Hongyou Fan, PhD, is a researcher, manager, and educator whose 25-year career is marked by exceptional leadership in technology transfer activities. His inventions have won multiple R&D 100 awards and have been licensed and commercialized by industry. His technology transfer efforts have been lauded by the FLC, as well as by state and national legislators. He has supported numerous Department of Energy (DOE) and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) technology transfer initiatives, including Energy I-Corps, to foster innovation and an entrepreneurial mindset on his teams. 

As a National Lab Professor, Fan mentors students and actively supports local STEM programs, helping to develop the next generation of scientists and engineers. He has shared his research through numerous publications and international presentations for professional organizations like the Materials Research Society and American Chemical Society, which have also recognized his contributions in addressing key technical challenges across industry, academia, and national labs. Through all the different facets of his work at SNL and various technology transfer organizations, Fan continues to create valuable technology advances benefiting U.S. national security and industry. 

In his current roles as Department Manager of Geochemistry, Sandia Manager of the Basic Energy Sciences Geoscience Program at the DOE, and Manager of the Sandia Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management Critical Minerals Program, Fan actively promotes technology transfer and encourages his teams to participate. In 2024, as part of Energy I-Corps, two of Fan’s team members completed almost 100 customer discovery interviews across industry, academia, and government for their “Chat GPT for Materials Design” technology. These insights are shaping the technology’s commercialization strategy. 

Fan’s groundbreaking contributions to technology transfer have earned him six FLC Awards, including three in the past five years. His development of porphyrin nanoparticle disinfectants to combat COVID-19 and other pathogens led to the technology’s commercialization by Lunano and earned the 2024 FLC Mid-Continent Regional Technology Transfer Award. His leadership in translating scientific discoveries into market-ready technologies is further evidenced by eight R&D 100 Awards for himself and his teams, 21 patents, three pending patents, and hundreds of publications for his work in materials manufacturing, nanoelectronics, and critical materials supply chains. 

In 2019, the New Mexico Legislature recognized Fan as a serial innovator. In June 2024, he briefed New Mexico State Representative Meredith Dixon on SNL’s critical minerals technology and commercialization. Through that, he sought assistance from the state to overcome obstacles in technology transfer, such as cost-sharing and gaining support from tribal communities to bolster New Mexico’s energy sector. Fan’s dedication to transferring innovative technologies from the lab to practical applications has produced significant societal impact.