Hongyou Fan’s resume displays 20 years of annual awards

Sandia researcher and manager Hongyou Fan has been named a fellow of the American Chemical Society.

He joins only two active Sandia researchers listed as American Chemical Society Fellows: Tina Nenoff, a Sandia Fellow, and Tim Zwier, who was elected a fellow when he was a Purdue University professor.

“Hongyou has been a prolific and first-rate scientific contributor who has been highly effective at converting scientific insights into technological breakthroughs,” said Sandia Climate Change Security Director Rob Leland.

Erik Webb, senior manager for geoscience research and applications, said, “I am thrilled that Hongyou has received this recognition for his outstanding contributions to basic science at the nanoscale. The selection also celebrates his ability to see applications of that basic work across a suite of societally important topics, including electronics, energy and material separations. He continues this research individually and as the leader of our geochemistry department, where he strongly encourages the development of several additional generations of scientists.”

The society recognized Hongyou “for outstanding contributions to the novel design, synthesis, functionalization and integration of nanomaterials leading to innovative applications in nanoelectronics, clean energy, sensor development and photocatalysis.”

It also recognized him “for impactful service in organizing ACS symposia, promoting the Division of Colloid and Surface Chemistry, STEM outreach events, ACS journal publications and the ACS Petroleum Research Fund program.”

“This recognition is a personal honor and undoubtedly a significant milestone in my career,” Hongyou said. “However, this achievement wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering support of Sandia and the collaboration of an exceptional interdisciplinary team.”

Hongyou has received more than an award a year since 2000 when he was presented with the University of New Mexico Outstanding Graduate Student Award and, confirming University of New Mexico’s selection, the Materials Research Society’s Outstanding Graduate Student Award the same year. In 2005, he was presented with University of New Mexico’s Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award.

Focusing more on research, at Sandia he won six R&D 100 awards between 2007 and 2022. He was selected as the Asian American Engineer of the Year in 2012, a fellow of both the Materials Research Society and American Physical Society in 2016, and the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers Career Achievement Award winner in 2022. He serves as an editorial board member for Nature-Scientific Reports, American Chemical Society Applied Nano Materials, and Journal of Physics: Materials.

Hongyou has published more than 140 papers and reports, delivered more than 70 invited talks, holds 21 patents and co-founded Lunano LLC, a company that develops disinfectants to kill viruses, bacteria and fungi, including COVID-19 and various other harmful microbes.