En-Chih Liu

I was born and raised in Kaohsiung City, a vibrant city in the southern part of Taiwan. I earned both my B.S. and M.S. degrees from National Cheng Kung University. After that, I came to the U.S. to pursue my Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities — a wonderful place surrounded by frozen lakes in the winter.

During my time in Minnesota, I conducted research under the guidance of Prof. Joe Topczewski, focusing on asymmetric catalysis using click chemistry. I also explored a range of topics, including decarboxylative cross-coupling and heterocycle synthesis. After visiting about 1,000 lakes in Minnesota (roughly one-tenth of all the lakes in the state), I completed my Ph.D. and moved to another beautiful town: Ann Arbor, Michigan.

I spent nearly three years working with Prof. Melanie Sanford as a postdoctoral researcher. During this time, I developed broad interests in electrochemical synthesis, organometallic chemistry, and photocatalyzed cross-coupling reactions. In 2024, I headed to Texas for my second postdoctoral position, joining Prof. Quentin Michaudel’s group at Texas A&M University. There, I further deepened my knowledge in photo/Ni dual catalysis and was introduced to aspects of polymer chemistry.

Outside of the lab, I’m a big fan of U.S. National Parks — I’ve visited 25 so far, and I’m still counting. Beyond road trips and hikes, I also enjoy cooking, discovering new places, and experiencing different cultures.