His research focus is on the intersection of polymer, colloid, and inorganic chemistry. He is especially interested in designing sustainable chemical processes and synthesizing green materials through catalytic approaches. His teaching interests at Duke Kunshan include fundamental chemistry, physical Chemistry, and polymer Chemistry.

He has had papers published in leading academic journals, including Polymer Reviews, Annual Review of Material Research, Journal of Physical Chemistry, and Journal of Colloid and Interface Science. He was an editorial board member for the Journal of Polymer Materials and served as a session chair at the 19th Pacific Polymer Conference.

Tan has a B.E.and M.E. in polymer science from Sichuan University and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Oklahoma State University. He served as a post-doctoral researcher at Texas A&M University. Before joining Duke Kunshan, he was a research scientist at Texas A&M University and the University of Delaware.