Qingyun Li Earns NSF Early CAREER Award for Nucleation Research

Stony Brook University Assistant Professor Qingyun Li recently received an Early CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for her research exploring the process that forms carbonate minerals, known as nucleation.

The award is bestowed upon early-career faculty who show promise as both researchers and educators, distinguished as up-and-coming professionals poised to advance the mission of their academic departments. As Early CAREER recipients, the professors will receive more than $2.7 million combined in grants to support their research.

Li, a member of the Department of Geosciences faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences, was awarded $607,833 for her research investigating carbonate minerals. This research informs societal needs, including groundwater management and critical mineral recovery. The project will also broaden geoscience awareness, build hands-on museum modules, and support student research experiences.

Minerals are forming and dissolving all around us; LI explained that the first step of this process, nucleation, determines many properties of minerals, but has largely remained a black box.

"This research will let us open that box at the nanoscale," Li said. "Carbonate minerals are at the center of this work because of their close links to how carbon dioxide is drawn from the atmosphere into rocks, groundwater flow in soils and aquifers, and their role in critical mineral production in industry. Receiving this award is also meaningful for bringing modern geoscience into education. Many students are passionate about energy, climate, and the environment, but have never had the chance to see the connection to geoscience. We want to show them that geoscience isn't just about rocks; it provides solutions to some of the most urgent problems of our time."

"The NSF CAREER Award is a well-deserved recognition of Professor Li's excellence in research, teaching, and student mentoring," said Timothy Glotch, professor and chair of the Department of Gesosciences. "Li's focus on environmental geochemistry and critical minerals is highly relevant to the needs of our local community, the state of New York, and our country. Through this award, Li will also be training the next generation of young scientists to tackle some of the greatest challenges in Earth and environmental science."

"​I'm so pleased to congratulate Professor Li on this well-deserved NSF CAREER Award​, recognizing her outstanding contributions to both research and education," ​said David Wrobel, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. ​"Her innovative research on carbonate mineral formation and her passion for environmental geochemistry​, combined with her dedication to mentoring students, redound to the benefit of our Department of Geosciences. We are fortunate to have her among our faculty."

Li describes herself as a geochemist caring about energy and the environment. She uses experimental approaches, geochemical modeling, and synchrotron X-ray techniques to study water-rock interactions in energy and environmental applications. Her research directions include water-rock interactions in subsurface geotechnical systems; mineral dissolution, nucleation, and precipitation; and geochemical principles for soil and water remediation.

Her AGate (Aqueous Geochemistry Across Technology and Environment) Lab explores geochemical reactions in environmental and energy-related systems and examines their impacts on porous media.

Li is one of four Stony Brook University faculty to receive an NSF Early CAREER Award in 2026.