具有环境工程、化学工程、发酵工程等学术背景，主要从事城市与农业废弃物以及生物质的资源化与能源综合利用的研究工作，所涉及的领域包括污泥-有机质高级厌氧消化、生物炭原位沼气纯化技术、基于热化学-微生物联合法(Hybrid Processing)的木质纤维素生物质高效转化转化平台（合成气发酵、生物热解油分馏相发酵）以及农业高浓度废水的脱氮除磷，并取得了一些的科研成果。已经发表的SCI论文共13篇，其中第一作者9篇，均为生物可再生能源/环境工程相关领域的国际主流高质量期刊，包括Biotechnology Advances、Applied Energy、Journal of Cleaner Production等，获得美国专利局国家专利1项。
Shen, Y., Forrester, S., Koval, J., Urgun-Demirtas, M.* (2017). Yearlong semi-continuous operation of thermophilic two-stage anaerobic digesters amended with biochar for enhanced biomethane production. Journal of Cleaner Production (in press), doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.05.135.
Linville, J.L., Shen, Y., Ignacio-de Leon, P.A.A., Schoene, R.P., Urgun-Demirtas, M.* (2017). In-situ biogas upgrading during anaerobic digestion of food waste amended with walnut shell biochar at bench scale. Waste Management & Research 35(6): 669-679.
Shen, Y., Brown, R.C., Wen, Z.* (2017). Syngas fermentation by Clostridium carboxidivorans P7 in a horizontal rotating packed bed biofilm reactor with enhanced ethanol production. Applied Energy 187: 585-594.
Shen, Y., Linville, J.L., Ignacio-de Leon, P.A.A., Schoene, R.P., Urgun-Demirtas, M.* (2016). Towards a sustainable paradigm of waste-to-energy process: Enhanced anaerobic digestion of sludge with woody biochar. Journal of Cleaner Production 135: 1054-1064.
Linville, J.L., Shen, Y., Schoene, R.P., Nguyen, M., Urgun-Demirtas, M.*, Snyder, S.W. (2016). Impact of trace element additives on anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge with in-situ carbon dioxide sequestration. Process Biochemistry 51(9): 1283–1289.
Linville, J.L., Shen, Y., Urgun-Demirtas, M.*, Snyder, S.W. (2016). Effect of particle size and doses of olivine addition on carbon dioxide sequestration during anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge at ambient and mesophilic temperatures. Process Biochemistry 51(1): 59-72.
Shen, Y., Linville, J.L., Urgun-Demirtas, M.*, Schoene, R.P., Snyder, S.W. (2015). Producing pipeline-quality biomethane via anaerobic digestion of sludge amended with corn stover biochar with in-situ CO2 removal. Applied Energy 158: 300-309.
Shen, Y., Linville, J.L., Urgun-Demirtas, M.*, Mintz, M.M., Snyder, S.W. (2015). An overview of biogas production and utilization at full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the United States: Challenges and opportunities towards energy-neutral WWTPs. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 50: 346-362.
Linville, J.L., Shen, Y., Wu, M., Urgun-Demirtas, M.* (2015). Current state of anaerobic digestion of organic wastes in North America. Current Sustainable/Renewable Energy Reports 2(4): 136-144.
Shen, Y., Jarboe, L., Brown, R., Wen, Z.* (2015). A thermochemical-biochemical hybrid processing of lignocellulosic biomass for producing fuels and chemicals. Biotechnology Advances 33(8): 1799-1813.
Shen, Y., Brown, R., Wen, Z.* (2014). Enhancing mass transfer and ethanol production in syngas fermentation of Clostridium carboxidivorans P7 through a monolithic biofilm reactor. Applied Energy 136: 68-76.
Shen, Y., Brown, R., Wen, Z.* (2014). Syngas fermentation of Clostridium carboxidivorans P7 in a hollow fiber membrane biofilm reactor: Evaluating the mass transfer coefficient and ethanol production performance. Biochemical Engineering Journal 85: 21-29.
Shen, Y., Ogejo, J.A.*, Bowers, K.E. (2011). Abating the effects of calcium on struvite precipitation in liquid dairy manure. Transactions of the ASABE 54(1): 325-336.
