2007-2011：Jilin University, China, BS in Chemistry

2011-2017：Stanford University, USA, PhD in Chemistry (Advisor: Prof. Michael D. Fayer)

2017-2021: Postdoctoral Researcher with Prof. A. Paul Alivisatos

Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley; Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

2021-2023: Postdoctoral Researcher with Prof. Wei Xiong

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego.

2023-now: Tenure-track Associate Professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; jointly affiliated at Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study.  

In chemical research, the hidden processes and variables often outnumber those that can be directly observed. New observational methods are expected to reveal new chemical phenomena or allow us to test existing knowledge. Our research group is committed to developing and applying novel techniques to observe and measure complex microscopic chemical dynamics in condensed phases. Current research can be divided into two aspects: 1) Ultrafast infrared spectroscopy; 2) Novel optical microscopy techniques based on ultrafast infrared spectroscopy methods. The vibrational spectroscopy corresponding to the mid-infrared range contains a wealth of chemical information and is sensitive to molecular structure and chemical environment. We use femtosecond infrared pulses to directly measure the dynamics of ultrafast processes such as charge transfer, energy relaxation, hydrogen bond rearrangement, and conformational flipping occurring within condensed chemical systems. The nonlinear spectroscopic techniques we employ include pump-probe techniques, transmission and reflection two-dimensional infrared vibrational echo spectroscopy, etc. In addition to ultrafast time-resolved spectroscopic studies, a major effort in the group now is to develop novel infrared-encoding fluorescence microscopy techniques that contain spectral information to observe and understand the dynamic behavior of complex chemical systems.

Some of the representative techniques include:

1. Multi-Dimensional Widefield Infrared-encoded Spontaneous Emission Microscopy, MD-WISE

2. Reflection-mode Ultrafast Two-dimensional Infrared Vibrational Echo Spectroscopy, R-2D IR

Selected Publications:

1. “Multidimensional Widefield Infrared-Encoded Spontaneous Emission Microscopy: Distinguishing Chromophores by Ultrashort Infrared Pulses”

Chang Yan*, Chenglai Wang, Jackson C. Wagner, Jianyu Ren, Carlynda Lee, Yuhao Wan, Shizhen E. Wang, and Wei Xiong*

J. Am. Chem. Soc., 146, 1874-1886 (2024)

2. “Facet-selective Etching Trajectories of Individual Semiconductor Nanocrystals”

Chang Yan, Dana Byrne, Justin C. Ondry, Axel Kahnt, Ivan A. Moreno-Hernandez, Gaurav A. Kamat, Zi-Jie Liu, Christian Laube, Micelle F. Crook, Ye Zhang, Peter Ercius, and A. Paul Alivisatos*

Sci. Adv. 8 (32), eabq1700 (2022)

3. “Uncovering the Role of Hole Traps in Promoting Hole Transfer from Multi-Excitonic Quantum Dots to Molecular Acceptors”

Chang Yan, Daniel Weinberg, Dipti Jasrasaria, Matthew A. Kolaczkowski, Zi-jie Liu, John P. Philbin, Arunima D. Balan, Yi Liu, Adam M. Schwartzberg, Eran Rabani*, and A. Paul Alivisatos*

ACS Nano, 15, 2281-2291 (2021)

4. “Water Dynamics in Polyacrylamide Hydrogels”

Chang Yan, Patrick L. Kramer, Rongfeng Yuan and Michael D. Fayer*

J. Am. Chem. Soc., 140, 9466-9477 (2018)

5. “Ultrafast to Ultraslow Dynamics of a Langmuir Monolayer at the Air/Water Interface Observed with Reflection Enhanced 2D IR Spectroscopy”

Chang Yan, Joseph E. Thomaz, Yong-Lei Wang, Jun Nishida, Rongfeng Yuan, and Michael D. Fayer*

J. Am. Chem. Soc., 139, 16518-16527 (2017)

6. “Water of Hydration Dynamics in the Minerals Gypsum and Bassanite: Ultrafast 2D IR Spectroscopy of Rocks”

Chang Yan, Jun Nishida, Rongfeng Yuan, and Michael D. Fayer*

J. Am. Chem. Soc., 138, 9694-9703 (2016)

7. “Unraveling the Dynamics and Structure of Self-Assembled Monolayers on Gold Using Reflection 2D IR Spectroscopy and MD Simulations”

Chang Yan, Rongfeng Yuan, William C. Pfalzgraff, Jun Nishida, Lu Wang, Thomas E. Markland*, and Michael D. Fayer*

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 113, 4929-4934 (2016)

• Stanford Graduate Fellowship supported by the Hewlett-Packard - 2014

• PHYS Division Young Investigator Award, American Chemical Society - 2023

Positions Available: At this stage, we regularly recruit 1-2 PhD or master students each year. We welcome students and postdoctoral applicants who are enthusiatic about experimental physical chemistry, spectroscopy, imaging, and inventing new ways for 'seeing' chemistry.