Professor Deng's research interests include adsorbents, catalysts and membranes for sustainable energy and clean water applications. He received his doctorate from University of Cincinnati in 1996, and worked as a lead research engineer in The BOC Group in New Jersey before joining NMSU in 2003. He became an associate professor in 2006 and professor in 2009. Deng was a research and development manager in Nanjing Refinery, SINOPEC, China before coming to America in 1992 to pursue his doctorate in chemical engineering.