Dandan Gao is an independent research group leader and Walter Benjamin Fellow (funded by DFG) at the Department of Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany. She received her MSc in metal materials engineering from Shandong University, China. In 2021, she completed her PhD (supervisor: Prof. Dr. Carsten Streb) at Ulm University. Her current research is focused on functional material systems for sustainable chemistry and revealing the reaction mechanisms at both atomic and molecular levels.
Read Dandan’s Emerging Investigators Series article “Design of nanostructured 2D (photo-)electrocatalysts for biomass valorization coupled with H2 production” and read more about her in the interview below:
Your recent Emerging Investigators Series article focuses on Design of nanostructured 2D (photo-)electrocatalysts for biomass valorization coupled with H2 production. How has your research evolved from your first article?
My early work focused on establishing structure – activity relationships in electrocatalytic materials, with an emphasis on understanding how composition and morphology influence performance. Over time, my research has evolved toward a more holistic, systems-level perspective, integrating advanced characterization, operando studies, and data-driven optimization to design catalysts that are not only active but also stable, scalable, and sustainable. This evolution reflects a shift from observing performance to actively steering it through rational and adaptive design principles.
What aspect of your work excites you most right now?
What excites me most is the opportunity to move beyond static catalyst design toward dynamic and self-optimizing systems. In particular, exploring how electrochemical environments can be used as active design parameters, rather than passive operating conditions, opens up new ways to access non-equilibrium structures and reaction pathways. This has strong implications for sustainable fuel production and resource-efficient chemical transformations.
Which profession would you choose if you weren’t a scientist?
If I weren’t a scientist, I would likely pursue a career in design or architecture. The process of balancing creativity with constraints, and translating abstract ideas into functional systems, closely mirrors how I approach research, just at a different scale.
What one piece of career advice would you share with other early career scientists?
Keep standing. Never forget why you started, and your objective can be achieved then. Invest time in developing a strong scientific intuition, but don’t be afraid to evolve your research direction as new questions emerge. Careers are rarely linear, and some of the most impactful work comes from embracing uncertainty and interdisciplinary thinking rather than following a predefined path.
How do you feel about Sustainable Energy & Fuels as a place to publish research on this topic?
Sustainable Energy & Fuels provides an excellent platform for this type of research because it values both fundamental insight and real-world relevance. The journal’s interdisciplinary scope encourages dialogue between chemists, materials scientists, and energy researchers, which is essential for addressing complex sustainability challenges. I also appreciate its emphasis on rigor, transparency, and long-term impact in the energy landscape.
