CHUANCHENG DUAN

Dr. Chuancheng Duan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Utah. He specializes in sustainable energy technologies, particularly ceramic electrochemical cells and membrane reactors.

Dr. Duan earned his Bachelor's degree in Materials Science from Dalian University of Technology in 2013. He then moved to the United States, where he obtained his Ph.D. in Materials Science from the Colorado School of Mines in 2018. He continued his research as a postdoctoral fellow at the same institution until 2019.

Dr. Duan began his career at Kansas State University (KSU) as an Assistant Professor in 2020. He was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2024. On July 1, 2024, Dr. Duan transitioned to the University of Utah, where he continues his groundbreaking work. He has led research projects with over $6 million in funding from the Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Defense (DOD), NASA, and industry partners.

Dr. Duan's research focuses on developing advanced materials for energy conversion and storage, with a particular emphasis on ceramic electrochemical cells. He aims to lower operating temperatures and enhance the efficiency and durability of these cells. He has published numerous papers in leading journals like Nature, Science, Nature Energy, Joule, Journal of the American Chemical Society, and Energy & Environmental Science.

Dr. Duan has received several awards for his research and teaching excellence, including  U.S. Army DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory Early Career Program (ECP) Award (2024), Colorado School of Mines Young Alumni Award (2024),  Finalist for the 7th International Society for Solid State Ionics Young Scientist Award (2024), Electrochemical Society High-Temperature Energy Materials & Processes Division J. Bruce Wagner Jr. Young Investigator Award (2023), Carl R. Ice College of Engineering Outstanding Assistant Professor Award (2023), Alumni Award for Faculty Excellence in Chemical Engineering (2023), Materials Today Energy Rising Star Award (2022), Rath Research Award (2018), and American Ceramic Society Ross Coffin Purdy Award (2017).

Dr. Duan serves on various committees and is a reviewer for numerous journals and funding agencies, including the DOE, NASA, and NSF. He is also a member of the American Ceramic Society Young Professionals Network Steering Committee and the Electrochemical Society High-Temperature Energy Materials & Processes Division Executive Committee.

Dr. Duan teaches courses such as Advanced Chemical Reaction Engineering and Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics. He mentors many Ph.D. students and postdoctoral researchers, helping them develop their research and professional skills.

Dr. Duan is dedicated to advancing sustainable energy research and education. He can be contacted at his University of Utah email, c.duan@ utah.edu, or through his group’s Materials Research Lab for Sustainable Energy.