Feng-Yang Chen

Bio: Feng-Yang grew up in Taiwan, where he earned his Bachelor's degree at National Taiwan University in Chemical Engineering. He went on to complete his Master’s degree at Cornell University and his Ph.D. at Rice University. During his Ph.D., Feng-Yang worked with Prof. Haotian Wang on renewable energy conversion to decarbonize chemical manufacturing, focusing on electrocatalysis for green hydrogen production via water splitting and green ammonia synthesis via nitrate reduction. His work earned him the Riki Kobayashi Doctoral Fellowship and Stanford-Taiwan Science and Technology Hub Fellowship. Feng-Yang’s research interests include electrochemistry, nanomaterial synthesis, and reactor engineering. Outside the lab, he enjoys walking, hiking, and spending time connecting with nature.

Postdoctoral research project: Interfacial Engineering of the Electric Double Layer in Aqueous Systems.  Feng-Yang’s research aims to advance sustainable energy technologies by addressing critical challenges in grid-scale energy storage. Aqueous batteries, known for their environmental safety and cost-effectiveness, offer a promising solution for large-scale renewable energy storage. A key focus of Feng-Yang’s work is understanding and optimizing the electric double layer, a critical interface between solid materials and liquid electrolytes. By designing advanced electrolytes, probing interfacial dynamics in real-time, and employing molecular dynamics simulations, Feng-Yang aims to enhance charge storage and ion transport processes. This interdisciplinary research supports clean energy solutions, from improved battery performance to sustainable chemical production, for a greener future.

Research focus:  Energy Conversion & Storage 

Advisors:  Will Chueh - Materials Science & Engineering  |  Jian Qin - Chemical Engineering