It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Professor Zhaowu Tian on October 1, 2024, at the age of 97 in Xiamen.
1927 – 2024
Prof. Tian spent over 75 years as a faculty member at Xiamen University. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 1949. Then, he served as an instructor to Prof. Jiaxi Lu, a former postdoctoral researcher of Linus Pauling and the former president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in the same department. In 1978, he was promoted to full professor in Chemistry, and in 1980, he was elected as a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Throughout his career, Prof. Tian held numerous prestigious positions, including the president of Xiamen University, the vice president of the International Electrochemistry Society, the president of the Chinese Chemical Society, the first president of the Chinese Electrochemical Society and the founding editor of the Journal of Electrochemistry. Prof. Tian’s made several milestone contributions, including the autocatalytic electrode processes (1957), electrochemical impedance measurement (1961), Zn-air battery (1971), porous electrode theory (1978), localized probe for corrosion (1982), and the confined etching layer technique (1990). He was also a pioneer in the development of research methods and instruments for electrochemistry research and industry in China, including the DHZ-1 multifunctional electrochemical workstation (1974). Prof. Tian published 193 academic papers, obtained 34 authorized invention patents, and won over 20 research awards, including national natural science awards. Under his leadership, the electrochemistry at Xiamen University became one of the world’s leading research centers.
In addition, Prof. Tian was a dedicated educator. His book Research Methods in Electrochemistry published in 1984 is considered one of the most classic textbooks in electrochemistry in China. He organized several national training courses and workshops for electrochemistry, cultivating a large number of young students and researchers, who have become leaders in the field.
Despite never studying or working abroad, Prof. Tian was actively involved in international activities and played a crucial role in promoting the internationalization of the Chinese electrochemistry community. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Wales in the United Kingdom in 1984 and was elected as an academician of the Third World Academy of Sciences in 1996. He served as the chair of the 46th annual meeting of the International Electrochemical Society (ISE), vice chair of ISE, and an associate editor of Electrochimica Acta. In honor of his significant contributions to the electrochemistry community, ISE established the Zhaowu Tian Prize for Energy Electrochemistry.
Prof. Tian’s passing is a great loss to the electrochemistry community, both in China and internationally. He will be remembered as a visionary scientist, a dedicated mentor, and a compassionate human being. His legacy will live on forever.