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-------------------------------------------------  News    -------------------------------------------------

May 2025

Congratulations! Qilong has been named one of the “Top 10 Chinese American Outstanding Youth” for 2025.


See details

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April 2025

Xiwei defensed his Preliminary Examination for PhD

Congratulations to him!

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April 2025

Pengfei defensed his Preliminary Examination for PhD

Congratulations to him!

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April 2025

Thanks for the sweetest surprise! Thanks to all our group members!

The cake reads "Congrats to Tenured Prof. Tian Li", with a very cool design — thanks, team!​

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March 2025

It is a girl!!

 

Congratulations and best wishes to Fengyin!

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March 2025

Congratulations to Pengfei Deng on receiving the Bilsland Dissertation Fellowship!

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March 2025

Our start-up company Watex. LLC received support from DOD for enviromental security technology on permafrost!

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Jan 2025

We received Seed Funding for High-Impact Review Papers from School of Engineering! 

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Feb 2025

Congratulations to Matias Alvarado in receiving the Bottomley Research Scholarship

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Sept 2024

Beautiful family of sardines in Monterey Bay Aquarium, taken during the Packard Annual Meeting

"Stronger Together"
 

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May 2024

We showcased our Living Wood in ARPA-E summit-- featuring our co-PI Prof. Eva Haviarova (Director of Wood Research Lab) and Prof. Gemma Reguera (MSU), as well as Xiwei Shan and Dr. Emily Greeson.

 

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June 2024

Tabe joined us with a background in Engineering Education.

Welcome Tabe!

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June 2024

Paula joined us under SURF program! Paula will be working on bio-based adhesives and microbe assisted biomanufacturing. Welcome Paula!

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May 2024

Wenkai received his PhD with an exceptional defense on cellulose innovation for energy and water. Wenkai joined us in 2020 when our group started at Purdue -- thanks for all the hard work and congrats to Dr. Zhu! 

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Jan 2024

Dr. Li was invited to the National Academy of Sciences' Kavli Frontiers of Science symposium

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Jan 2024

Simone joined us under DURI program-- She is co-advised with Tony Dong from Department of Chemistry at Purdue. She worked on upcycling biomass/cellulose waste for fuel!

Welcome Simone!

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Jan 2024

Our work on ambient water harvesting is highlighted on Nature Outlook Water

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Nov 2023

Dr. Li serves as guest editor for npj flexible electronics 

Sustainable Flexible Electronics

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Nov 2023

We were awarded the Ag-Eng Fund 

(Collaboration with Petrus Langenhoven and Lisa Mauer from Colleges of Agriculture)

PI: Tian Li

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Nov 2023

Dr. Li gives a keynote talk on Nature conference - flexible electronics.

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Sept 2023

We were awarded under NSF EFRI Engineered Living Systems

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Pengfei defended his Master Thesis - he is staying with us for PhD. His work uses cellulose as naturally nanostructured channels for ion/electron regulation towards advanced wearable devices.

 

Congrats to Pengfei! 

July 2023

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Dr. Li was selected as one of the ten Moore Inventor Fellow Finalist and received support from Moore Foundation.

May 2023

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One of our senior design team TechStyles was selected as one of the finalist in Malott competition. The team made a sensing shoe insole that can map both friction and pressure. 

April 2023

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Xiwei defended his Master Thesis!

Xiwei is staying with us for PhD. His work focuses on using microbe activities for strengthening natural wood and increaseing carbon negativity.

 

Congrats to Xiwei! 

April 2023

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Our undergraduate researcher, Tanya Sophia Masnyk, received the Bottomley Research Scholarship. Tanya became involved in our work through the Women in Engineering workshop.

Feb 2023

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ARPA E Program Managers visited us

Jan 2023 

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Dr. Li receives the Violet B. Haas Fellowship

Jan 2023 

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Zijian defended his Master Thesis! Zijian is staying at Purdue for PhD with Prof. Yan Gu.

Congrats to Zijian!

Dec 2022

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​ARPA-E grant under HESTIA program

Strong and CO2 Consuming Living Wood

PI: Tian Li

Oct 2022 

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Sony Innovation Research Award

Jun Liu & Tian Li

Oct 2022 

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Wenkai Zhu passed the PhD prelim! Congrats to Wenkai! 

Aug 2021 

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Bottomley Research Scholarship

Undergraduate: Gabriella Schalm

Feb 2022 

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Sai Swapneel Aranke defended her Master Thesis! Sai is staying at Purdue for PhD with Prof. Byron Pipes.

Congrats to Sai! 

Time: Aug.2021. 

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Haythornthwaite Foundation Research Award

PI: Tian Li

Time: Dec.2020. 

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Forbes 30 under 30 Energy

PI: Tian Li

Time: Dec.2018. 

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Dr. Li was interviewed by Nature index

Time: 2020

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Dr. Li was interviewed by Science podcast

Time: 2019

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