Current Members
Dr. Xin Zhang
Senior Research Fellow
E-mail: zhangx5[at]sustech.edu.cn
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Xin joined the group in Sept 2020 as a postdoc and has been a senior research fellow since Dec. 2022. Prior to this, he received his B.Sc. degree in Chemistry in 2015 from Lanzhou University, China. He then spent five years at Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry (Chinese Academy of Sciences) pursuing a Ph.D. degree in Organic Chemistry under the supervision of Prof. Zheng Huang, where he focused on design, synthesis, and application of pincer iridium and ruthenium complexes. Upon graduation, he turned his attention to synthetic molecular inorganic chemistry using spectroscopic methods, single-crystal X-ray diffraction as well as computational modeling. Outside the lab, he enjoys reading books and running.
Dr. Jiancheng Li
Senior Research Fellow
E-mail: lijc3[at]sustech.edu.cn
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Jiancheng joined the group in Sept 2020 as a postdoc and has been a senior research fellow since Feb. 2023. Before this, he obtained his B.Sc. degree in Chemistry at Hunan Normal University (2012). Then he completed his Ph.D. degree in Physical Chemistry under the supervision of Prof. Hongping Zhu at Xiamen University (2019), where he subsequently spent one more year as a research assistant (2019-2020). From Oct 2017 to Jan 2019, he worked in the Prof. Herbert W. Roesky group at Göttingen University sponsored by the fellowship of China Scholarship Council (CSC). He has been interested in the synthesis and reactivity of novel low-valent main group compounds, involving silylene, germylene, aluminum-containing species.
Xiaofang Lan
Ph.D. Student (2023) (Master Student 2021)
E-mail: 12331076[at]mail.sustech.edu.cn
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Xiaofang joined the group in June 2021. She is from Hezhou, Guangxi. She graduated from Southwest Minzu University with a major in Applied Chemistry in 2021. Under the supervision of Prof. Xuefeng Li, she probed the chemistry of a series of bridged ring compounds via tandem reaction of functionalized vinylogous nucleophiles. She likes playing table tennis and reading novels.
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Xin-Feng Wang
Ph.D. Student (2021)
E-mail: 12149046[at]mail.sustech.edu.cn
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Xinfeng joined the group in July 2021. He was born in Jieyang, Guangdong, China. He received his B.S. degree from Hanshan Normal University in 2014, and then continued his postgraduate study and completed a M.S. degree at Sun Yat-Sen University (SYSU) in 2016 under the guidance of Prof. Jiyan Pang. After a short work as an admission office staff in Nanfang college of SYSU, he joined Prof. Chuangchuang Li's group at SUSTech as a research assistant in Oct 2017, focusing on the total synthesis of natural products. Outside the lab, billiards and music are two favorite choices.
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Hongyu Wang
Ph.D. Student (2022)
E-mail: 12231219[at]mail.sustech.edu.cn
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Hongyu joined the group in July 2022. She comes from Tangshan, Hebei. She obtained B.Sc. degree from Zhejiang University of Technology in June 2022 under the supervision of Prof. Liqun Jin. Hongyu is interested in interesting structures and their amazing reactivity. Outside the lab, she enjoys reading and sleeping.
Zhihao Lu
Master Student (2023)
E-mail: 12332758[at]mail.sustech.edu.cn
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Zhihao joined the group in Sept 2021 as an undergraduate researcher and has been a graduate student from Sept 2023. He was born in Shanghai and now studying chemistry under the guidance of Prof. Liu. He is interested in new chemistry discovery and likes watching movie and playing Taekwondo in spare time.
Dr. Xue-Yi He
Post-doctoral Scholar
E-mail: hexy[at]sustech.edu.cn
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Xue-Yi joined the group in Feb 2023. He received his B.Sc. degree in Chemistry in 2017 from Wanjiang College of Anhui Normal University. At the end of 2022, he graduated from University of Science and Technology of China, with a Ph.D. degree in Organic Chemistry (with Prof. Zhong-Xia Wang). His Ph.D. work was centered on transition metal catalysis that involves the activation and ensuing conversion of carbon-oxygen bonds or carbon-nitrogen bonds. Xue-Yi is interested in transition metal complexes and their abilities for small-molecule activation and catalysis. Outside the lab, he enjoys running and traveling.
Ye Chen
Master Student (2024)
E-mail: 12432104[at]mail.sustech.edu.cn
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Ye joined the group in September 2023 as a visiting student and has been a master student from 2024. He was born in Qiqihar, Heilongjiang province. In 2020, he was accepted into Jilin University and began his studies in the chemistry section of the Tang Aoqing Honors Program. As such, he is currently a senior (4th-year undergraduate student) at JLU. His participation in the Chinese Chemistry Olympiad (CChO) during his senior high school years spurred a deep interest in coordination chemistry and elemental chemistry. He remains captivated by the intricate structures and electron configurations of many coordination compounds. This passion drove him to join the group, eager to personally engage in the design, synthesis, purification, and characterization of these mesmerizing molecules. Outside of the lab, Ye enjoys playing Minecraft, with a particular fondness for the technical aspects of the game. If everything goes according to plan, he intends to commence his graduate studies in this group after August 2024.
Zhiqing Liu
Undergraduate Student
E-mail: liuzq2021[at]mail.sustech.edu.cn
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Zhiqing first met Prof. Liu in September 2021 and officially joined the group in August 2023 due to course scheduling. Born in Yueyang, Hunan, he completed his high school studies at Changjun High School in Changsha, Hunan. During his school years, he competed in the Chinese Chemistry Olympiad (CChO), where his passion for elemental chemistry was ignited. He was proud to secure the first prize in the 34th CChO's preliminary contest. Today, under Prof. Liu's mentorship, Zhiqing is excited to delve further into the captivating world of chemistry. Outside of his academic pursuits, Zhiqing is a social enthusiast, actively involved in various student organizations on campus. He has a passion for breaking (a form of street dance), drumming, watching films, among other interests. Eager to embrace new experiences, Zhiqing continually seeks out challenges.
Qian-Yi Ma
Visiting Undergraduate Student (2024)
E-mail: mqy210282[at]mail.ustc.edu.cn
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Qian-Yi joined our group in July 2024 as a visiting student. Born in Zhaotong, Yunnan Province, he demonstrated a profound interest in chemistry from an early age. During his study in senior high school, Qian-Yi participated in the Chinese Chemistry Olympiad (CChO) on two occasions, securing bronze medals each time and displaying a keen interest in inorganic structures and elemental chemistry. In August 2021, he was admitted to the University of Science and Technology of China. He commenced his focused academic study under the mentorship of Prof. Bin Xiao in March 2023, with a research emphasis on germylene. Qian-Yi treasures his extensive collection of chemical elements, regarding them as his most prized possessions. His hobbies are as diverse as his academic interests; he enjoys singing, running, swimming, and delving into geography. He is also passionate about learning languages, currently pursuing proficiency in German and Norwegian. Driven by a deep-seated belief that "the Earth is a book that must be read with one's footsteps," Qian-Yi aspires to travel globally, embracing the rich tapestry of cultures and landscapes our world has to offer.
Dr. Cong-Cong Shu
Post-doctoral Scholar
E-mail: shucc[at]sustech.edu.cn
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Cong-Cong joined the group in August 2024. He earned his B.Sc. degree in Materials Physics from China University of Petroleum (East China) in 2018. In June 2024, he obtained his Ph.D. in Materials Physics and Chemistry from Nankai University under the guidance of Prof. Zhong-Ming Sun, focusing on the synthesis of lead clusters. Cong-Cong is particularly interested in the geometric and electronic structures of main group compounds. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball and watching movies.
Haoxiang Nong
Master Student (2024)
E-mail: 12432148[at]mail.sustech.edu.cn
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Haoxiang is from Nanning, Guangxi. He studied Chemistry at Guangxi Normal University from 2020 to 2024. In 2024, he scored 384 on his UNGEE and joined the Southern University of Science and Technology. He is passionate about main-group and coordination chemistry and enjoys figuring out reaction mechanisms using theoretical calculations. When faced with unknown reactions, he likes to think independently and suggest possible pathways, testing his ideas through experiments or theoretical models. In his free time, Haoxiang enjoys singing, listening to music, running, and playing badminton. He believes that the real competition in life is with oneself, and true success comes from overcoming your own limits.
Dr. Fei Fan
Post-doctoral Scholar
E-mail: fanf[at]sustech.edu.cn
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Fei Fan joined the group in October 2024. He received his B.Sc. degree from Guangxi Minzu University in 2015 and earned his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Sichuan University in 2022, under the guidance of Professors Meiming Luo and Xiaoming Zeng. His doctoral research focused on the chromium-catalyzed functionalization of inert C-Heteroatom/C-H bonds, exploring the remarkable capabilities of transition metal complexes in catalyzing new reactions. Outside of his professional interests, Fei enjoys reading and traveling.
Jielin Huang
Master Student (2024)
E-mail: 12432087[at]mail.sustech.edu.cn
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Jielin joined the group in August 2024. She comes from Guangzhou, Guangdong, and holds a B.Sc. in Chemistry from Southern China Normal University. She continues her exploration of the mysteries of chemistry at SUSTech and GBU under the mentorship of Professors Liu and Mei. Passionate about molecular structures and design, Jielin enjoys listening to music and sleeping in her leisure time.
Yuhao Du
Undergraduate Student (2023)
E-mail: 12313106[at]mail.sustech.edu.cn
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Yuhao joined Prof. Liu's group in 2024 after being deeply attracted by the elegance and creativity of main group chemistry. Born and raised in Shenzhen, he graduated from Shenzhen Middle School, where he spent most of his high school time studying for Chemistry Olympiad. Strong passion and hard work paid off, earning him a first prize in the Chinese Chemistry Olympiad (CChO) preliminary contest, as well as a gold medal in the UKChO. Now under Prof. Liu's guidance, Yuhao is eager to research further into the infinite possibilities of main group chemistry, focusing on low-valent main group compounds with novel electronic structures. Outside the lab, he is also pursuing his interests in multiple fields including linguistics, which he had earned a gold medal in the International Linguistics Olympiad China, and magic, as he is currently vice president of the school's magic society. In his free time he also enjoys playing table tennis, watching and playing soccer, as well as reading and traveling.
Junjie Tang
Undergraduate Student (2023)
E-mail: 12312928[at]mail.sustech.edu.cn
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Junjie joined Prof. Liu's research group in 2024 after being captivated by the unique and diverse structures of main group element compounds discussed in Prof.Liu's Elemental Organic Chemistry class. A native of Wuhan, Hubei, Junjie graduated from the First Middle School Affiliated to Central China Normal University. During high school, he joined the chemistry study group and developed an interest in exploring electronic structures of diverse compounds with fundamental theories. This dedication earned him a silver medal in the 36th China Chemistry Olympiad (CCHO) final. Today, Junjie is eager to enhance his research skills under Prof. Liu's mentorship, aiming to synthesize novel compounds and explore innovative ideas. Outside the lab, Junjie enjoys playing badminton, reading about history, and aspires to develop an independent computer game.
Dr. David A. Ruiz
Affiliated Researcher
E-mail: druiz[at]behr.com
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David joined the group in Oct 2021. He is a Group Leader in the Applied Research group at Behr Paint Company. In his current role, David leads several projects with the support of various team members focusing on exploratory and innovative technologies to enhance current offerings or develop new product platforms. He previously worked on Behr’s most technologically advanced interior and exterior paint lines, formulating several upgrades to their performance. Prior to Behr, he earned a Ph.D. in chemistry with an emphasis on small molecule isolation from the University of California, San Diego under Distinguished Professor Guy Bertrand. He was raised in Southern California, but most of his family resides in central Mexico where he visits yearly. Outside of visiting Mexico, he enjoys traveling the world and national parks.
Qianwen Fang
Secretary
E-mail: fangqw[at]mail.sustech.edu.cn
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Qianwen joined the group in Sept 2020. She received her B.Sc. degree from Shenzhen University in 2013. Following graduation, she worked in a few private companies, in which she was primarily responsible for event organization and provided administrative support and project management. When not in the lab, she enjoys reading books and climbing mountains.
Alumni
Dr. Chaopeng Hu; Senior Research Fellow/Post-doctoral Scholar (2022-2025); Post-doctoral Scholar with Prof. Matthias Driess at Technische Universität Berlin
Dr. Qiuming Liang; Visiting Professor (2023-2024); Assistant Professor (PI, tenure-track) at Great Bay University
Dr. Mo Liu; Post-doctoral Scholar (2023-2024).
Tinghui Zhen; Master Student (2023-2024)
Dr. Mian He; Post-doctoral Scholar (2022-2024).
Chi Zhang; Visiting Student (2023); Graduate study at California Institute of Technology (Caltech).
Dr. Yanbo Mei; Research Assistant Professor/Post-doctoral Scholar (2020-2023); Assistant Professor (PI, tenure-track) at Great Bay University
Dr. Rui Wei; Senior Research Fellow/Post-doctoral Scholar (2020-2023); Post-doctoral Scholar with Prof. Didier Bourissou at the Université de Toulouse
Xinyu Zhang; Master Student (2022)
Zeen Yan; Master Student (2021)
Shaoying Ju; Research Assistant (2020-2021); RA with Profs. Doug Stephan and Yile Wu at Ningbo University
Chenyang Hu; Research Assistant (2020-2021); Graduate study with Prof. Jose Goicoechea at University of Oxford
Gongping Zhang; Research Assistant (2020-2021)