Six University of Tennessee faculty among world’s most highly cited researchers

(Press-News.org) Six faculty members from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville — five from the Tickle College of Engineering and one from the College of Arts and Sciences — have been named to Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers list for 2025, an honor bestowed on only one in 1,000 of the world’s scientists and social scientists. The designation recognizes researchers whose publications are among the top 1% by citations in their respective fields over the past decade.

“Being named among the world’s most highly cited researchers is a powerful testament to the global impact of our faculty and students’ work,” said Deb Crawford, UT’s vice chancellor for research, innovation, and economic development. “We are incredibly proud of these scholars, whose research continues to shape their disciplines and strengthen UT’s reputation as a leader in research that impacts the world.”

Sheng Dai  

Sheng Dai, a chemistry professor who holds a joint faculty appointment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has been named to the Highly Cited Researchers list for the 10th time. His work focuses on developing advanced materials for energy-related applications, particularly in areas like ionic liquids and molten salts, advanced separation processes, high-entropy materials, electrochemical processes and sustainable carbon transformations.

Dai is currently studying ionic liquids and porous materials to learn how they can be used for separating different substances, storing energy and speeding up chemical reactions. He is also developing ways to turn plant-based carbon into graphite, which can be used for storing energy.

Easo George

Easo George, an emeritus faculty member in materials science and engineering who retired as UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair for Advanced Alloy Theory and Development, continues his research on developing improved scientific understanding of the structure and properties of metallic materials.

He is interested in metals for structural applications at extreme temperatures. The materials he investigates include high- and medium-entropy alloys — metallic materials comprising three or more primary elements — and refractory metals such as iridium, platinum, and tantalum and their alloys.

David Mandrus 

David Mandrus, the Jerry and Kay Henry Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, holds a joint faculty appointment at ORNL and an adjunct faculty position in UT’s Department of Physics. He is focused on the design and discovery of new quantum materials.

Currently his team is developing new kinds of magnetic materials — including two-dimensional magnets that can be peeled down to a single layer and chiral magnets in which the magnetic fields twist into unique patterns with unusual physical properties — that could open the door to new discoveries.

“Achieving high-impact science requires strong collaboration,” Mandrus said. “I’ve been fortunate to partner with outstanding students and researchers whose commitment and creativity have made this recognition possible.”

Xianzhi Meng

Xianzhi Meng, a research scientist in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, focuses on improving the use of biomass as a renewable energy source. Meng works to understand the fundamental characteristics of biomass and develop sustainable chemical solutions essential for converting it into bioplastics, biofuels and biochemicals.

Meng is currently working on developing a green synthetic pathway to transform lignin found in plant cell walls into a non-isocyanate-based polyurethane — a type of polymer that is safer and more sustainable than traditional polyurethanes — for high-performance building insulation applications.

“While this might seem like a personal achievement, it truly reflects the work of many,” Meng said. “I’m deeply grateful to the remarkable collaborators I’ve worked with worldwide, and especially to my Ph.D. adviser, Dr. Ragauskas (UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair for Biorefining Arthur Ragauskas), who has consistently championed my success.”

Stephen J. Pennycook 

Stephen J. Pennycook, adjunct professor of materials science and engineering — who is also an adjunct professor of physics at Vanderbilt University — is a world-leading microscopist and innovator of scanning transmission electron microscopy, which uses a finely focused beam of electrons for illumination. This marks his fifth year being named to Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers list. He previously served at ORNL as a corporate fellow in the Materials Science and Technology Division and led ORNL’s Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy Group.

Pennycook has developed the foundations of both theoretical and experimental modern microscopy, contributing to the development of the Z-contrast technique that led to the first images of single atoms of boron, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen.

Jiaqiang Yan  

Jiaqiang Yan, a research professor of materials science and engineering who also serves as a distinguished staff scientist in the Correlated Electron Materials Group at ORNL, has been named to the Highly Cited Researchers list for the seventh year in a row. He directs his research toward discovering and understanding novel materials with potential energy and quantum applications, using a combination of rational crystal growth, controlled chemical manipulation and advanced characterization techniques.

His current work centers on the design, synthesis and exploration of compounds that exhibit unusual electrical, magnetic or thermal behavior, aiming to reveal new physical phenomena and enable future technologies.

 

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