Explore the Nano World 

 Wen's Research Group​

Wen Zhang, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE

Principal Investigator
Professor

Phone: (973) 596-5520 
Fax: (973) 596-5790
Email: wen.zhang@njit.edu

Office Location: Colton Hall 211

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Jianan Gao, a second-year Ph.D. student in the John A. Reif, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, received the 2021 Graduate Student Award in Environmental Chemistry (ENVR) Division of the American Chemical Society (ACS). Supervised by Professors Wen Zhang and Taha Marhaba, Jianan’s research aims to promote the incorporation of greener reactions or separation processes into the novel electrified membrane technologies. In the pursuit of developing low-cost, stable non-precious metal catalysts for effective electrochemical water purification, he incorporates the concepts of sustainability and green chemistry. For example, his first-author and highly cited paper, “Non-precious Co3O4-TiO2/Ti cathode based electrocatalytic nitrate reduction: Preparation, performance and mechanism”, was published in Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, aiming to alleviate the current dependence on palladium-based precious metal materials. This award recognizes graduate students who are working in areas related to environmental chemistry.  The award is based on student transcripts and record of research productivity, a brief discussion of their future goals, and a letter of recommendation from the faculty advisor. The awardees receive cash and membership in the Environmental Division for one year. Jianan Gao’s research significantly contributed to scientific research and environmental science, engineering and multidisciplinary research in material technology and chemistry.

CEE PhD student, Jianan Gao, received the 2021 Graduate Student Award in Environmental Chemistry (ENVR) Division of the American Chemical Society (ACS)