Tianrui (Terry) Zheng, a Materials Science & Engineering graduate student working with Dr. Guihua Yu, is a recipient of the 2026-2027 UT Chevron Energy Graduate Fellows Award from UT's Energy Institute.
The competitive annual fellowship is awarded to "researchers whose work promises to transform the energy systems of the future."
“Our graduate students are at the forefront of solving complex technical, economic, and societal challenges across the global energy landscape,” said Brian Korgel, Rashid Engineering Regents Chair Professor and director of the Energy Institute. “The UT Chevron Energy Graduate Fellows Awards provide critical support at a formative stage in these students’ careers, empowering them to pursue bold ideas, deepen interdisciplinary collaboration, and translate research into impact.”
Terry's research "focuses on advancing reliable and sustainable energy storage technologies through the design of polymeric electrolytes. By leveraging the electro-chemo-mechanical properties of hydrogels, the research aims to improve the stability, durability, and scalability of aqueous batteries, enabling safer and environmentally friendly alternatives for grid-scale energy storage."
Terry is one of eight UT graduate students to be awarded the fellowship for the 2026-2027 academic year. To learn more about the fellowship and the other winners, visit the announcement page from the Energy Institute.
