Outstanding Young Researcher Award 2024

 

 

Professor Jian HE graduated summa cum laude with a BS degree from Zhejiang University in China and earned his PhD from The Scripps Research Institute in the USA. After two years of postdoctoral studies at the California Institute of Technology, he joined the University of Hong Kong in 2019 and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry.

 
Professor He’s research interests are at the interface of organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and materials science, with a particular emphasis on developing novel framework- and nanocluster-based catalysts for sustainable organic synthesis. The newly developed heterogeneous catalysts not only offer superior reactivity and recyclability compared with their homogeneous counterparts, but also enable hitherto unavailable reaction types, paving the way for large-scale and diverse chemical production. 

Professor He has published his work in high-profile international journals, including Science, Nature Catalysis, and Nature Communications. He is the recipient of the Croucher Innovation Award in 2021, the Excellent Young Scientists Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2024, and the Asian Core Program Lectureship Awards (Japan and South Korea) in 2024. 

Professor He believes that independence and uniqueness in research are crucial. He always advises his students to seek novelty in project design rather than simply following the work of others. He also feels that a collaborative and supportive working environment is essential for the success of young scientists. While exploring interdisciplinary research directions is challenging, it is also exciting and ultimately enhances researchers’ competitiveness.