Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ong Wee Jun from School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia was named 2023 Highly Cited Researcher by Clarivate (Cross-Field), as one of the 11 awardees across Malaysia this year. 

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Boasting a publication of 138, an H-Index of 59, and a total citation of 17,005, Dr. Ong Wee Jun has been in the list for 5 consecutive years. Among all his publications, 25 of his works were selected as Web of Science Top 1% Highly Cited Paper.

The Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers List recognizes individuals who have demonstrated significant and far-reaching impact in their respective research fields. This accomplishment signifies that he ranks within the top 1% in citations for his field(s) and publication year in the Web of Science™ over the past decade, showcasing significant and wide-ranging influence in his field(s) of research.

In 2023, only 6,849 scholars from 67 nations and regions received this prestigious honor.

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“Sustaining the status of being a Global Highly Cited Researcher (Top 1%) for continuous five years is a challenging feat. Hence, I sincerely extend my heartfelt gratitude to my past and present research team members for their unwavering dedication and tireless efforts over the past years, which have been instrumental in the success and growth of my group in the field of energy, nanotechnology and catalysis,” said Dr. Ong Wee Jun.

Centered on nanotechnologies to transform Malaysia’s energy landscape, Dr. Ong Wee Jun's research team is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of artificial photosynthesis systems for the generation of renewable energy fuels from sunlight and electricity, mimicking the natural photosynthesis in green plants. 

“Every member of my team endows unique skills. By fostering teamwork, we can achieve synergy where the collective effort transcends individual contributions, making 1+1 equal to 3 or more.”

Leading “NanoECats” research group at XMUM, Dr. Ong Wee Jun is currently supervising a total of 10 postgraduate students and two postdoctoral research fellows.

NanoECats” team has made a meaningful contribution to the development of nanomaterials with varied dimensions and morphologies for the application in energy and environmental sciences. These nanomaterials serve as functional photocatalysts and electrocatalysts for a spectrum of chemical reactions, including (1) water splitting to hydrogen and oxygen, (2) CO2 conversion to C1 and C2+ products, (3) N2 fixation to NH3, (4) plastic valorization to value-added products, (5) H2O2 production and (6) fine chemical products.

Meanwhile, with the utilization of renewable energy sources, his team is targeted to achieve energy sustainability by employing the concept of “waste-to-wealth” toward the synergistic co-production of clean chemicals.

Dr. Ong Wee Jun would like to take this opportunity to thank the local and international funding agencies such as Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), NanoMalaysia Berhad (NMB), National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), etc. for their ongoing financial support.

“Together, we undertake an extraordinary mission to pave the way for a greener future, unlocking boundless opportunities for generations ahead,” Dr. Ong Wee Jun highlighted, “As we progress, let's sustain our commitment to the energy transition and focus our efforts on meaningful research—a collective effort toward achieving a net-zero goal.”

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Dr. Ong Wee Jun with his research team during the IGEM2023 exhibition at KLCC in conjunction with the official launch of Hydrogen Economy and Technology Roadmap (HETR).

Dr. Ong Wee Jun currently serves as the Director of Center of Excellence for NaNo Energy & Catalysis Technology (CONNECT) and the Assistant Dean of School of Energy and Chemical Engineering at Xiamen University Malaysia (XMUM). His research interests include the development of organic and inorganic hybrid nanomaterials for various energy and environmental applications in photocatalytic and electrochemical H2O splitting, CO2 reduction, H2O2 synthesis, N2 fixation and organic synthesis as well as microwave plasma methane cracking for graphene and hydrogen production.

Dr. Ong Wee Jun is actively recruiting several postgraduate (Master and PhD) students as well as postdoctoral research fellows at CONNECT starting in early 2024 for the special project in collaboration with PETRONAS on the conversion of CO2 greenhouse gas into renewable fuels using photocatalysis and electrocatalysis. 

If you are interested to work in this inspiring project, kindly contact Dr. Ong Wee Jun for further discussion (weejun.ong@xmu.edu.my). 

Click here to get more information about Dr. Ong Wee Jun and his research group. 

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