#FaradayPathways Yang Xu, UCL

From studying chemistry as an undergraduate in China, to becoming a lecturer in electrochemical energy storage at UCL, Dr Yang Xu has had an exciting career that has spanned multiple continents. He tells us about his journey and his views on the value of work ethic, modesty, and patience.

Yang’s love of science began in his very first chemistry class at age 15, where he immediately knew this was the field that he wanted to pursue at university. He went on to study the subject at the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei, Anhui, for his undergraduate degree.

“My first interests were in nanomaterials rather than battery materials. That was when I was in the third year of undergraduate. I loved doing experiments and seeing what I could make. I started asking what the nanomaterials I was making could be used for. I asked my colleagues if they had the potential to be used in batteries. They just said you have to try it out, so I tried.”

Yang decided to stay at this same lab for his PhD and chose lithium-ion batteries as his topic. After his PhD, he took the brave step to move to Boston College where he took up a role as a post-doctoral research associate.

“I had lived in the same place for 27 years – I grew up in the same city that I did my undergraduate degree and PhD in. I wanted to go to a place that was as far away as possible from my home. That’s why I applied for postdoc positions in the States and I was lucky enough to get one in Boston.”

Yang’s first postdoc position focused on photo-electrochemistry rather than batteries.

“I’d been studying batteries for six years, and I thought that taking on a different research topic under the same general umbrella of electrochemistry would be helpful, so I took a detour and learnt solar water splitting and photochemistry. I also ended up learning about solid-state physics.”

He then took a second year-long postdoc position at the University of Alberta in Canada, where his research returned to batteries, this time focusing on sodium-ion batteries. Subsequently he made the move from Canada to Europe to work as a Senior Scientist and sub-group leader at the Technical University of Ilmenau in Germany, where he further expanded his battery research to potassium-ion batteries.

“My supervisor was actually in the department of physics, but he had the vision and funding to expend his research profile to energy, specifically batteries. His group didn’t have a track record in that area, but I think that was a good opportunity for me. It gave me a platform to bring my expertise and gradually develop my own independence in the group.”

So, having worked in so many regions of the world, what advice would Yang give early career researchers moving to a new country?

“First, language is a very important thing wherever you go. Before I left China, I didn’t speak a word of English. I had learnt it on paper growing up, but I never spoke it in China. My advice would be to talk to as many people as you can. This allows you to get to know the place that you are going to live in, as well as the people, the city, the environment, and the culture. I used to go to bars in Boston and just talk to random people, and fortunately they were all very kind and patient with me.”

“Also, different countries have different cultures, and that obviously affects how people work and communicate with you. Try stepping out of your own bubble and adapting to the local culture as this can reduce miscommunications and misunderstandings. You won’t always have positive interactions and you should try to be strong and shield yourself from negative comments and bad experiences. Focus on the positives. Try to get the most out of your surroundings.”

Yang moved to UCL in 2019, where he is a lecturer in electrochemical energy storage, and from October, he will take up the role of Associate Professor. He has broad research interests across different battery chemistries and materials sciences, including lithium, sodium, potassium, and calcium, and how they can be used together in hybrid batteries. He has been promoted to an associate professor recently.

In September 2023, Yang joined the Faraday Institution’s CATMAT project as a co-investigator after successfully negotiating the competitive expression of interest process. He will lead research on green and scalable manufacture of lithium-ion battery cathode materials.

“UCL is a really good platform for me. I definitely see UCL as my academic home and I definitely see London as my home.

“One aspiration of my career is to see the energy research community getting more and more diverse in the chemistries that are studied. I believe there is space for battery chemistries other than lithium, such as sodium and potassium. I think sodium ion batteries are a very good example. They are on the edge of being commercialised and widely deployed. There will be a day for potassium to shine. We need a diverse energy research landscape.”

He is passionate about teaching and has built up a group of 7 PhD students and 3 postdocs, who he makes time to meet with 1:1 every week.

“I find supervising very rewarding. Seeing my students progressing makes me feel really motivated, especially when students start from a different background to batteries. By the time students graduate, they have not only achieved something research-wise but have also developed problem solving skills.”

Yang’s approach to supervision has been greatly influenced by his own PhD supervisor, Professor. Yi Xie, a Fellow of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who is the person who has had the most impact on his career to date. He tries to emulate her methods in his own mindset and teaching style.

“She has a brilliant work ethic. She also taught me to be modest. She’s always learning, and the more she learns, the more modest she becomes. From her, I also learned the value of patience. She succeeds because she focuses on what she is doing and she really believes in herself, her vision and her research.”

And looking back, what advice would Yang give to early career researchers looking to secure their first academic position?

“Take solid steps, one at a time. There was an 8-year gap between my PhD and my first independent position at UCL, which is a relatively long time. However, I was really focusing on what I was doing, and I never skipped through things. I’d say if your interest is academic research then be patient, be solid, be grateful, and you will succeed.

“However, looking back, I think I should have been more proactive. I missed opportunities to progress, for instance to apply for fellowships, to go somewhere else for a visiting position or to learn from different people. I would advise postdocs and PhD students to put themselves out there. Don’t be afraid of failures, you can always learn from them.”

#FaradayPathways story written by Nancy Stitt, Science Communications Intern, published September 2023