Professor Xile Hu

We are delighted to announce that Professor Xile Hu, affiliated with the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL, Switzerland), is the recipient of the 2023 EFCATS Robert K. Grasselli Award for Catalysis. This award aims to recognize outstanding theoretical and experimental contributions in the field of oxidation catalysis that advance our understanding and practice of catalysis during the last five years prior to the year the award is given. 

Professor Hu is an outstanding scientist with an impressive scholarly track record. He is a pioneer in the field of electrochemical oxidations, thereby providing high-level molecular understanding in the fundamentals of heterogeneous electrocatalysis. His scientific work is not only of academic curiosity, but potentially of significant commercial value. A startup based on his technologies, NovaMea SA, has been founded recently. He is particularly recognized for his original and impactful contributions in the the fields of water oxidation and hydrogen oxidation. Professor Hu directs an interdisciplinary research program to develop catalysis for sustainable synthesis of added-value chemicals and for cost-effective production of solar and electric fuels.

Professor Hu studied chemistry at Peking University and obtained a B.S. degree in 2000. Shortly thereafter, he moved to the United States and began his doctoral study under the guidance of Professor Karsten Meyer at the University of California at San Diego. After receiveing a Ph.D. degree in 2004, he became a postdoctoral fellow in the group of Professor Jonas Peters at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech, USA). At Caltech, he worked on the development of molecular hydrogen evolution catalysts. In 2007, he was appointed as a tenure-track assistant professor of chemistry in the Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering at EPFL. His group is developing catalysts made of  earth-abundant elements for chemical transformations pertinent to synthesis, energy, and sustainability. He was promoted to associate professor in 2013 and full professor in 2016.

Professor Hu is an elected member of the Academia Europeae and the recipient of several scientific awards, including the 2020 International Catalysis Award of the International Association of Catalysis Societies (IACS).