Members
Li Research Group (May 2025)
Left to right: Kyle Vogt-Lowell, Dr. Baitang Jin, Christopher Obi, Dr. Yuge Yao, Aaron Frye, Dr. Yuhan Mei, Dr. Mohammadreza Kosari, Ehsanul Hoque, Sam Portillo, Dr. Miao Miao, Seyedamin Razavi, Mahe Rukh, Dr. Andrew Pedersen, Hilal Bektas, Dr. Luke Neal, Dr. Fanxing Li, Casey Killmer, Ibrahim Sultan, Dr. Dennis Chacko
Principal Investigator
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Fanxing Li Thomas M. Clausi Distinguished Professor and University Faculty Scholar B.S. Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University (2001) |
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Visiting Scholars, Senior and Postdoctoral Researchers |
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Luke Neal Research Assistant Professor B.S. Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2003) |
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Yuge Yao Postdoctoral Researcher B.E. Energy and Power Engineering, Tsinghua University (2018) Ph.D. Energy and Power Engineering, Tsinghua University (2023)
Research: “My research focuses on hydrogen production via biomass gasification. I’m working on the design and development of gas-solid flow reactors and redox catalysis.” Hobbies/Interests: Soccer, traveling, and movies |
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Miao Miao Postdoctoral Researcher B.E. Energy and Power Engineering, China University of Petroleum-Beijing (2018)
Ph.D. Energy and Power Engineering, Tsinghua University (2023)
Postdoctoral Researcher, Washington University in St. Louis (2024) Research: “My research focuses on plasma catalysis, energy conversion, fluidized bed combustion, and pollution control.” Hobbies/Interests: Watching videos, sleeping, and fitness workouts. |
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Yuhan Mei Postdoctoral Researcher B.S. East China Normal University (2016) Ph.D. Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University (2021)
Research: “My research interests lie in using ab initio calculations via density functional theory (DFT) to understand and predict fundamental material properties for chemical applications.” |
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Doctoral Students |
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Mahe Rukh PhD Candidate B.Sc. Chemical Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (2017) Research: “My research centers around designing effective multifunctional catalytic sorbents for converting biomass wastes into renewable syngas.” Hobbies/Interests: Playing Kalimba and reading. |
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Aaron Frye PhD Candidate B.S. Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University (2012) Research: “I work on an Eastman project related to oxidative dehydrogenation of alkenyl benzene compounds using tailored perovskite oxides.” Hobbies/Interests: I enjoy video games, disc golf, hiking, cooking and quality time with my wife and dogs. |
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Hilal Bektas PhD Candidate B.S. Chemical Engineering, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey (2021) Research: “I work on thermal energy storage and thermochemical oxygen capture systems.” Hobbies/Interests: Climbing and spending quality time with friends. |
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William Martin PhD Candidate B.S. Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University (2021) Research: “I am working with Sherafghan Iftikhar on methane dry reforming for sustainable syngas production.” Hobbies/Interests: Soccer, frisbee golf. |
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Sam Portillo PhD Candidate B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Arizona (2019) Research: “My research encompasses the development of heterogeneous catalysts for the decomposition of methane to hydrogen and carbon nanotubes. I am specifically interested in exsolvable systems that enable tuning of active metal particle sizes and metal-support interactions.” Hobbies/Interests: Reading, trying new foods, learning/playing piano. |
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Seyedamin Razavi PhD Candidate B.S. Chemical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology (2022) Research: “My research focuses on sorbents for the direct capture of CO2 from ambient air (DAC).” Hobbies/Interests: Soccer, movies, and music. |
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Ibrahim Sultan PhD Candidate B.Sc. Chemical Engineering, University of Engineering & Technology, Lahore (2015) M.Eng. Materials Engineering Science, Osaka University, Japan (2021) Research: “I am working on the process intensification strategies for naphtha cracking for production of valuable chemicals. I am also working on the dehydrogenation process. “ Hobbies/Interests: Cycling, Cooking, Photography, Exploring new places, quality time with my family and friends. |
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Casey Killmer PhD Candidate B.Sc. Chemical Engineering, West Virginia University (2019) Research: “Developing redox-catalysts capable of CO2 capture and O2 donation for energy efficient, sorption-enhanced hydrogen production from biogenic feedstocks.” Hobbies/Interests: Playing soccer, watching football, hiking, and reading. |
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Micah Dickens PhD Candidate and Goodnight Fellow, co-advised by Prof. Michael Dickey B.Sc. Chemical Engineering, University of South Alabama (2023) Research: “I work to understand gallium-based liquid metals for catalysis. This work has multiple applications, such as the dehydrogenation of alkane, CO2 reduction reactions, and the catalytic decomposition of methane. My project is developing more effective synthetic routes for catalytic synthesis and then applying these newly developed catalysts to standard model systems, such as the dehydrogenation of propane.” Hobbies/Interests: Reading (Tolkien and theology), Hiking, Playing Baseball and other sports, and playing Chess. |
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Christopher Obi PhD Student B.Sc. Chemical Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nigeria (2012). Research: “Design and Mechanistic Understanding of Redox-Active Catalysts for Sustainable Energy and Chemical Conversion. Applications of my materials include chemical looping partial oxidation of methane coupled with CO₂ utilization, chemical looping oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene, and electrocatalysts for anode catalysis in proton-conducting solid oxide electrolysis cells.” Hobbies/Interests: Watching soccer, following the news, reading, and talking research. |
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Ehsanul Hoque PhD Student B.Sc. Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. (2023) Research: “Developing catalysts and reactor systems for plasma-enhanced catalytic conversion of CO2 to fuels and value added chemicals.”
Hobbies/Interests: Playing video games, reading novels, exploring new places and food.
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Kyle Peters PhD Student Education: B.Sc. Chemical Engineering, University of South Florida (2025) Research: “Exploring use of modified zeolite catalyst with redox-active material for cracking naphtha to light olefins” Hobbies/Interests: Playing basketball, badminton, and video games |
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Undergraduate Researchers |
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Former Group Members |
Graduate Students |
Just a few places where some of our previous group members have found employment:  |
Postdoctoral Researchers & Visiting Scholars |
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Undergraduate Researchers |
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