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Jingguang G. Chen

Jingguang G. Chen is the Thayer Lindsley Professor of Chemical Engineering at Columbia University in the City of New York, with a joint appoint as Senior Chemist at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory. Over the course of his career Chen has made significant contributions to the fundamental understanding and use of novel materials for catalytic and electrocatalytic applications. Central to his research efforts have been the development of bimetallic and transition metal carbide catalysts that eliminate or significantly reduce the loading of expensive precious metals.

Early Life and Education

After earning his B.S. in Chemistry from Nanjing University in 1982, he was selected by the China-USA Chemistry Graduate Program (CGP) for graduate studies in the US.  He received his Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh under the guidance of surface scientist John Yates. During his Ph.D. studies, he investigated the chemistry and physics of aluminum and aluminum oxide surfaces. Chen then became an Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellow at Forschungszentrum-Julich, Germany, where his research under Harald Ibach focused on the chemical and physical properties of surfaces using vibrational spectroscopies.

Professional Career

Upon completion of his postdoctoral position in Germany, Chen went to work for the Exxon Corporate Research Laboratory as a Staff Scientist (1990-1998) and spokesperson for the Exxon U1A Synchrotron Beamline at Brookhaven National Laboratory (1994-1998).  In 1998 he began his academic career at the University of Delaware.  While at Delaware, Chen was named the Claire D. LeClaire Professor of Chemical Engineering (2008) and served several leadership roles including director of the Center for Catalytic Science and Technology (CCST) and director of the University of Delaware Energy Institute (UDEI). In 2012, Chen moved to Columbia University, where he became the Thayer Lindsley Professor of Chemical Engineering. He has also held a joint appointment in the Chemistry Department at DOE’s Brookhaven National Lab since 2012.

             Throughout his career, Chen has made many pioneering contributions to the understanding and development of novel catalytic and electrocatalytic materials. Of particular interest have been bimetallic catalysts, transition metal carbides, ^[5-7] and metal-modified carbide catalysts.^[8-10]  Most notably, Chen and his research group have made many key discoveries relating to monolayer (ML) bimetallic catalysts, which are tunable materials where a single atomic layer (i.e. monolayer) of one metal is deposited on the surface or subsurface of a second material.^[11]  Chen has developed these and other catalytic materials for a wide range of applications, but has been especially interested in developing tunable, low-cost (electro)catalysts for the production and use of clean fuels such as hydrogen (made from water electrolysis),^[12-13] nitrogen-based fuels, ),^[14-15] and methanol or CO (made from CO₂).^[16-19]

             Many of Chen’s research efforts involve a combination of theory and ultra-high vacuum (UHV) surface science tools to gain fundamental understanding of the chemical, physical, and electronic structures of the catalytic materials he studies.  He is also a leader in the application of many X-ray synchrotron techniques, such as X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS) and X-ray absorption Near Edge Spectroscopy (XANES) to better understand the atomic structure of catalytic and electrocatalytic materials.^[19]  As of 2018, Chen’s has been an inventor or co-inventor on over 23 patents and published over 380 peer-reviewed papers (h-index=73).^[20]

             Outside of direct research activities, Chen has also made many contributions to the broader catalysis community. Among these contributions, he was the co-founder and team leader for the DOE’s Synchrotron Catalysis Consortium (2005), chair of the ACS Catalysis Division (2014-2015), President of the North American Catalysis Society (2017-2021), and associate editor of ACS Catalysis.

Awards

• Robert Burwell Lectureship in Catalysis, North American Catalysis Society, 2017
• George Olah Award in Hydrocarbon Chemistry, American Chemical Society,^[21] 2015
• Fellow, American Chemical Society, 2013
• Herman Pines Award in Catalysis, Chicago Catalysis Club, 2011
• Excellence in Undergraduate Advising and Mentoring, University of Delaware, 2011
• Excellence in Catalysis Award, New York Catalysis Society, 2008
• Fellow, American Vacuum Society, 2008
• Catalysis Award of Philadelphia Catalysis Club, 2004
• Alexander von Humboldt Fellow (Germany), 1988 – 1989
• Leybold-Heraeus Award (Leybold-Heraeus Corporation), 1987
• Russell and Siguard Varian Fellow (American Vacuum Society), 1986