Ohio State professor of chemical engineering awarded inaugural Agostini Prize

Liang-Shih Fan, Distinguished University Professor and C. John Easton Professor in Engineering in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, is the first recipient of the Pierre Agostini Prize at The Ohio State University. Fan’s research focuses on creating cleaner, more efficient ways to produce energy, fuels and chemicals while reducing pollution.

The prize is Ohio State’s most prestigious honor for scholarly and artistic achievement. It is awarded annually to a faculty member whose research or creative work is recognized by peers as so groundbreaking and influential that it deserves to be called “world-class” and would typically be recognized through national or international awards.

“Professor Fan’s innovative and consequential research makes him a worthy winner of the inaugural Agostini Prize,” said Ohio State President Walter “Ted” Carter, Jr. “Ohio State is committed to research that helps solve the world’s greatest challenges, and Professor Fan’s science and engineering technology meets at the intersection of energy demand and sound environmental stewardship.”

Fan, an Ohio State faculty member since 1978, said, “I am grateful to be recognized with the Pierre Agostini Prize. It is an honor to be selected for such a prestigious award that celebrates the achievements of Professor Agostini.”

Pierre Agostini, professor emeritus of physics, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2023 for his work to generate attosecond pulses of light for the study of electrons.

“I am delighted that Professor Fan is the recipient of this honor. His work is transformative and offers the opportunity to improve our lives,” said Agostini, the award’s namesake. “I hope this award will continue to inspire researchers at Ohio State to pursue excellence and innovation.”

Nominations for the Agostini Prize are reviewed and ranked by esteemed faculty that compose the Agostini Prize Review Committee.  The Enterprise for Research, Innovation and Knowledge administers the award.

“Professor Fan’s pioneering contributions have earned him over 100 awards and honors globally across academia, government and industry, and we are so pleased to honor him yet again at Ohio State as the first recipient of the Agostini Prize,” said Peter Mohler, executive vice president for research, innovation and knowledge.

As the Agostini Prize winner, Fan will receive $50,000, split evenly into a cash award and a research budget. In addition to the award, each recipient receives a medallion as a permanent reminder of the honor. The Agostini Prize medallion features a scarlet ribbon and a polished gray medal – a recognition of the university’s brand.

Five university landmarks are prominently featured on the medallion, including Thompson Library, Orton and University Halls, Mirror Lake and the Wexner Center of the Arts. They represent the depth and breadth of the university experience.

The prize is a celebration of Fan’s lifelong research. One of his most important innovations is a process called chemical looping, which allows fossil fuels, biomass or plastic wastes to be used for producing energy, fuels and chemicals without releasing harmful carbon dioxide into the air. Instead of burning fuel in the traditional way, his method uses special metal oxide particles to transfer oxygen, which helps generate energy while capturing the carbon dioxide before it escapes.

The technology is currently in the commercialization stage and has the potential to make power plants much cleaner while turning industrial waste products into useful hydrogen, chemicals and clean fuels. His patented processes have been licensed to major companies including TATA Steel, ITRI, UOP/Honeywell, and Babcock & Wilcox.

Fan received his BS degree (1970) from National Taiwan University, and his MS degree (1973) and PhD (1975) from West Virginia University, all in chemical engineering.

He is a member of the National Academies of Engineering or Sciences in several countries, including the United States, China, Australia, India, the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico and Taiwan. He is also recognized as a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.