Jingguang Chen, the Thayer Lindsley Professor of Chemical Engineering at Columbia University, will deliver a lecture on upgrading carbon dioxide and biogas into value-added products during the Ensor Lecture scheduled for October 28. The event will take place from 12 PM to 1 PM in the senior ballroom of the Compton Union Building on the Pullman campus, preceded by a reception at 10:30 AM.
The conversion of carbon dioxide into useful products is viewed as a significant approach to mitigating carbon emissions, especially as fossil fuels remain prevalent in the energy sector for the foreseeable future. The thermochemical conversion process, which aims to transform carbon dioxide into products like olefins, oxygenates, and carbon nanofibers, relies on hydrogen. In order to achieve a net-negative carbon footprint, this hydrogen must be sourced from water electrolysis rather than hydrocarbon resources.
However, the broad implementation of water electrolysis is challenged by the high costs associated with precious metal electrocatalysts, such as platinum for the hydrogen evolution reaction at the cathode and iridium for the oxygen evolution reaction at the anode. During his lecture, Chen will outline his team”s recent advancements in developing more cost-effective electrocatalysts, as well as their work on converting carbon dioxide and biogas using integrated thermochemical and electrochemical reactors to produce carbon nanofibers.
Chen, who also holds a joint position at Brookhaven National Laboratory, boasts a prolific academic portfolio with over 500 journal publications and more than 20 patents registered in the United States. His research focuses on the fundamental understanding and application of materials like carbides, nitrides, and bimetallic catalysts in the fields of thermocatalysis and electrocatalysis. He has held several notable positions, including chair of the Catalysis Division of the American Chemical Society and president of the North American Catalysis Society. Chen was instrumental in founding and directing the Synchrotron Catalysis Consortium, established with support from the Department of Energy in 2025 to aid catalysis researchers in utilizing synchrotron techniques. He is also a member of the National Academy of Engineering.
The Ensor Lectureship was established through the generosity of David Ensor and his wife, Sara, highlighting their commitment to higher education and the empowerment through learning. David Ensor graduated with a bachelor”s degree in chemical engineering from WSU in 1963 and later earned both his master”s and PhD from the University of Washington. His expertise lies in aerosol and air pollution science, which he has applied to nanotechnology research and the development of international standards as a U.S. delegate to the International Organization for Standardization. After a long career at RTI International, Ensor is also recognized as one of the founding editors of Aerosol Science and Technology and has received multiple accolades, including the White House”s Hammer Award and the Meritorious Service Award from the American National Standards Institute.
