Jian Wang

Prof. Jian Wang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Wichita State University. He leads the Wang Research Lab, focusing on designing and synthesizing inorganic functional materials for energy and health applications. His work emphasizes solid-state cooling, nonlinear optical materials, photocatalysts, and thermoelectric materials.

Research interests include crystal and electronic structure analysis, defect chemistry, and property characterization through advanced techniques (X-ray/neutron crystallography, spectroscopy). The lab actively engages undergraduate and graduate students in projects bridging inorganic chemistry, condensed matter physics, and materials science. Key collaborations include work with Dr. Kirill Kovnir (Iowa State University) and Dr. Jin Hu (University of Arkansas).

• Received the 2022 ACS Division of Inorganic Chemistry Award for Undergraduate Research (with student Gary Cicirello).
• Recognized in 2021 with the Postdoctoral Scholar Research Excellence Award.
• Hosted over 30 students in research roles since 2019, including Watkins Fellows and First-Year Research Experience participants.

Recent research highlights include studies on heteroanionic compounds for multiferroic properties, crystal engineering of thiophosphates, and thermoelectric clathrate materials. The lab's work has been published in journals like Chemical Science, Materials Chemistry Frontiers, and Inorganic Chemistry.

The Wang Lab emphasizes hands-on training in crystal growth, property measurements, and theory simulations, fostering expertise in functional material design.