Alexis Bell has been elected as a Foreign Member of the prestigious Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). He is a professor of the Graduate School in the department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the College of Chemistry at UC Berkeley. The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) elects foreign members who are non-Chinese citizens recognized for their distinguished scientific achievements. The most recent election in November 2025 saw the induction of 27 new foreign members, bringing the total to 173. Only 24 foreign members of the CAS are in the US. These members hail from various countries and represent a wide range of scientific fields.
This recognition is for his fundamental and sustained contributions to the field of catalysis. Professor Bell's research has been crucial in providing a deep understanding of how catalysts work—explaining the mechanisms and kinetics of catalyzed reactions, and revealing exactly how the composition and structure of materials (including metal, metal oxide, and zeolite catalysts) affect their activity and selectivity. This impactful work, which combines advanced quantum chemistry with sophisticated spectroscopy techniques, has directly led to the development of new catalysts used for synthesizing sustainable chemicals and fuels, and for the abatement of automotive emissions. This research contributes to the unseen but essential technologies that give us cleaner air, more efficient and sustainable production of goods, and a path toward greener energy solutions.
Beyond his scientific discoveries, CAS also recognizes Professor Bell's four decades of dedication to advancing China's catalysis research community since 1982. This includes founding the conference that became the Asia-Pacific Conference on Catalysis, leading major institutional reviews, advising Tsinghua University, and mentoring numerous Chinese graduate and postdoctoral researchers.