Jing Li (chemist) facts for kids

Jing Li (Chinese: 李静) is a highly respected professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Rutgers University in New Jersey, United States. She and her team are like detectives, exploring and creating amazing new materials. Their work focuses on materials that combine different elements, often called solid-state or inorganic materials.

Professor Li's main goal is to design and develop special materials that can help us find renewable and sustainable energy sources. These materials are also used to create a cleaner environment. For example, her team works with metal-organic frameworks and hybrid semiconductors.

Her important research has led to 12 patents, which are like official inventions. She has also published over 460 articles and papers in top science magazines. These include Science Magazine, Nature Communications, and the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Because her work is so important, she was named a Highly Cited Researcher multiple times, in 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, and 2022. This means many other scientists use and refer to her research.

Professor Li's Education Journey

Jing Li started her university studies in China. She then moved to the United States and earned her master's degree from the State University of New York at Albany.

In January 1990, she earned her PhD degree from Cornell University. Her supervisor there was Professor Roald Hoffmann, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1981. After getting her PhD, she continued to work at Cornell for two more years as a postdoctoral researcher. This is a special research position after earning a PhD.

Professor Li's Career at Rutgers

Professor Li joined the faculty at Rutgers University in 1991 as an assistant professor. She quickly moved up the ranks, becoming an associate professor in 1996 and a full professor in 1999. By 2006, she was named a distinguished professor.

Today, her research group at Rutgers is made up of many talented people. This includes postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, visiting scientists, and even undergraduate students. Professor Li has also taught 17 different courses for both undergraduate and graduate students since she started at the university.

Exploring New Materials in Research

Professor Li's research mainly focuses on creating new and useful materials. These materials are very important for developing clean and renewable energy solutions.

Her team works on two main types of materials:

• Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs): These are special materials that can store and separate gases. They are also used to capture carbon dioxide, clean up waste, and detect chemicals. MOFs are even used in energy-efficient lighting. These materials are built from metal parts, like transition metals, and organic parts, like molecules containing carbon and nitrogen.
• Inorganic-Organic Hybrid Semiconductors: These are crystalline compounds that combine both inorganic (non-living) and organic (carbon-based) parts. They are used in devices that work with light and electricity, such as solar panels (photovoltaics) and solid-state lighting. By combining the best features of both inorganic and organic components, these materials have improved properties.

Recognized Achievements and Awards

Jing Li has received many awards and honors for her excellent work in science. Some of these include:

• Henry Rutgers Research Fellow, Rutgers University, 1991–1993
• Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar, The Camille & Henry Dreyfus Foundation, 1994–1998
• Presidential Faculty Fellow, The National Science Foundation, 1995–2000
• NSF CAREER Award, The National Science Foundation, 1995
• The Board of Trustees Fellowship for Scholarly Excellence, Rutgers University, 1996
• Outstanding Achievement Award, Chinese Association of Science and Technology, US, 2002
• The U.S. Clean Energy Education and Empowerment (C3E) Award, The Department of Energy, 2012
• Elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 2012
• The Humboldt Research Award (Humboldt Prize), Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, 2013
• Board of Trustees Award for Excellence in Research, Rutgers University, 2013
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, The Royal Society of Chemistry, 2015