Assistant Professor Xianbiao Fu from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering has been selected as a finalist for the Dream Chemistry Award 2025, a highly competitive and internationally recognised distinction that honours early-career scientists with exceptional scientific vision and transformative potential in chemistry. The recognition consisted of a commemorative diploma and EUR 1000.
The Dream Chemistry Award is jointly established by the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IOCB Prague) and the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IPC PAS). Notably, some previous winners and finalists have been drawn from the world’s leading research universities, such as MIT, Oxford, Cambridge, and Harvard. This positions the Dream Chemistry Award at a comparable benchmarking level to other globally recognised early-career distinctions, underscoring its strong academic standing and high selectivity.
Dr. Fu was recognised for his research vision entitled “Electrochemical N2 Activation for Sustainable Ammonia Synthesis: Enabling the Agriculture-to-Energy Transition.” The project aims to develop fundamentally new electrochemical routes for nitrogen activation and ammonia production powered by renewable electricity. By enabling decentralised, low-carbon, and on-demand ammonia synthesis, this research seeks to redefine ammonia not only as a fertiliser for sustainable agriculture but also as a carbon-free energy carrier bridging chemical manufacturing and renewable energy systems.
“This project represents my long-term chemistry dream,” said Dr Fu. “By reimagining ammonia synthesis through electrochemistry, I aim to create a platform that simultaneously supports sustainable food production and enables large-scale renewable energy storage and transport.” This vision closely aligns with a recent review article from the Catalysis and Electrosynthesis Group, led by Assistant Professor Fu, on ammonia as a renewable energy carrier from synthesis to utilisation, published in Nature Reviews Clean Technology. Together, this international recognition highlights the growing visibility of Assistant Professor Fu’s research and reflects NUS MSE’s continued engagement in research on sustainable electrosynthesis, green ammonia synthesis, and low-carbon energy-related catalysis.
