About the PI

Purdue University/Rebecca McElhoeDr. Letian Dou is currently the Paul & Phyllis Fireman Professor of Chemistry at Emory University. Prior to that, he was Charles Davidson Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry (by courtesy) at Purdue University from 2017 to 2025. He obtained his B.S. in Chemistry from Peking University in 2009 working with Prof. Xinhua Wan and Ph.D. from UCLA Materials Science in 2014 working with Prof. Yang Yang (co-advised by Prof. Fred Wudl @UCSB in 2013). From 2014 to 2017, he was a Postdoc Fellow working with Prof. Peidong Yang at the Department of Chemistry, University of California-Berkeley and Materials Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. His research interest includes the synthesis of novel polymers (single crystals, recyclable materials), organic-inorganic hybrid semiconductor materials, nano materials, and related optoelectronic properties and device applications. He has published over 120 papers with more than 28000 citations (H index = 60 as of June 2025). He currently serves as associate editor for Science Advances and Early Career Board for ACS Photonics.

Atwood 430 (office)
Atwood 420-428; Emerson XX (labs)
Department of Chemistry
Emory University
1515 Dickey Dr, Atlanta, GA 30322
Email: letian.dou@emory.edu; dou10@purdue.edu
Tel: (404) 727 6637

Education

University of California, Berkeley
Chemist Postdoc Fellow                                                                         2014-2017
University of California, Los Angeles
Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering                                      2009-2014
Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China
B.S. in Chemistry                                                                                  2005-2009

Awards and Honors

  • Small Young Innovator Award (2025)
  • Hong Kong PolyU Distinguished Lectureship (2025)
  • ACS Photonics Young Investigator Lectureship award (2025)
  • AIChE Nanoscale Sci. & Engr. Forum Young Investigator Award (2024)
  • Humboldt Research Fellowship (2024)
  • Wenner-Gren Foundation Visiting Grant (2024, declined due to schedule conflict)
  • Purdue Seed for Success Acorn Award (2023)
  • College of Engineering Faculty Excellence Award for Early Career Research (2023)
  • Early Career and Emerging Researchers in Physical Chemistry by JPC (2023)
  • Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN) Rising Star Award (2022)
  • AIChE Owens Corning Early Career Award (2022)
  • Ralph W. and Grace M. Showalter Research Trust Award (2022)
  • National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award (2021)
  • Rising Stars of Advanced Materials (2021)
  • Emerging Investigators of Chemical Communications (2021)
  • American Made Solar Prize (2021)
  • Charles Davidson Rising Star Assistant Professorship by Purdue University (2020)
  • College of Engineering Outstanding Teacher (2020)
  • International Association of Advanced Materials Young Scientist Award (2020)
  • Highly Cited Researcher in Cross-Fields (top 0.1%) by Clarivate Analytics (2019-present)
  • Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award (2019)
  • MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35 China (2018)
  • Materials Research Society Graduate Student Awards (2014)
  • UCLA Materials Science Department Award (2014)
  • The Link Foundation Energy Fellowship (2013-2015)
  • Chinese Government Award For Outstanding Students Abroad (2013)
  • Materials Research Society Travel Awards (2013)
  • Student Award by Society of Information Display (SID) – LA Chapter (2011)