The JUN Group (Environmental Nanochemistry Laboratory, ENCL)
A Recent Picture of the Environmental NanoChemistry Lab Members (June 11, 2025).

The Jun group advances our understanding of nanoscale interfacial chemistry and solid nucleation to tackle important challenges in energy and the environment, focusing on three areas:

The Jun Group introduction slide

Group Introduction Video

What did the former doctoral students do next and where are they now? Click here for the information (as of January 19, 2026)

What's new

Call for Papers

Call For Papers: Circular Water Economy
Professor Jun serves as a guest editor of the special issue. The special issue welcomes articles focusing on circular water economy research and practice that address major scientific and technological challenges such as selective separation and detection of critical water resources, critical minerals, and contaminants, water resource recovery, and water reuse. Submit your manuscript by July 1, 2026.

Call for Abstracts

Call for Abstracts: Advancing Resource Recovery for Critical Minerals
Professor Jun coorganizes a special symposium on Cricial Minerals with Profs. Ching-Hua Huang and Yuanzhi Tang at Georgia Tech and Amisha Shah at Purdue for the American Chemical Society National Meeting from March 22-26, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia. This symposium is co-sponsored by the Divisions of Environmental Chemistry (ENVR) and Geochemistry (GEOC). We will have two full day sessions. See you all in March 2026, Atlanta!

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March 22-26, 2026: The ENCL will participate in the 2026 ACS spring meeting in Atlanta. Please stop by our talks! Our talk schedules are available in pdf file here.

February 24, 2026: Congratulations! Our manuscript has been accepted to publish in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, Sulfide Transport Through Nanochannels in Carbonates Enables Simultaneous Cobalt Extraction and Carbon Mineralization. Our proof-of-concept approach combines carbonation, sulfidation and subsequent oxidation to efficiently extract cobalt, a critical element for batteries. This novel process achieves effective critical element recovery, which supports sustainable development of resources and byproduct treatment from energy generation.

February 14, 2026: Welcome back! Prof. Yaguang Zhu (2022 ENCL Ph.D.) at Texas Tech University visited WashU! We took pictures next to his experimental bench for high T/P systems. Great to see you in person and we are so proud of you!

February 8-11, 2026: Prof. Jun made a podium presentation about the critical element (Ni and Co) project during the DOE Basic Energy Sciences PIs' Meeting in Washington, DC.

January 29, 2026: The Inaugural 2025 Interfaces for Energy and the Environment Conference (IEEC) was held at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (Richland, Washington, USA) from May 19 – 23, 2025. This interdisciplinary conference aims to advance understanding of mineral-aqueous interfaces relevant to energy and environmental applications. Prof. Jun led to prepare the Summary Report. This report provides insights into the current and future state of interfacial science.

January 27, 2026: Congratulations! Our collaborative work with Dr. Qingbo (Roger) Yang at Lincoln University has been published in ACS Agricultural Science & Technology, entitled "Uptake and Fate of Silver and Zinc Engineered Nanoparticles in Maize Under Single and Binary Dosing Soil Ecosystems" Link to the paper

January 23, 2026: Congratulations! Our manuscript has been accepted to publish in Environmental Science & Technology, entitled Crystallization of Carbonates with Core-Shell Structure: Insights into Cobalt-Iron Separation for Enhanced Critical Element Recovery. Our findings illuminate kinetics changes and heterogeneity evolution of carbonation process in multi-ion systems and provide scientific foundations for Co-Fe isolation in coprecipitation processes for better Co recovery. 

January 2026: Congratulations to Minkyoung! Minkyoung has been selected as a winner of the 2026 Graduate Student Award in Environmental Chemistry in the Division of Environmental Chemistry of the American Chemical Society.

January 19, 2026: Congratulations! Our proud alumnus, Dr. Zhenwei Gao (2022 ENCL Ph.D.) started an assistant professor in the Assistant Professor in the College of Environmental Science and Engineering at Tongji University. Best wishes for your start! We are proud of you!

January 14, 2026: Congratulations! Our proud alumnus, Dr. Yaguang Zhu (2022 ENCL Ph.D.) started an assistant professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental & Construction Engineering and the Institute for Sustainability and Circular Economy at Texas Tech University. Best wishes for your new venture! Enjoy being a professor!

January 13, 2026:Congratulations! Ms. Xueyi Liu was selected to receive the ACS Geochemistry Division's Student Travel Award for attending the Spring ACS meeting in Atlanta. Congratulations, Xueyi!

January 5, 2026: Congratulations! Our proud alumnus, Dr. Inhyeong Jeon (2016 ENCL UG) accepted his position as assistant professor  in School of Health and Environmental Sciences at Korea University, Seoul, South Korea. Best wishes for your new exciting new steps as a professor!

January 5, 2026: Congratulations on our group's 150th paper! Our manuscript has been accepted to publish in Materials Horizons, entitled Core–Shell Mg–Ni Carbonate Supercapacitor Materials by Concurrent Ni Recovery and CO2 Mineralization. This study proposes using Ni-Mg carbonate recovered from low-grade Ni and Mg resources as effective electrodes for energy storage in supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries. The research underscores the benefits of sustainable carbon management, resource recovery, and the advancement of efficient, eco-friendly energy systems.

January 1, 2026: Prof. Jun has been appointed as the inaugural Anna McKelvey Endowed Chair Professor in Washington University's McKelvey School of Engineering.Prof. Jun with Dean Aaron Bobick

December 26, 2025: Prof. Jun is reappointed to be the 2026 Chair of the American Chemical Society's Committee on Science (COMSCI) by the 2026 ACS President Rigoberto Hernandez and 2026 ACS Board Chair Wayne E. Jones Jr. She will lead COMSCI efforts to advance the frontiers of chemistry.

December 15-December 20, 205: Prof. Jun attended the 2025 International Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Societies and presented research findings from the National Alliance for Water Innovation Project.

December 5 and 8, 2025: Welcome back, the big ENCL family! ENCL had four student visitors and Professor Jung from the Department of Chemical Engineering at Changwon National University, South Korea. Prof. Haesung Jung (2017 ENCL PhD) is currently Dean of Liberal Arts Education Institute and Associate Professor at Changwon National University. Professor Jung was holding his doctoral dissertation in Professor Jun's office and reflecting his time at WashU.

December 1, 2025: Congratulations! Mr. Honghyun Kim successfully defended his thesis proposal. Great job!

November 29, 2025: Congratulations! Our collaborative manuscript has been accepted to publish in Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, entitled "Tillage changes transport and fate of microplastics in the agricultural environment." Link to the paper

November 24, 2025: Ms. Claire Throckmorton is formally joined as a permanent PhD ENCL student member.

November 21, 2025: Congratulations! Our collaborative manuscript has been accepted to publish in ACS ES&T Engineering, entitled "Antiscalants in Reverse Osmosis Concentrates: Impact, Removal Strategies, and Pathways to Zero Liquid Discharge." This paper discusses the complexities of managing antiscalants in zero liquid discharge (ZLD) systems, underscoring the importance of innovative removal technologies for sustainable desalination. These advancements contribute to more effective ZLD systems and enhanced water recovery in desalination processes. Link to the paper.

November 13-17, 2025: The ENCL(Minkyoung, Xueyi, Honghyun, Zixuan, Taylor, and Gun Yi) traveled to conduct grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering experiments at Sector 12ID-B at Argonne National Laboratory.Picture credit: Argonne National Laboratory

November 11, 2025: Prof. Jun participated in the new American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow reception at the Harbison House, hosted by Chancellor Andrew Martin.Prof. Jun with Chancellor Andrew Martin

November 4, 2025: Congratulations! Our collaborative manuscript has been accepted to publish in American Mineralogist, entitled “Synthesis of Critical Element-bearing Olivine and Pyroxene.” This paper reports on the synthesis of forsterite and enstatite with Ni and Co contents ranging between 1.2 and 8.6 wt.% at a large mass scale for systematic studies.

October 30-November 3, 2025: Ms. Zixuan Xie traveled to conduct X-ray absorption spectroscopy at Sector 13 ID-E at Argonne National Laboratory.

October 20-25, 2025: The ENCL travels to the Advance Photon Source of the Argonne National Laboratory to conduct Ultra Small Angle X-ray Scattering experiments at Sector 12ID-E.

October 24, 2025: Congratulations! Our manuscript has been accepted to publish in Environmental Science & Technology, entitled “Dithionate Inhibits Iron Oxide Formation during Olivine Dissolution Advancing Simultaneous CO2 Mineralization and Nickel Recovery.” Using dithionite, we demonstrate a novel method for simultaneous CO2 mineralization and critical element recovery from abundant low-grade silicate ores. Link to the paper

October 20, 2025: Congratulations! Our paper has been accepted to Water Research, entitled "Abiotic Manganese Oxide Formation Induced by Light and Copper-Driven Fenton Chemistry" Under light illumination, copper-driven Fenton chemistry can promote the kinetics of manganese oxidation and enable the formation of manganese oxide particles. Our findings advance the understanding of heavy metal interactions in aqueous environments and highlight the intricate roles of Cu2+ in affecting elemental cycling and evaluating heavy metal contamination in water resources. Link to the paper

October 14, 2025: Congratulations! Ms. Taylor Barnett has been chosen to receive the prestigious Ann W. and Spencer T. Olin-Chancellor's Fellowship, which supports her doctoral program. So well deserved and we are happy for you, Taylor!

October 13, 2025: Ms. Gun Yi Park wonderfully presented her leadership vision at Washington University's McDonnell International Scholars Academy.

October 11, 2025: Prof. Jun, Xueyi Liu, Mingyang Song, and Honghyun Kim participated in the 2025 Mid-American Environmental Engineering Conference (MAEEC), Washington University, St. Louis, MO. Mingyang and Honghyun presented our projects, Xueyi helped the conference coordination, and Prof. Jun chaired a session. Proudly, Honghyun Kim received the best presentation award! Congratulstions, Honghyun! For the bigger image

October 9-11, 2025: Prof. David Sedlak visited WashU and gave a wonderful AEESP (Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors) lecture as part of MAEEC event. During his visit, the Environmental NanoChemistry Lab members enjoyed interacting with him and received career advices.

October 10, 2025: Welcome aboard! Mr. Ethan Yamada joined the ENCL for his undergraduate research.

October 2, 2025: Professor Jun was invited to attend the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine workshop on Frontiers of Materials That Learn.

September 26, 2025: Championing the frontiers of chemistry! Professor Jun discussed her leadership in the American Chemical Society's Committee on Science in Chemical & Engineering News.

September 24, 2025: Best wishes, Dr. Ying Wang. The ENCL celebrated Dr. Wang's PhD (ENCL 016) and her new journey at the University of Chicago. We are very proud of you and wish you all the best!

September 23, 2025: Safety goes first! The ENCL received 100/100 score from the annual environmental health and safety (EH&S) inspection. Keeping safer research environment is critical for science advance and technology innovation as well. Thank you, the ENCL EH&S manager Honghyun Kim and former EH&S manager Ying Wang, for leading the efforts, and the ENCL members for your careul operation.

September 22, 2025: Congratulations! Our National Alliance for Water Innovation project collaboration with Sheraze Bashir, Athkia Fariha, Leslie Miller, Prof. David Quiroz, Prof. Yang Yang, Prof. Taeyoung Kim resulted in an interesting paper entitled "Antiscalant effects on pH-mediated electrochemical precipitation of scaling ions in brackish water reverse osmosis concentrates", which is accepted to be published in ACS ES&T Engineering. Link to the paper

September 17, 2025: Congratulations, Dr. Ying Wang (ENCL 16th PhD)! Dr. Wang successfully defended her doctoral dissertation. She will start her postdoc research in Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago on October 1, 2025.

September 7-9, 2025: Prof. Jun hosted Prof. Lei Guo from the University of Arkansas for a special Center for Water Innovation seminar. Prof. Guo offered an intriguing PFAS talk and provided generous advice to graduate students. Thank you, Dr. Guo!

September 8, 2025: Congratulations! During the 2025 Washington University's Center for Water Innovation symposium, Ms. Gun Yi Park received the 2nd prize for her presentation. This is a wonderful achievement, Gun Yi! Congratulations!

September 8, 2025: Congratulations! Ms. Taylor Barnett and Ms. Gun Yi Park successfully presented their doctoral research projects for the first time at the 2025 Washington University's Center for Water Innovation symposium.

September 7, 2025: Congratulations! Our paper has been accepted to ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, entitled "Photochemically-Assisted Formation of Layered Manganese Oxide Nanosheets with High Pseudocapacitance for Potential Environmental Applications" This work demonstrates photochemically generated MnO2 can be used for supercapacitor materials. This is exciting because we do not need heating or high akaline conditions to synthesize the energy storage materials! Link to the paper

August 21, 2025: Congratulations! Our paper has been accepted to Crystal Growth & Design, entitled “Soft Nanoconfinement Nucleates and Stabilizes Ultrasmall Amorphous Calcium Carbonate.” Organisms use soft confinement structures, such as vesicles and compartments, to direct the nucleation of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) and its subsequent processes during biomineralization. Utilizing nanoemulsion, we demonstrate how the size and distribution of CaCO₃ are controlled within soft confinement. link to the paper

August 21, 2025: Welcome aboard! Ms. Claire Throckmorton (left) and Mr. Sebastian Kockler (right) joined to work with ENCL. Claire is a first year PhD student and Sebastien is a first year master student.

August 19, 2025: Congratulations! Our struvite-hydrogel composite research has been highlighted in ACS Chemical & Engineering News! These new composites can enable the circular nutrient economy, turning a headache into a solution! Check out the full paper as well!

August 15-19, 2025: Professor Jun participated in the American Chemical Society Meeting in Washington, D.C. She led multiple activities during the meeting, including a full member meeting of the Committee on Science; Women in Science and Engineering in Environmental Chemistry; and Circular Water Economy. As Chair of the Committee on Science, Professor Jun supported 14 ACS innovative programs during the Fall 2025 ACS meeting, which included celebrating the 75th anniversary of the National Science Foundation. Additionally, she gave two research talks—one on hydrogels and the other on critical materials recovery.

August 11, 2025: Congratulations! From the ACS Environmental Chemistry Division, Ms. Mingyang Song received a Certificate of Merit, a recognition of her excellent presentation at the ACS Spring 2025 meeting. Great Achievement, Mingyang! Keep up the good work!

August 6, 2025: Congratulations to Ying! Ying has accepted an offer from Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago as a postdoctoral scholar. She will work with Dr. Chong Liu. She will start her position on October 1, 2025. Congratulations and best wishes~

August 5, 2025: Congratulations! Our paper has been published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, entitled “Photolysis of disposable face masks facilitates abiotic manganese oxide formation.” This study, for the first time, reports the photolysis of PP mask layers and their impacts on kinetics of Mn2+ (aq) oxidation to Mn oxide nanoparticles. These findings highlight the influences of masks photolysis on Mn redox chemistry. Mn oxides formed on mask materials can alter the fate and transport of pollutants such as heavy metals and organic compounds, impacting surface water quality. Congratulations on the exciting new paper! Engineering News highlight ; Link to the paper

July 31-August 4, 2025: Ms. Zixuan Xie traveled to Argonne National Laboratory to conduct synchrotron-based X-ray absorption spectroscopy at Sector 13ID-E of the Advanced Photon Source. She analyzed coal samples to determine the distribution of rare earth elements within them.

July 28, 2025: Congratulations! Our collaboration with Prof. David Fike resulted in a wonderful paper entitled "Selectivity of Tris complexation for Ni(II), Co(II), and Fe(II) and its effect on carbonate precipitation under alkaline conditions", which is accepted to be published in Applied Geochemistry. Link to the paper

July 22, 2025: Congratulations! Our paper has been accepted to ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, entitled “Accelerated Nanopit Formation on MoS₂ Nanosheets through Photo-Fenton Reactions.” Our study reports that exposure to aqueous iron and light alters the properties of MoS₂ nanosheets, affecting their dissolution kinetics, pathways, and photocatalytic activity. These changes are directly linked to their reliability in photochemical applications and their environmental fate. Congratulations to the team! Link to the paper

July 12-19, 2025. Professor Jun received the IUPAC 2025 Distinguished Women in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering Award at the commencement of the IUPAC's 50th World Chemistry Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She also provided invited speech at Nanotechnology for Sustainable Agriculture.

July 18-20, 2025: Ms. Minkyoung Jung and Ms. Gun Yi Park travelled to conduct synchrotron-based ultrasmall angle X-ray scattering experiments at Sector 12ID-C-D-E at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, IL.

July 18, 2025: Energize future scientists and engineers! The ENCL hosted middle school students from the BrightPath STEAM Academy and introduce Environmental and Chemical Science and Engineering. Ms. Mingyang Song, Ms. Xueyi Liu, and Ms. Zixuan Xie lead the excellent workshop.

June 23, 2025: Congratulations on our new publication! The manuscript titled “Roles of  Surface Mn(III) and MgOH+/CaOH+ Complexation in Photochemically Assisted Todorokite Formation” was published in Chemical Engineering Journal. Our study reveals that how environmentally abundant ions and pH can affect the fast tunnel structure formation of MnO2, providing novel insights into the elusive formation of todorokite and its potential for applications in advanced water treatment and environmental remediation. Link to the paper

June 23-24, 2025: Prof. Jun participated in the annual AMEWS meeting. Since 2018, she has been served as the Scientific Advisory Board of the Department of Energy's Energy Frontier Research Center AMEWS, Argonne, IL.

June 12-16, 2025: In situ observations of solid nucleation on substrates! The ENCL travelled to conduct GISAXS experiments at Sector 12 ID-B at Argonne National Laboratory, IL.

June 7, 2025: Prof. Jun participated in the induction ceremony as a 2024 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Washington D.C.

May 29, 2025: Congratulations on our new publication! The manuscript titled “Molecular Insights into Novel Struvite Mineral–Hydrogel Composites for Simultaneous Ammonia and Phosphate Removal” was published in Environmental Science & Technology as a special issue “Advancing a Circular Economy. This work unveils novel mineral-hydrogel composites for circular economy. These innovative materials not only remove and recover vital nutrients, preventing harmful algal blooms, but also upcycle them into agricultural fertilizers or biorefinery feedstocks! Link to the paper; Read the Engineering feature article

May 27, 2025: Welcome aboard! Ms. Jackie Silva, a rising senior undergraduate student from the University of Texas-El Paso joined the ENCL for her summer research.

May 22, 2025: Congratulations! Ms. Gun Yi Park and Ms. Taylor Barnett successfully passed their qualification exams.

May 19-22, 2025: The ENCL enjoyed participating in the 2025 AEESP meeting at Duke University, held from May 20-22, 2025. Ying Wang, Minkyoung Jung, and Honghyun Kim presented at the AEESP meeting. Ying presented on simultaneous nickel recovery and CO2 mineralization, supported by DOE-BES. Minkyoung discussed our new struvite and calcium phosphate mineral-hydrogel composites for sustainable nutrient management, supported by EPA and DOE-FECM. Honghyun introduced our findings on antiscalant effects on calcium carbonate precipitation during reverse osmosis concentrate treatment, supported by DOE-EERE, National Alliance for Water Innovation.

May 18-23, 2025: Prof. Jun participated in the inaugural Interfaces for Energy and the Environment Conference (IEEC), held from May 19-23, 2025, in Richland, WA. Since 2020, Prof. Jun has organized the conference with colleagues in interfacial chemistry to connect multidisciplinary communities studying interfaces in energy and the environment.

May 21, 2025: Congratulations on our new publication! The manuscript titled “Photochemically-Induced Co-oxidation of Manganese and Cobalt Ions and the Formation of Cobalt-Incorporated Manganese Oxides” was published in Environmental Science & Technology. Our study reveals that photochemical processes can simultaneously oxidize Mn2+ and Co2+ through sunlight-accelerated radical-driven reactions, leading to the formation of Co-incorporated Mn oxides. We found that higher Co incorporation increases oxygen vacancies in Mn oxides, lowering their band gap and boosting their reactivity—key factors for pollutant degradation and redox reactions. This work sheds light on how Mn-Co oxides form naturally and underscores their environmental significance. Link to the paper

May 13-17, 2025: Ying travelled to conduct cryogenic high resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis for nanoparticles formed in nanoemulsions at the Center for Nanoscale Materials at the Argonne National Laboratory.

May 9, 2025: Congratulations! Ying Wang celebrated the commencement day! Best wishes for your next chapter! Best wishes~

April 29, 2025: Congratulations! Through a highly competitive process, Mr. Honghyun Kim was chosen to attend the 2025 National X-ray School (NX School) to be held July 27 – August 4, 2025, Argonne National Laboratory. He will be fully supported by the U.S. Department of Energy.

April 27, 2025: Congratulations! Our manuscript entitled “Chemical Functional Groups Regulate Ion Concentrations and pHs in Nanopores” was published and highlighted as a Jounral cover art of ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. We show how water chemistry in nanopores varies based on the chemical functional groups present on the pore surfaces. This understanding can help precisely control chemistries in nanopores for improved design of membrane-based desalination, carbon management, and porous catalysis. Link to the paper; Cover Art; Read the Engineering feature article

April 25, 2025: Congratulations! Ying received a 2025 Graduate Student Research Impact Award from the Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering, Washington University.

April 24, 2025: Congratulations! Ms. Xueyi Liu successfully defended her thesis proposal! Keep up good work!

April 17, 2025: Congratulations! Our proud alumna, Dr. Hyuna Kwon (2016 ENCL UG) accpeted her new position as Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering , Binghamton University.

April 12, 2025: Hello, Future Woman Scientists and Engineers! The ENCL (Zixuan Xie and Mingyang Song) offered a hands-on program with female high school students and participated in a panel discussion as a part of the 2025 Washington University's Women in STEM event and introduced environmental nanochemistry and nanotechnology.

April 10-13, 2025: The ENCL travelled to conduct Ultra small angle X-ray scattering (USAXS) experiments at Sector 12 ID-E at Argonne National Laboratory, IL.

April 10, 2025: Congratulations on our new publication! The manuscript titled “Photolysis of Disposable Face Mask Facilitates Abiotic Manganese Oxide Formation” was published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials. Our research has uncovered that under sunlight, disposable face masks made of polypropylene degrade into nanoscale plastic particulates. These mask fabrics produce reactive oxygen species that trigger further reactions with environmental constituents. These nanoplastics can alter the fate of trace metals in the environment, and in turn, the altered trace metals can influence the behavior of microplastics. Link to the paper

April 10, 2025:  Congratulations! Throughly highly competitive selection process, Ms. Mingyang Song was selected to participate in the ACS the Green Chemistry Institute's Green and Sustainable Chemistry Summer School, July 25-August 2, 2025, Vermont. Her participation will be fully supported by the American Chemical Society.

April 8-11, 2025: Prof. Jun attened the 2025 Spring Materials Research Society Meeting in Seattle, WA, and presented our DOE critical element recovert project outcome.

March 31,-April 1, 2025: Prof. Jun participated in the Spring NAWI Review Meeting, Denver, CO, and share our NAWI project outcome updates.

March 27, 2025: Prof Jun was elected as a 2024 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), one of the most distinct honors in the scientific community.

March 24, 2025: Mr. Honghyun Kim presented antiscalant work in the Joint Annual Meeting of the Missouri Water Environment Association and the Missouri Section of the American Water Works Association, March 24, 2025, Osage Beach, MO.

March 23-26, 2025: Prof. Jun leads ACS Innovative Programming during the ACS meeting. Nine Innovative Programs have been organized. Among them, Prof. Jun will chair and moderate discussions for three Innovative Programs. The topics are:
- CO2 Removal (March 24, 9 AM-noon)
- Grand Challenges to Achieve Climate Resilience (March 24, 2-5 PM)
- Clean Water: PFAS (March 26, 9 AM-noon)
Check out the three Environmental-related Innovative Programs.

March 22-27, 2025: ENCL (Prof. Jun, Ying Wang, Minkyoung Jung, Mingyang Song, Xueyi Liu, and Zixuan Xie) will travel to attend the ACS meeting in San Diego. Check out our nine talks.

Saturday, March 22, 2025: As the Chair, Prof. Jun led the ACS Commitee on Science (COMSCI) Meeting.

Sunday, March 23, 2025
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM- Xueyi Liu: Carbonation and sulfidation of cobalt-containing silicates under supercritical CO2 conditions (Hall B-1, Room 6 - San Diego Convention Center)
3:20 PM - 3:40 PM- Minkyoung Jung: Photocatalytic impact of BaTiO3 on Mn oxidation in the presence of high salinity and sulfate (Marriott Grand Ballroom: Section 1 - San Diego Marriott Marquis)
3:55 PM - 4:30 PM- Prof. Young-Shin Jun: CaCO3 nanoparticles at oil–water interfaces (Marina Ballroom: Salon F - San Diego Marriott Marquis)
4:50 PM - 5:10 PM- Ying Wang: Roles of soft nanoconfinement in calcium sulfate nucleation: Insights from nanoemulsion systems (Room 29A - San Diego Convention Center)
Monday, March 24, 2025
9:20 AM - 9:40 AM – Mingyang Song: Photochemically-induced manganese oxidation by reactive oxygen species (ROS) from perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in aquatic environments (Marriott Grand Ballroom: Section 1 - San Diego Marriott Marquis)
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
2:50 PM - 3:15 PM– Prof. Young-Shin Jun: Critical water chemistry factors controlling arsenic mobilization during (Hall B-1, Room 6 - San Diego Convention Center)
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
3:45 PM - 4:05 PM – Zixuan Xie: Enhanced selective recovery of rare earth elements from unburned coal using supercritical fluids (Marriott Grand Ballroom: Section 4 - San Diego Marriott Marquis)
3:55 PM - 4:15 PM – Minkyoung Jung: Deciphering nanoscale local chemistries at alginate-coated surfaces for better predicting thermodynamics and kinetics of struvite formation (Room 29A - San Diego Convention Center)
4:15 PM - 4:35 PM – Xueyi Liu: Effective extraction of cobalt from carbonates via sulfidation and subsequent oxidation (Marriott Grand Ballroom: Section 4 - San Diego Marriott Marquis)
4:55 PM - 5:15 PM – Ying Wang: Nickel and magnesium carbonate coprecipitation: Implications for Ni recovery during CO2 mineralization process (Marriott Grand Ballroom: Section 4 - San Diego Marriott Marquis)
Thursday, March 27, 2025
8:35 AM - 8:55 AM– Mingyang Song: Photo-oxidation of manganese on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) (Room 29A - San Diego Convention Center)

March 18, 2025: Congratulations on our new publication! The manuscript titled is “Bicarbonate Concentrations Affect Arsenic Release from Arsenopyrite and Nanoscale Iron (III) (Hydr)oxide Formation: Importance of Unconfined Aquifer Carbonate Chemistry” to be published in Environmental Science: Nano as the 10-year anniversary collection of Environmental Science: Nano. This work highlights bicarbonate-controlled nanoparticle formation and arsenic mobilization in managed aquifer recharge (MAR) systems, providing valuable insights for enabling safer and more sustainable MAR operations. Link to the paper

March 5-10, 2025: The ENCL members travelled to conduct synchrotron-based X-ray experiments at Advance Photon Source (Sector 12ID-B), Argonne National Laboratory, IL.

March 1, 2025: Congratulations! Our proud alumnus, Dr. Haesung Jung (2017 ENCL PhD) was promoted to Associate Professor in the School of Civil, Environmental and Chemical Engineering at Changwon National University, South Korea.

February 20-21, 2025: Prof. Jun hosted Prof. Timonthy Strathmann from the Colorado School of Mines for the department seminar. Prof. Strathmann shared insights on how fundamental science is revolutionizing PFAS removal. photo (left to right): Profs. Jason He, Joshuan Yuan, Kim Parker, Timm Strathmann, Young-Shin Jun, and Dan Giammar.

February 13-14, 2025: To promote Women in STEM Career, Prof. Jun delivered the inaugural speech of the 'HER'oes of Tomorrow Seminar Series in the College of Engineering at the University of Arkansas. She shared her research passion and development along with her career journeys. Thank you, Dr. Lei Guo for the invitation and warm hospitality.

February 11, 2025: The ENCL celebrated the 2025 International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

February 6, 2025: Congratulations to Professor Jun! She was chosen to receive the 2025 Distinguished Women in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering Award by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC)

Link to the engineering news

February 1, 2025: Congratulations to Ying! Ying has been selected as a winner of the 2025 Graduate Student Award in Environmental Chemistry in the Division of Environmental Chemistry of the American Chemical Society.

January 31-February 2, 2025: Professor Jun attended the ACS Leadership Workshop in Houston, TX, and served as the organizing committee for the ACS Future of Meetings. Picture with Dr. Laura McConnell (left, COMSCI Program Chair), Dr. Young-Shin Jun (center, COMSCI Chair), and Dr. Dorothy Phillips (right, the 2025 ACS President)

January 30, 2025: Professor Jun visited Rice University in Houston, TX. Pictures of inspiring scholars at Rice: (Top) Prof. Meny Elimelech and (Bottom) Prof. Pedro Alvarez.

January 27, 2025: Congratulations! Our paper entitled “Chemical Functional Groups Regulate Ion Concentrations and pHs in Nanopores” has been accepted for publication in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. We show how the water chemistry in nanopores varies based on the chemical functional groups present on the pore surfaces, which can help precisely control chemistries in nanopores to better design membrane-based desalination, carbon management, and porous catalysis. Link to the paper

January 24, 2025: Congratulations! Our paper entitled “Carbonation and Sulfidation of Mg and Ni-Containing Solution: Implications for Carbon Mineralization and Critical Element Recovery” has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Physical Chemistry C. In this work, we provide a scientific foundation of carbonation and sulfidation processes, benefiting coupled CO2 storage and sulfide-enabled critical element recovery. Link to the paper ; Read the Engineering feature article

January 15, 2025: Congratulations! We were selected to receive a grant from the Department of Energy's Fossil Energy and Carbon Management to develop a domestic supply of lithium while co-producing critical materials and valuable chemical feedstocks.  We will collaborate with the project team from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries. Link to the award announcement

January 3, 2025: Professor Jun was appointed by the ACS president and Board of Directors as the Chair of the American Chemical Society’s Committee on Science (COMSCI). She served the Chair of Science & Technology Subcommittee (2020-2024) and has been a member since 2017.

The COMSCI leads the brand-new Innovative Program for the future ACS National meetings.

January 1, 2025: Professor Jun was elected to be an Alternative Councilor of the American Chemical Society's Environmental Chemistry Division.

2022-2024: Prof. Jun served on the Critical Issues Ad Hoc Writing Committee of the American Geosciences Insitute (AGI):  AGI’s Critical Issues Document will be distributed to the U.S. Congress, federal agencies, and to presidential candidates to provide the consensus critical issues facing society from the vantage of the geoscience community. The critical issue documents are now available in this link.

December 20, 2024: The ENCL had the 2024 Holiday Group Lunch. Happy Holidays!

December 11, 2024: Welcome aboard! Ms. Gun Yi Park and Ms. Taylor Barnett officially assigned to be ENCL PhD students.

November 25, 2024: Congratulations! Our manuscript entitled "Sulfate Promotes Compact CaCO3 Formation and Protects Portland Cement from Supercritical CO2 Attack" has been accepted to be published in Environmental Science & Technology. We show how both aqueous and solid sulfate can promote CaCO3 formation in wellbore cement to resist acidic brine attack in interacting with supercritical CO2. Link to the paper

November 26, 2024: Congratulations! Ms. Mingyang Song successfully defended her thesis proposal! Keep up good work!

November 25, 2024: Congratulations! Our collaborative manuscript entitled "The use of a benign fast-growing cyanobacterial species to control microcystin synthesis from Microcystis aeruginosa" has been accepted to be published in Frontiers in Microbiology."Link to the paper image credit: epa.gov

October 31-November 10, 2024: Prof. Jun visited to Korea with the McKelvey Engineering Dean Aaron Bobick to build strategic partnership of our Engineering School with Korean Institutions (Seoul National University, Yonsei University, Korea University, Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST), Sungkyunkwan University, and Hanyang University).

October 19, 2024: Welcome, Future Environmental & Chemical Scientists and Engineers! The ENCL offered a hands-on workshop for middle school students from BrightPath's Young Black Scholars LEAP Program (https://brightpathsteam.org/) This workshop provided environmental chemistry lecture and lab activities to Black middle school students and teachers.

September 24, 2024: Congratulations! Our manuscript entitled "Three Distinctive Steps for Heterogeneous Nucleation of Tunnel Structured Mn Oxide on Quartz under Light Exposure" has been accepted to be published in Environmental Science & Technology. We show new pathways how the heterogeneous nucleation can contribute to the variety of poorly crystalline structures of natural Mn oxides found in the environment. Link to the paper

September 20, 2024: The 2024 Annual All hands meeting of the Department of Energy's Critical Materials (Ni and Co recovery) Project was held at Washington University. This meeting consisted of research progress report, technical discussion, furture planning, and network building.

August 30, 2024: The ENCL's first fall group meeting. We celebrated the new semester start.

August 21, 2024: Congratulations! The ENCL will participate in the newly funded NSF Engineering Research Center (The Carbon Utilization Redesign for Biomanufacturing-Empowered Decarbonization (CURB) ERC).

August 15-21, 2024: Prof. Jun, Minkyoung Jun and Honhyun Kim traveled to present our research progress at the American Chemical Society meeting in Denver. Prof. Jun launched two new ACS innovative program pilot symposia entitled "Elevating Atmospheric Chemistry Measurements & Modeling with Artificial Intelligence" and "Scaling New Heights of Chemistry Education with Artificial Intelligence Tools". Professor Jun also organized a (1) GEOC symposium "Geochemistry and Environmental Chemistry at the Water–Energy Nexus" and an (2) ENVR symposium "ACS Environmental Chemistry Division’s Women in Science & Engineering - Tribute to contributions made to environmental chemistry,”at the ACS Fall Meeting, August 18-22, 2024, in Denver, CO.

August 16 and 24, 2025: Prof. Jun participated in the 2024 strategic planning of the ACS Committee on Science.

August 18-23, 2024: Ying Wang and Xueyi Liu traveled to present our progress in critical material recovery at Goldschmit meeting in Chicago.

July 26, 2024: Our new DOE project on rare earth element recovery from coal-based resources is highlighted in engineering news "Sustainable technology to extract critical materials from coal-based resources"

July 25, 2024: Congratulations! Our manuscript entitled "In Situ Monitoring In Situ Monitoring the Nucleation and Growth of Nanoscale CaCO3 at the Oil–Water Interface" has been accepted to be published in ACS Nano. We show important roles of an oil–liquid interface in directing CaCO3 mineralization which are common in natural and engineered systems. Link to the paper

July 22, 2024: Congratulations! Ms. Mingyang Song won a prize of the 2024 Chinese-American Professors in Environmental Engineering and Science (CAPEES) Student Poster Competition. Congratulations, Mingyang!

July 19, 2024: Welcome! Future scientists and engineers visited us. The ENCL hosted black middle school students from the BrightPath STEAM Academy and introduce Environmental and Chemical Science and Engineering.

July 2, 2024: Congratulations! Dr. Ping-I Chou successfully defended his doctoral dissertation entitled "Nanoscale Mineral Formation at Environmental Interfaces." Wonderful summary of your PhD journey! Dr. Chou is ENCL's 15th Ph.D. In September, he is joining Intel as a module development engineer in semiconductor manufacturing. He was recently chosen to be highlighted as Class Acts (highlighting excellent graduating students each year). Check it out here. Best wishes to Dr. Chou! Have greater wings to fly. You are so ready!

June 27, 2024: Dr. Burtrand Lee, a former ACS Petroleum Research Foundation (Materials and Surface Sciences) Program Director, visited and offered a seminar at Washington University. Prof. Jun hosted his visit.

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