The Combustion Institute and Elsevier, with the assistance of the selection committee, have chosen the 2024 recipients of the Hiroshi Tsuji Early Career Researcher Award. The recipients for 2024 are Prof. Christopher Goldenstein and Prof. Zhandong Wang.
Prof. Christopher Goldenstein is an Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics and Astronautics (by courtesy) at Purdue University. His research focuses on developing laser spectroscopy diagnostics and applying them to study non-equilibrium gases in a wide variety of energy, propulsion, and defense applications. He has authored over 100 publications and 1 textbook documenting advancements in these areas. In addition, he received the National Science Foundation (NSF) Career Award, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Early Career Faculty Award, and Young Investigator Awards from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). Prior to joining Purdue in 2016, he earned his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University in 2014 and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in 2009. Prof. Goldenstein is also a co-founder and senior spectroscopist at SpectraPlot, which has been used by approximately 4500 users worldwide to perform over 1 million web-based simulations of atomic and molecular absorption and emission spectra.
“I am thrilled and honored to receive the 2024 Hiroshi Tsuji Early Career Researcher Award! This award is particularly special to me due to Prof. Tsuji’s tremendous impact and that of the previous winners of this award. I am also extremely grateful to receive this award, knowing of so many outstanding young researchers in our field,” said Goldenstein. “I dedicate this award to my current and past PhD students who made this possible through their hard work and dedication to our research. Lastly, I’d like to thank AFOSR, NSF, NASA, DTRA, and Sandia National Laboratories for supporting the research that led to this award.”
Prof. Zhandong Wang is a Professor at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC). Prior to joining USTC in 2018, Prof. Wang earned his PhD in Engineering Thermophysics in 2014 at USTC under Prof. Fei Qi. He was a Postdoctoral Fellow and Research Scientist in the Clean Combustion Research Center at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, working with Prof. Mani Sarathy. His research focused on combining state-of-the-art synchrotron radiation-based facility, theoretical calculation, and kinetic modeling to understand and predict the complex reaction process. To this end, his present research group now focuses on low temperature combustion chemistry, reaction kinetics of NH3 and low carbon fuels, PAH formation and growth mechanism, the thermal runaway mechanism of Li-ion batteries, and CO2 conversion to fuels and other valuable products.
“I am honored to be selected for the Hiroshi Tsuji award and I wish to thank The Combustion Institute, Elsevier, and the award committee for this distinction,” said Wang. “I am grateful for the guidance and support of my mentors and colleagues throughout my career, as well as the hard work of my students and collaborators. I am fortunate to be a member of USTC, which offers such significant support to foster the early career of researchers.”
Co-sponsored by The Combustion Institute and Elsevier, the international award and prize of US $10,000 recognizes early career researchers who have demonstrated excellence in fundamental or applied combustion science and have achieved a significant advancement in their field within four to ten years of completing a doctoral degree or equivalents. The annual award is named after Professor Hiroshi Tsuji, whose stable porous cylinder counterflow burner configuration has influenced fundamental studies and applications in laminar and turbulent combustion.
“Every year, the selection committee is given the difficult task of choosing the recipient of the Hiroshi Tsuji Early Career Researcher Award from a list full of thoroughly deserving candidates,” said CI President Philippe Dagaut. “After much deliberation, we are pleased to be able to present the ninth annual Hiroshi Tsuji Early Career Researcher Award to two recipients: Prof. Christopher Goldenstein and Prof. Zhandong Wang. These two awardees stand as some of the most exceptional early career researchers in the field of combustion, and it is our distinct pleasure to reward them for their work and accomplishments.”
“On behalf of Elsevier, I would like to congratulate Prof. Goldenstein and Prof. Wang and thank the selection committee for their hard work in making this decision,” said Kathleen Ahamed-Broadhurst, Elsevier Executive Publisher. “Choosing who received the ninth annual Tsuji Award from among a list of impressive candidates was not an easy task, and we congratulate Prof. Goldenstein and Prof. Wang on their well-deserved selection. We wish them both the best as they continue their work and applaud them for all they have already accomplished, even at this early stage in their careers.”
Prof. Goldenstein and Prof. Wang will be recognized for receiving the Hiroshi Tsuji Early Career Researcher Award during the CI’s 40th International Symposium – Emphasizing Energy Transition to be held in Milan, Italy from 21-26 July 2024. Past recipients of the Hiroshi Tsuji Early Career Researcher Award can be found here. Questions regarding the award may be directed to office@combustioninstitute.org.