Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) originated within electrochemical systems and has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past fifty years [1]. Electrochemical SERS has played an irreplaceable historical role in advancing electrochemical research to the molecular level and establishing the field of spectroelectrochemistry [2]. For me, the journey of SERS is not merely a technical timeline, but a living archive of how scientific discovery unfolds—by challenging the impossible, through collective collaboration, and via continual reinvention. I had the extraordinary privilege of entering this field in 1983 as a PhD student of Martin Fleischmann FRS at the University of Southampton. In this award lecture, I will share both a personal retrospective and a forward-looking perspective, building on the legacy of the pioneers who shaped the first half-century and exploring how their foundations pave the way for an AI-driven paradigm shift in electrochemistry.
Throughout the 50-year journey of EC-SERS, pioneers have not only challenged established doctrines but also transformed the "impossible" into reality. While courage is essential, it alone is insufficient advancement without guidance can lead to setbacks. True breakthroughs arise from the convergence of essential conditions: seizing opportunities presented by the time, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and adhering to rational design. This means relying not on bravery and luck, but on deliberate planning, rigorous analysis, and quantitative validation, allowing data and evidence to illuminate the path toward genuine breakthrough.
Looking ahead, I am closely engaged with and encouraged by the rapid advances in AI-driven science and technology [3]. The convergence of AI with our relentless pursuit of methodological innovation positions it as a fundamental driver to spark the transformative shift from electrochemical systems to systems electrochemistry.
References
[1] Yi J, You EM, Hu R, Tian ZQ, et. al., Half a century of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy: retrospective and perspective, Chem. Soc. Rev. (2025); 54, 1453-1551.
[2] Li CY, Tian, ZQ. Sixty years of electrochemical optical spectroscopy: a retrospective. Chem. Soc. Rev. (2024); 53, 3579-3605.
[3] Yi J, You EM, Liu GK and Tian ZQ, AI–nano-driven surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for marketable technologies, Nat. Nanotechnol. (2024); 19, 1758–1762.