drive to mentor students from all backgrounds and welcome their feedback.