Scholarship: Fully-funded
Degree: Bachelor, Master, Ph.D
Nationality: International Students
Location: USA
Application deadlines: Open
Scholarship Description:
The University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) is located in the Boulder Valley of the Rocky Mountains and is a major hub for technological innovation. As a public research university and a member of the Association of American Universities and the Pac-12 Conference, it is often referred to as a “Public Ivy.” CU Boulder is the flagship campus of the University of Colorado system, ranked 44th in the 2020 ARWU World University Rankings and 50th in the U.S. News World University Rankings. Since its founding in 1876, the university has produced 13 Nobel laureates, 9 MacArthur Fellows, 2 Pulitzer Prize winners, 1 Turing Award recipient, 1 Lasker Award winner, 29 members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 25 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 24 members of the National Academy of Engineering, 22 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 20 NASA astronauts.
Dr. Congjun Yu will join the Department of Chemistry at CU Boulder as a tenure-track assistant professor in August 2025. His lab is well-funded. Dr. Yu graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Shanghai Normal University and earned his master’s degree from the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, focusing on gold catalysis and asymmetric synthesis. He completed his PhD at RWTH Aachen University in Germany, graduating with “highest honors” (Summa Cum Laude) and conducting significant research in dehydrogenative coupling and electrochemistry. He is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Chicago, where his research interests have shifted to inert bond activation and selective hydrogenation of aromatic rings, including the development of a new reaction mode called “Split-Cross-Coupling” in catalytic coupling.
For more information, visit his Google Scholar profile.
Available Subjects:
- New Catalytic Forms: Design and develop p-block (chalcogen, nitrogen group, etc.) element catalysts to achieve new catalytic reactions and mechanisms, addressing complex synthesis challenges.
- Precision Editing of Complex Molecules: Focus on complex frameworks such as natural products and drug molecules, researching highly selective methods for late-stage functional group introduction and framework modification.
- Activation and Transformation of Inert Chemical Structures: Utilize novel techniques such as electrical and magnetic methods to activate and transform inert chemical structures (e.g., benzene rings, N₂).
- Efficient Drug Screening Methods: Combine new catalytic reactions with molecular modification strategies to establish a rapid and efficient platform for screening drug candidate molecules.
Eligibility criteria:
- Dr. Congjun Yu’s lab is actively recruiting members, including postdoctoral researchers, visiting scholars, and PhD students. Competitive salaries and benefits will be provided according to the University of Colorado’s standards. We welcome individuals with backgrounds in organic chemistry and related fields to join our team.
Application Procedure:
Applicants should send their resumes to: [email protected]
