Tong Li

Professor Tong Li holds the professorship for Atomic-Scale Characterisation at the Institute for Materials at Ruhr University Bochum. She leads a research group focused on understanding processes at the electrode/electrolyte interface in batteries to enhance their safety and durability, critical for applications like electric vehicles.

Education & Career:

• PhD from the University of Oxford's Institute of Materials (2011)
• Postdoctoral researcher at Oxford (2011–2012)
• Researcher at the University of Sydney's Australian Center for Microscopy and Microanalysis (2013–2015)
• Researcher at the University of Queensland (2015–2016)
• Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Iron Research (now Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials) in Düsseldorf (2016–2017)
• Junior Professor at Ruhr University Bochum's Chair of Materials Discovery and Interfaces (2017–2020)

Research Focus: Atomic-scale analysis of materials, particularly batteries, to elucidate interface dynamics and material degradation mechanisms. Her work bridges nanotechnology and electrochemistry to advance sustainable energy storage solutions.

Awards:

• ERC Consolidator Grant 2024

Grants & Lab: Her ERC-funded project aims to establish foundational knowledge for safer, longer-lasting batteries. Her independent group at Ruhr University Bochum continues this critical research through interdisciplinary collaboration.