My folks call me "Leo". I was born in Baiyang, a small and quiet town in the southwest of Hubei Province, China, which is characteristic of beautiful mountains and creeks.
I received my bachelor degree in Biochemistry from Hubei University of Technology in Wuhan in 2000. After graduation from the college, I obtained my first job as a salesman for a pesticide company in Wuhan. I traveled to many cities and rural places in Hunan province to sell pesticides and herbicides. Through interactions with local agricultural technicians and farmers, I learned Chemistry is so powerful and practical in making chemicals to help farmers in fighting against pests and weeds in fields. Then I decided to go back to school to pursue a higher academic degree in Chemistry. In retrospect, I would like to say "chemistry found me!"
In 2001, I moved to Dalian University of Technology for my Master degree in Chemistry in Dalian. I joined Professor Licheng Sun (DUT, KTH) and Professor Mei Wang's group to conduct research on organic and organometallic synthesis on Ru based photosensitizers and FeS clusters of the [FeFe] hydrogenase. I graduated in 2004 with the highest honor by receiving the prestigious Dr. Yufen Hou Award from the Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals and the DUT Distinguished Graduate Student Award. One major product out of my Master degree study was the fact I became seriously interested in research. With encouragement from my mentors, I made my decision to go to United States for a PhD degree. Dalian, one of the most beautiful cities in China, brought my wife and me together!
After one year working as a process engineer at TDK Magnetic in China, I received an offer from the Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M Univeristy and then I became a member of Professor Marcetta Darensbourg's group in 2005 Summer. My PhD dissertation research focused on organometallic complexes modeling natural hydrogenases: [NiFe], [FeFe] and [mono-Fe]. In the meanwhile, I got opportunities to learn DFT calculations from Professor Michael Hall, a member of my academic committee. I also developed strong interests into X-ray single crystal diffraction and electrochemistry. Shortly after receiving my PhD degree in 2009 Fall, I became a postdoctoral scholar in the Center for Molecular Electrocatalysis at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. PNNL lab fellows, Dr. Daniel DuBois and Dr. R. Morris Bullock were my academic mentors. In CME, I worked on the development of halfsandwich Fe and Ru electrocatalysts for hydrogen oxidation and production, O2 reduction and N2 reduction. I also had collaborations with PNNL colleagues on developing Ni, Pd, W and Mo based catalysts for energy and chemical transformations and with German scientists (Prof. Wolfgang Lubiz et al) from MPI for Chemical Energy Conversion on advanced magnetic spectroscopic studies of paramagnetic complexes I developed. In 2011, My wife, who is also a chemist by training, and I made a successful collaboration and created a best product ever--our daughter, Sophia!
In 2013, I was promoted as a staff scientist in the Division of Energy and Material Process, Energy and Environmental Directorate at PNNL. As PIs, I led thrusts on developing cost-effective and high energy density Mg-battery energy storage systems and advanced redox flow battery systems, supported by several PNNL LDRD research awards and DOE fundings. Besides efforts in catalysis, my research spread gradually and widely into battery chemistry beyond Mg batteries: Li ion batteries, Li metal batteries (Li-S), fuel cells and more...
In January, 2015, I was offered a position of assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Utah State University, and I took the offer in February. I left PNNL in July--it was a hard feeling to say farewell to my folks at PNNL--no words can truly express my gratitude to all of you. My research group at USU officially kicked off in August. It took a long way to get there and I am extremely thrilled about the new chapter!
I received my bachelor degree in Biochemistry from Hubei University of Technology in Wuhan in 2000. After graduation from the college, I obtained my first job as a salesman for a pesticide company in Wuhan. I traveled to many cities and rural places in Hunan province to sell pesticides and herbicides. Through interactions with local agricultural technicians and farmers, I learned Chemistry is so powerful and practical in making chemicals to help farmers in fighting against pests and weeds in fields. Then I decided to go back to school to pursue a higher academic degree in Chemistry. In retrospect, I would like to say "chemistry found me!"
In 2001, I moved to Dalian University of Technology for my Master degree in Chemistry in Dalian. I joined Professor Licheng Sun (DUT, KTH) and Professor Mei Wang's group to conduct research on organic and organometallic synthesis on Ru based photosensitizers and FeS clusters of the [FeFe] hydrogenase. I graduated in 2004 with the highest honor by receiving the prestigious Dr. Yufen Hou Award from the Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals and the DUT Distinguished Graduate Student Award. One major product out of my Master degree study was the fact I became seriously interested in research. With encouragement from my mentors, I made my decision to go to United States for a PhD degree. Dalian, one of the most beautiful cities in China, brought my wife and me together!
After one year working as a process engineer at TDK Magnetic in China, I received an offer from the Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M Univeristy and then I became a member of Professor Marcetta Darensbourg's group in 2005 Summer. My PhD dissertation research focused on organometallic complexes modeling natural hydrogenases: [NiFe], [FeFe] and [mono-Fe]. In the meanwhile, I got opportunities to learn DFT calculations from Professor Michael Hall, a member of my academic committee. I also developed strong interests into X-ray single crystal diffraction and electrochemistry. Shortly after receiving my PhD degree in 2009 Fall, I became a postdoctoral scholar in the Center for Molecular Electrocatalysis at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. PNNL lab fellows, Dr. Daniel DuBois and Dr. R. Morris Bullock were my academic mentors. In CME, I worked on the development of halfsandwich Fe and Ru electrocatalysts for hydrogen oxidation and production, O2 reduction and N2 reduction. I also had collaborations with PNNL colleagues on developing Ni, Pd, W and Mo based catalysts for energy and chemical transformations and with German scientists (Prof. Wolfgang Lubiz et al) from MPI for Chemical Energy Conversion on advanced magnetic spectroscopic studies of paramagnetic complexes I developed. In 2011, My wife, who is also a chemist by training, and I made a successful collaboration and created a best product ever--our daughter, Sophia!
In 2013, I was promoted as a staff scientist in the Division of Energy and Material Process, Energy and Environmental Directorate at PNNL. As PIs, I led thrusts on developing cost-effective and high energy density Mg-battery energy storage systems and advanced redox flow battery systems, supported by several PNNL LDRD research awards and DOE fundings. Besides efforts in catalysis, my research spread gradually and widely into battery chemistry beyond Mg batteries: Li ion batteries, Li metal batteries (Li-S), fuel cells and more...
In January, 2015, I was offered a position of assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Utah State University, and I took the offer in February. I left PNNL in July--it was a hard feeling to say farewell to my folks at PNNL--no words can truly express my gratitude to all of you. My research group at USU officially kicked off in August. It took a long way to get there and I am extremely thrilled about the new chapter!
