Academic Profile : Faculty
Asst Prof Leow Wan Ru
Nanyang Assistant Professor, School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology
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Leow Wan Ru is a Nanyang Assistant Professor (NAP) and Singapore National Research Foundation (NRF) Fellow. Concurrently, she is a Principal Scientist in the Institute of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment (ISCE2), A*STAR. Her research group focuses on electro/photo-chemical upgrading of small molecules, as well as the electrochemical valorization of CO2 and alternative feedstocks. Her research pursuits involve the development of catalysts and conditions to enable challenging chemical transformations, understanding the dynamic reaction environment, and systems engineering for efficient performance. This will contribute an overall reduction in CO2 emissions and promote sustainability.
Prior to that, Wan Ru was a postdoctoral fellow working with Professor Edward Sargent in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto. She received her Ph.D. in 2017 from the School of Materials Science and Engineering Nanyang Technological University, under the supervision of Professor Chen Xiaodong.
Prior to that, Wan Ru was a postdoctoral fellow working with Professor Edward Sargent in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto. She received her Ph.D. in 2017 from the School of Materials Science and Engineering Nanyang Technological University, under the supervision of Professor Chen Xiaodong.
• Electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR)
• Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER)
• Electro/photocatalytic transformation of small molecules
• Biomass valorization.to useful commodities
• Development of new electro/photocatalyst materials and characterization
• Fundamental investigations through operando spectroscopy, i.e., Raman or X-ray absorption spectroscopies
• Device engineering and optimization
• Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER)
• Electro/photocatalytic transformation of small molecules
• Biomass valorization.to useful commodities
• Development of new electro/photocatalyst materials and characterization
• Fundamental investigations through operando spectroscopy, i.e., Raman or X-ray absorption spectroscopies
• Device engineering and optimization
- Controlling the local reaction environment in CO2-to-chemicals electrolyzers via interoceptive chemomechano-sensors
- Battery-analogue electrolyzers for simultaneous upstream CO2 reduction to feedstocks and downstream upgrading to high-value chemicals
- Developing a self-optimizing platform for green H2/chemical production via embedded soft sensor networks
- Photoelectrocatalytic:mediator strategies towards emissions-free e-refining of chemicals
Awards
MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35 Asia Pacific, 2024
National Research Foundation (NRF) Fellowship, 2024
L’Oreal-UNESCO for Women in Science Singapore, 2023
Singapore National Institute of Chemistry-Prof Lee Soo Ying Early Career Research Award, 2021
Postgraduate Research Excellence Award, NTU, 2017
NTU President Graduate Scholarship, NTU, 2012
National Research Foundation (NRF) Fellowship, 2024
L’Oreal-UNESCO for Women in Science Singapore, 2023
Singapore National Institute of Chemistry-Prof Lee Soo Ying Early Career Research Award, 2021
Postgraduate Research Excellence Award, NTU, 2017
NTU President Graduate Scholarship, NTU, 2012
Courses Taught
CM4063 Nanoscience and Nanotechnology