Centre Spotlight | Farewell to Dr Yan Li

This week, we congratulate and farewell Dr Yan Li as she prepares to embark on an exciting new chapter, taking up a faculty position at Nanjing Agricultural University in China.

During her time with COE-CSI, Dr Li’s research has focused on the rational design of advanced carbon-based electrocatalysts for sustainable energy conversion and green chemical production. Her work has explored how the atomic coordination environment, electronic structure and interfacial properties of catalytic sites influence electrochemical reactions, including oxygen reduction, hydrogen peroxide production and nitrogen reduction for ammonia synthesis.

A central feature of Dr Li’s research has been the integration of precisely designed metal-free and single-atom catalysts with advanced operando characterisation and density functional theory calculations. This approach has enabled her to establish relationships between local atomic structures, reaction intermediates and catalytic performance. During her time with COE-CSI, Dr Li has contributed to several collaborative research projects in carbon materials and electrocatalysis, resulting in high-quality publications and a deeper understanding of structure-performance relationships in catalytic systems. She is particularly proud of developing interdisciplinary research approaches that connect catalyst design, advanced characterisation, theoretical calculations and practical electrochemical applications.

Reflecting on her time at COE-CSI, Dr Li said: “Being part of CSI has provided me with an excellent interdisciplinary platform for research, collaboration and professional development. I have had the opportunity to work with researchers from diverse backgrounds and to combine expertise in carbon materials, catalyst design, advanced characterisation and electrochemical engineering. I am especially grateful to Professor Liming Dai, Professor Zhenhai Xia, Professor Rose Amal and all my colleagues and collaborators for their guidance, support and encouragement. The discussions, collaborations and friendships I have developed through the Centre will remain an important part of my research journey.”

Dr Li will next join Nanjing Agricultural University, where she will establish and develop her independent research programme. Her future work will focus on electrocatalytic nitrogen conversion and green ammonia production, with particular emphasis on integrating catalyst design, continuous-flow reaction systems and agricultural applications. She aims to advance decentralised and on-demand nitrogen-fertiliser production powered by renewable energy, helping to bridge fundamental electrocatalysis with sustainable agriculture.

“I sincerely thank everyone in the Centre for their support and friendship. It has been a privilege to be part of the CSI community, and I hope to stay connected and continue collaborating in the future. I warmly welcome my CSI colleagues to visit me in Nanjing.”

Thank you, Dr Li, for your valuable contributions to the Centre. We wish you every success in your new position and in the exciting journey ahead.