Stony Brook University Professors Awarded National Science Foundation Early CAREER Awards

STONY BROOK, NY - July 13, 2026 - Four State University of New York at Stony Brook (Stony Brook University) professors recently earned an Early CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

This award is bestowed upon early-career faculty who show promise as both researchers and educators, distinguished as up-and-coming professionals poised to advance the mission of their academic departments. As Early CAREER recipients, the professors will receive more than $2.7 million combined in grants to support their research.

Stony Brook University faculty receiving the Early CAREER Award include:

• Assistant Professor Qingyun Li, Department of Geosciences, was awarded $607,833. (Should we put the $$$ amount in for any of these?)Professor Li investigates carbonate minerals. Her project will explore the process that forms carbonate minerals, known as nucleation. This research informs societal needs, including groundwater management and critical mineral recovery. The project will also broaden geoscience awareness, build hands-on museum modules, and support student research experiences.
• Assistant Professor Yifan Zhou, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, was awarded $565,470. Her research aims to establish a new paradigm of "fully quantum" computing for power grid analytics. The project will bring transformative changes by redefining how linear quantum operators can be harnessed to address nonlinear power grid analysis, thereby opening a new pathway for end-to-end quantum computing technologies capable of tackling critical power system computational tasks.
• Assistant Professor Jeffrey M. Lipshultz, Department of Chemistry, was awarded $800,566. His project will develop catalysts based on earth-abundant titanium to promote value-adding chemical transformations of organic molecules driven by light.
• Assistant Professor Quinton J. Bruch, Department of Chemistry, was awarded $800,000. His project will develop methods to control the selectivity of multifunctionalization reactions, which would enable production of complex valuable chemicals from simple inexpensive starting materials. Multifunctionalization reactions involve multiple bond-breaking and making steps in a single reaction and can be used to rapidly increase the molecular complexity, and value, of abundant hydrocarbon feedstocks. However, poor selectivity in these transformations often leads to an unusable mixture of products. The research team under Dr. Bruch will investigate how specifically designed substrates can be used to address this challenge and develop clear rules for broad implementation.

"My warmest congratulations to Professors Bruch, Li and Lipshultz on receiving NSF CAREER Awards," said David Wrobel, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and professor of history. "Each of these scholars exemplifies the highest standards of research excellence and student-centered mentorship that define our College. Professor Bruch's cutting-edge investigations into catalytic control in multifunctionalization reactions, Professor Li's innovative research on carbonate mineral formation and environmental geochemistry, and Professor Lipshultz's pioneering work in titanium photochemistry all demonstrate extraordinary scientific creativity. Equally important, their shared commitment to building collaborative, inclusive, and inspiring research communities enriches the Departments of Chemistry and Geosciences and enables the foundations for success within CAS and Stony Brook as a whole. We are proud to celebrate the impact of their work and the future they are helping shape for our students."

"Professor Yifan Zhou is tackling one of the fundamental barriers to quantum advantage in power systems - and building the next generation of quantum-ready engineers along the way," said College of Engineering and Applied Sciences Dean Andrew Singer. "That's the kind of research leadership NSF's CAREER award recognizes, and exactly what we hope for from our faculty at Stony Brook Engineering."