Jinghua Li, PhD, assistant professor in the College of Engineering, has earned The Ohio State University 2026 Early Career Distinguished Scholar Award. Senior leadership in the Enterprise for Research, Innovation and Knowledge recently surprised Li with the honor.
"It's such a huge surprise and I would like to thank so many people. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to ERIK for this incredible honor. Special thanks go to our department chair, Dr. Mike Mills, and the MSE H&A committee, led by Dr. Alan Luo, for preparing the nomination packet. I would also like to thank my letter writers for their generous help. I'm very grateful for the support that I've received through the years,” said Li.
“Moving forward, I hope also to give back the favor that I received from others to continue supporting other junior faculty down the road."
Li, a materials and semiconductor engineer, leads a research group focused on developing optoelectronic interfaces, imaging tools, and probes for living systems to tackle biological challenges and improve human health.
“Your work advances materials that seamlessly connect medical devices with the human body, enabling wearable and implantable technologies that work naturally with our biology,” said Cynthia Carnes, associate vice president of research operations. “This work truly epitomizes our land-grant mission to improve lives.”
"You are a promising researcher and scholar, you're invested in collaboration, you're intentional on giving back to graduate students, undergraduates, and those who will one day be like us," shared Derrick Tillman-Kelly, chief of staff in the College of Engineering. "You are a model of excellence, and so we want to add and extend our congratulations, and thank you for the work that you've done, so thank you again."
In his nomination letter, Materials Science and Engineering Department Chair Michael J. Mills wrote, “Dr. Li has quickly established herself as a leader in chemistry-centered interdisciplinary research, while developing a highly successful research program in the areas of electrochemistry, bio-integrated electronics, and biosensing.”
Li’s work in semiconductor electronics and optical science has led to the development of a “flip transfer” method for constructing ultrathin Si nanomembrane-based semiconductor electronics with chronic stability, high sensitivity and scalability. Her team also investigates light-matter interactions through various modalities, including photocapacitive and photo-Faradaic effects, to enable sensing and stimulation of biological systems. Li’s work in biosensing and healthcare centers on developing wearable and implantable bioelectronics for the detection of various biomarkers. Her expertise in interface science and semiconductor electronics has been extended to designing reusable biosensors. Li is also passionate about teaching and mentoring. She held leadership roles focused on student retention and education, initiated seminar and visiting scientists, and enhanced the undergraduate curriculum, particularly the intersection of optoelectronics and engineering. She conducts outreach activities, engaging undergraduate and local high school students in the modern applications of bioelectronics. Li was recognized as a 2025 Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow, the 2024 ACS Materials Au Rising Star, the 2024 Nanoscale Emerging Investigator and the 2023 Ohio State Early Career Innovator of the Year. She has also received the DARPA Young Faculty Award and an NIH Trailblazer Award. Before coming to Ohio State, she was a post-doctoral fellow at Northwestern University. Li earned her doctorate in Chemistry from Duke University and her bachelor’s in Biological Science from Shandong University (China).
The Early Career Distinguished Scholar Award is among the highest annual honors awarded at Ohio State. The university-level award honors three to four faculty members who demonstrate scholarly activity, conduct research or creative works that represent exceptional achievements in their fields and garner distinction for the university.
Award recipients are nominated by their departments and chosen by a committee of senior faculty, including past award recipients. Early Career Distinguished Scholars receive an honorarium and a research grant to be used over the next three years.
Quotes from Li's nomination:
“Jinghua is remarkably driven, smart, technically skilled and independent, with a deep understanding of the chemistry of active and passive electronic and biosensor materials, specifically in the context of unusual electronic devices for neuroscience and human-interfaced systems…She is already well established as an emerging leader in interdisciplinary basic and applied research at the intersection of chemistry and biomedical engineering through her work on flexible electronics and bio-integrated sensor platforms. These promising research directions not only involve core materials and engineering science content, but their broader impacts include clinical and translational potential in neuroscience and medicine.” John A. Rogers, Northwestern University.
“Dr. Li exhibits exceptional leadership in both research and education, continually pushing the boundaries of chemistry-centered materials science through interdisciplinary integration. She has demonstrated a deep commitment to advancing analytical chemical sciences and biosensing, while making a lasting impact through her teaching, research, and community engagement.,” Zhenqiang (Jack) Ma, University of Wisconsin.
“It has been a true pleasure to watch Jinghua grow into an ambitious, productive, and independent scientist. She has distinguished herself through seminal contributions to nanoscience, neuroengineering, and brain–machine interfaces. Jinghua is a versatile and visionary researcher whose interdisciplinary work is advancing the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. Her diverse educational and technical background enables her to bridge concepts from materials science and electrical engineering to solve complex biomedical challenges, particularly those related to brain injury and chronic disease. Given her exceptional track record of excellence, creativity, and leadership, I hold the highest confidence in her continued success…” Jie Liu, Duke University.