Purdue Chemistry's Qi (Tony) Dong wins DoE Early Career Award

2026-03-16

The U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) is investing in pioneering gas-surface chemistry research led by Assistant Professor Qi (Tony) Dong of the James Tarpo Jr. and Margaret Tarpo Department of Chemistry at Purdue University.

This new funding will support Dong's efforts to develop cutting-edge experimental tools capable of probing and controlling how gas molecules interact with surfaces in real time, interactions that lie at the heart of chemical and materials manufacturing. Understanding these cooperative gas-surface coupling processes is essential for advancing next-generation energy technologies, including fuel synthesis, fertilizer production, and semiconductor fabrication.

"Chemical reactions that create essential materials like fuels, fertilizers, and semiconductors depend on how gas molecules and surfaces work together, but scientists still lack tools to clearly see and control how these interactions unfold in real time," Dong explained. "I will develop new ways to tune and study these fast, dynamic processes, accelerating discoveries that can improve energy technologies and advanced manufacturing."

Dong's research group focuses on fundamental, mechanism-driven studies, work that generates the deep scientific understanding needed to design better processes rather than relying on trial-and-error approaches. The DOE Early Career Award recognizes promising researchers whose work has the potential to significantly advance their fields, and in Dong's case, the award affirms the importance of this foundational approach to enrich fundamental understanding while enabling real-world technological progress.

The DOE funding will enable a new approach capable of controlling multidimensional energy input with high spatial and temporal resolution — allowing Dong's team to study gas-phase reactions and their interactions with surfaces under precisely defined conditions, something not previously possible with existing methods.

"This DOE funding will critically enable the establishment of a new concept and approach capable of controlling multidimensional energy input with high spatial and temporal resolution," Dong said. "It will foster advances in fundamental understanding as well as the discovery of new reaction pathways."

The award will support one graduate student and cover half the salary of a postdoctoral researcher for a period of five years, ensuring the continuity and sustained progress of this new research direction. Both researchers will play leading roles in developing the experimental approach, and the multi-year commitment is expected to engage an increasing number of graduate students and senior researchers over time.

Dong joined Purdue in January 2024 and has quickly assembled a talented team despite the lab not being fully operational throughout its first year.

"I also want to thank my students, who are truly outstanding—highly motivated, talented, and hardworking," Dong said. "Although our lab was not fully operational throughout 2024, they delivered many promising results and made significant progress, providing the preliminary data that led to this award."

Dong credited the Purdue environment with enabling the rapid launch of his research program. "Purdue, and the Tarpo Department of Chemistry in particular, provide an excellent environment for new faculty to grow," he said. "The department offers strong research resources, valuable guidance from senior faculty and mentors, and outstanding student support."

Looking ahead, Dong is excited by the broad potential of the new concept and approach his group is developing. "We foresee many applications in energy conversion and storage, semiconductors, and chemical manufacturing," he said.

Dong also expressed gratitude for the collegial support he has received since arriving at Purdue. "We greatly appreciate the support of the Purdue community. I have received invaluable guidance and advice from colleagues regarding early-stage award applications and have benefited tremendously from their willingness to share experiences. We look forward to future collaborations on campus as we pursue this new research direction."

About Purdue Chemistry

The James Tarpo Jr. and Margaret Tarpo Department of Chemistry is internationally acclaimed for its excellence in chemical education and innovation, boasting two Nobel laureates in organic chemistry, the #1 ranked analytical chemistry program, and a highly successful drug discovery initiative that has generated hundreds of millions of dollars in royalties. Learn more about chem.purdue.edu.

Written by: Alison Harmeson, senior communications specialist for the Purdue University College of Science

Contributors: Qi (Tony) Dong, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry. Photo provided by Qi (Tony) Dong.