Liang-Yan Hsu

• Theoretical Chemical Physics
• Quantum Electrodynamical Chemistry and Polariton Chemistry (Applications of Macroscopic Quantum Electrodynamics in Chemistry)  
• Light-Matter Interactions at the Nanoscale (Plasmon-Coupled Exciton Transfer and Spectroscopy)
• Nanoelectronics (Molecular Electronics)
• Methodology of Quantum Transport Theory at the Nanoscale (Electron, Exciton, Heat, and Spin Transport)

Dr. Hsu’s research focuses on exploring quantum electrodynamical phenomena in

chemical systems. Light is a fundamental element in many physical phenomena and

chemical reactions. In most cases, weak light-matter coupling can trigger chemical molecules to change their quantum states after absorbing or releasing photons, forming the basis of spectroscopy and photochemistry. Recently, strong light-matter coupling between excited molecules and vacuum electromagnetic fields has received extensive attention due to the intriguing properties of the hybrid states formed by excited molecules and photons (analogous to how two hydrogen atoms form a hydrogen molecule). This emerging field is known as “Polaritonic Chemistry.” To properly describe the effects of vacuum electromagnetic fields on chemical molecules, a fully quantum electrodynamic approach is essential. Within the framework of macroscopic quantum electrodynamics, our group has not only generalized several traditional chemical theories to the strong coupling regime but has also incorporated the effects of dielectric environments into light-matter interactions. Building upon quantum electrodynamics, we have successfully extended several representative theories in chemical physics, including:

(i) a unified theory of molecular fluorescence spanning weak to strong light-matter coupling (a generalization of the Chance-Prock-Silbey fluorescence theory); (ii) a unified theory of radiative and non-radiative energy transfer (a generalization of Förster resonance energy transfer theory); (iii) the multichromophoric excitation energy transfer theory; (iv) a unified theory of radiative and non-radiative electron transfer (a generalization of Marcus theory); (v) the generalized Born-Huang expansion for photon-electron-nucleus systems (a generalization of the Born-Huang expansion); (vi) the molecular superradiance theory (a generalization of Spano-Mukamel theory).

Furthermore, our theories enable the description of light-molecule interactions in inhomogeneous, dispersive, and absorbing media, corresponding to materials with space-dependent, frequency-dependent, and complex dielectric functions. In other words, our approach incorporates the effects of plasmon polaritons and cavity photons, as well as material dissipation, without relying on free parameters. Our research perspective extends beyond “Polaritonic Chemistry.” More broadly, we explore entirely new phenomena within the domain of “Quantum Electrodynamical (QED) Chemistry”.

• B.S., Chemistry, 2005, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
• M.S., Chemistry, 2008, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
• Ph.D.，Chemistry 2015, Princeton University, USA

• Postdoctoral Fellow, Princeton University, USA (2015-2016)
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Northwestern University, USA (2016-2017)
• Assistant Research Fellow, Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taiwan (2017-2021)
• Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taiwan (2019-2022)
• Associate Research Fellow, Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taiwan (2021-2025)
• Joint Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taiwan (2022-2025)
• Center Scientist and Coordinator, National Center for Theoretical Sciences, Taiwan (2023-2025)
• Joint Professor, Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taiwan (2025-Present)
• Research Fellow, Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taiwan (2025-Present)
• Deputy Director, Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taiwan (2025-Present)

• The Journal of Chemical Physics 2024 Emerging Investigator Best Paper Award, American Institute of Physics, 2025
• Outstanding Young Scholar Award, Taiwan Theoretical and Computational Molecular Sciences Association, 2025
• NSTC Outstanding Research Award, 2025
• 26th Outstanding Young Scholar Award, Shui-Mu Foundation of Chemistry, 2025
• Young Chemist Award, CSLT (Chemical Society Located in Taipei), 2024
• Presidential Scholars Program, Academia Sinica, 2023
• Early-Career Investigator Research Achievement Award, Academia Sinica, 2022
• Outstanding Teaching Award, National Taiwan University, 2022
• 2022 Career Development Award, Academia Sinica, 2021
• Ta-You Wu Memorial Award, MOST (Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan), 2020
• Young Scholars’ Creativity Award, Foundation for the Advancement of Outstanding Scholarship, 2020
• Margaret and Herman Sokol Fellowship in Chemistry, Princeton University, 2015​
• Stephen P.A. Fodor*85 Fellowship, Princeton University, 2011
• Science and Technology Research Award, CTCI Foundation, 2007
• Dr. Yan Distinguished Thesis Award, National Taiwan University, 2007
• Dean's Award for Graduates in College of Science, National Taiwan University, 2007
• Dr. An-Tai Chen Undergraduate Research Scholarship, National Taiwan University, 2005​
• The Presidential Award, National Taiwan University