Lifeng Chi

Prof. Dr. Lifeng Chi is a Chair Professor at Soochow University's Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Münster. She holds a Hans Fischer Senior Fellowship at the Technical University of Munich Institute for Advanced Study (TUM-IAS) since 2019, where she leads the focus group on 'Molecular assemblies and covalent nanostructures on wide bandgap semiconductor surfaces'.

Education

• B.S. and M.S. from Jilin University, China
• Ph.D. from University of Göttingen, Germany (1989)
• Habilitation from University of Münster, Germany (2000)

Research Focus

Her research spans three core areas: On-Surface Chemical Reactions including selective C-H bond activation and C-C coupling; Molecular Self-Assembly exploring chiral structures and covalent bonding; and Interfacial Engineering developing functional molecular architectures for sensing applications. Her work combines nanoscale fabrication with fundamental surface chemistry to create advanced functional materials.

Publication Trends

Over 370 publications demonstrate consistent focus on surface molecular phenomena, with recent work (2021-2025) emphasizing catalytic surface reactions, semiconductor interfaces, and molecular electronics. Earlier breakthroughs include alkane polymerization on gold surfaces and chiral network engineering, establishing foundational techniques in surface chemistry.

Scientific Awards

• IUPAC Distinguished Women in Chemistry/Chemical Engineering (2017)
• ACS Nano Lectureship Award (2016)
• Molecular Science Frontier Lecture Professorship (2016)
• Distinguished Innovation Scientist, Jiangsu (2013)
• Lisa Meitner Scholarship (1997)

Leadership & Labs

Directs the Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials at Soochow University, overseeing research in molecular assembly and surface engineering. At TUM-IAS, collaborates with Prof. Johannes Barth and Prof. Martin Stutzmann on semiconductor surface modifications.