The Columbia Climate School and the Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering (EEE) of the Columbia Engineering School are delighted to announce that Yan Yao has joined our faculty, effective July 1. A leading researcher in electrochemical energy storage, Yao brings a distinguished record of developing next-generation batteries and sustainable energy materials.
“The clean energy transition depends on breakthroughs in safer, more sustainable energy storage,” said Alexis Abramson, dean of the Columbia Climate School. “Professor Yao’s research advances solutions to some of the field’s most pressing challenges, from reducing reliance on critical minerals to developing more circular materials systems. His work reflects the interdisciplinary innovation that drives the Climate School’s mission.”
Yao joins Columbia from the University of Houston, where he was the Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and a principal investigator at the Texas Center for Superconductivity. His research group has advanced the science of solid-state batteries, organic and sustainable electrode materials and multivalent (magnesium) battery chemistries, developing safer, lower-cost, and more environmentally responsible energy storage technologies.
At Columbia, Yao’s program will bridge fundamental electrochemistry and real-world energy systems. His work will advance solid-state and other next-generation batteries for grid and transportation applications; develop sustainable electrode materials that reduce dependence on critical minerals; and explore battery life cycle and recycling strategies that help close the materials loop.
“We’re thrilled to have Yan Yao joining our faculty,” said Shih-Fu Chang, dean of Columbia Engineering. “His research in battery storage, particularly alternatives to lithium-ion, and experience launching start-ups will help advance Columbia’s ability to make an impact and build a more sustainable future.”
Yao’s appointment deepens collaboration across Columbia with a joint appointment between the School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Columbia Climate School, and as a member of the Columbia Electrochemical Energy Center. His arrival advances the university’s shared mission to develop innovative solutions at the intersection of energy, sustainability and the environment.
