Dr. Fanglin Che brings a distinctive interdisciplinary perspective to the Department of Chemical Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), where she has served as an Associate Professor since August 2025. Her research integrates artificial intelligence, theoretical modeling, and close collaboration with experimental efforts to advance the understanding of structure-sensitive catalysis and material science.
During 2012 – 2016, She earned her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Washington State University in 2016, under the mentorship of Prof. Jean-Sabin McEwen. During 2017 – 2018, her postdoctoral research included work in computational electrocatalysis with Prof. Edward Sargent at the University of Toronto, and computational fluid dynamics with Prof. Dionisios Vlachos at the University of Delaware.
From September 2019 to July 2025, Dr. Che held a faculty appointment as Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at UMass Lowell. This diverse academic and research background underpins her innovative approach to catalysis, integrating machine learning, theory, and simulation to address sustainable chemical and energy challenges.
Dr. Che’s research stands out for its innovative integration of physics-informed, interpretable AI with multi-scale and multi-physics computational models to unravel the complexities of structure-sensitive catalysis. Her work pushes the boundaries of catalytic science, with a particular emphasis on field-enhanced chemistry, electrocatalysis, plasma catalysis, and microwave catalysis—areas poised to revolutionize energy and chemical processes.
In 2023, Dr. Che’s groundbreaking contributions were recognized with the prestigious DOE Early Career Award in Catalysis Science from the Basic Energy Science Division. Her research group thrives at the intersection of theory and application, supported by major funding from the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the Office of Naval Research, UL Research Institutes, and the U.S. Army. Dr. Che’s work not only advances fundamental science but also addresses critical challenges in sustainable energy and chemical production.