Joel Foo Jie at the laboratory. [Photo/en.xmu.edu.cn]
Joel Foo Jie, a PhD candidate at Xiamen University Malaysia's (XMUM) School of Energy and Chemical Engineering (SECE), has been named one of this year's 20 recipients of Germany's Digital Green Talents Award for his work on carbon nitride photocatalysts and defect engineering.
Launched by Germany's Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), the Digital Green Talents Award recognizes young researchers worldwide who leverage digital technologies to advance green innovation, foster international collaboration, and promote sustainable development.
Foo is currently based at the Center of Excellence for NaNo Energy and Catalysis Technology (CONNECT), where he conducts research under the guidance of Professor Ong Wee Jun. His work focuses on designing defect-engineered carbon nitride photocatalysts for green energy applications, including the reduction of carbon dioxide, oxygen reduction, and hydrogen evolution reactions.
Reflecting on his achievements, Foo credited his mentor and colleagues for their support and collaboration, "CONNECT is like a family. We challenge each other, explore new ideas, and through sustained self-motivation, we achieve breakthroughs in research." He plans to integrate artificial intelligence into his ongoing work to accelerate the discovery and optimization of sustainable catalysts.
Foo is the fourth member of XMUM to receive the Digital Green Talents Award, following Professor Ong Wee Jun, Professor Yong Wai Fen, and Ng Sue Faye, a PhD graduate.
