UC Riverside professor Cengiz S. Ozkan has been named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, one of the highest honors in the field. The recognition highlights Ozkan’s innovative work turning everyday waste into advanced materials that improve how we store and use energy.
Ozkan, a professor of mechanical engineering and materials science in the Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering, was honored for his contributions to nanomaterials chemistry. His research focuses on designing and producing materials — often from sand, biomass, or recycled plastics — that power batteries, electronics, and other energy systems more efficiently and sustainably.
“I’m deeply honored to be elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry,” Ozkan said. “This recognition reflects years of dedication to advancing the chemical sciences, and I’m proud to join a global community working toward a more sustainable future.”
Ozkan’s lab has developed scalable methods for creating high-performance materials, including silicon-based battery components, graphene supercapacitors, and ultra-porous carbons.
He holds nearly 50 U.S. and international patents and has helped bridge the gap between lab research and real-world applications. His work has also contributed to the development of next-generation energy devices and electronics made of materials that can bend and stretch while retaining their functionality.
The Royal Society of Chemistry, based in the United Kingdom, supports more than 50,000 members worldwide. It was formed in 1980 through the merger of four historic British chemical societies, some dating back to the 1840s. Fellowship is awarded to scientists who have made major and lasting contributions to the chemical sciences.
Ozkan’s election marks his fifth major professional honor. He is also a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Materials Research Society, and the National Academy of Inventors, and serves as a principal member of the Turkish Academy of Sciences. In 2021, he served as global meeting chair for the Materials Research Society’s fall conference in Boston, one of the world’s leading gatherings in materials science.
“I want to express my heartfelt thanks to my students, collaborators, and peers for their support over so many years,” Ozkan said. “We have incredibly talented researchers here at UCR, and I’m proud to represent our community on the global stage.”
This milestone underscores UC Riverside’s growing influence in international research and innovation, and highlights the critical role of interdisciplinary science in addressing global energy and sustainability challenges. It also reflects the university’s commitment to fostering breakthrough discoveries that benefit society and the environment.