Zhongqiang ZHANG | Engineering and Technology | Best Researcher Award

Zhongqiang ZHANG | Engineering and Technology | Best Researcher Award

Mr Zhongqiang ZHANG, Jiangsu University, China

Prof. Zhongqiang Zhang is a leading academic in mechanical engineering, currently serving as Professor and Associate Dean at Jiangsu University, China. With a career rooted in advanced fluid dynamics, nanoengineering, and smart materials, he has consistently contributed groundbreaking research recognized both nationally and internationally πŸŒπŸ”¬. His global exposure includes visiting scholar roles at prestigious institutions like UC Berkeley and Mississippi State University, enhancing his research vision and collaborations. He is renowned for his pioneering work in nanofluidics, surface wettability, graphene membranes, and bioinspired designs 🌑️πŸ§ͺ. Prof. Zhang’s projects, funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, span from intelligent liquid manipulation to smart environmental robots. A prolific author, he has numerous Q1 publications in high-impact journals πŸ“šπŸŒŸ. With prestigious awards such as the ICCES Outstanding Young Researcher Award, his achievements reflect both innovation and leadership, making him a strong candidate for the Best Researcher Award πŸ†πŸ’‘.

Publication Profile

Google Scholar

Education

Mr. Zhongqiang Zhang πŸŽ“ is a dedicated scholar in the field of engineering mechanics with a strong academic foundation in mechanical engineering. He began his academic journey at the School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University of Technology 🏫 in Zibo, PR China, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree between September 2000 and June 2004. Demonstrating a passion for research and innovation, he continued his education by pursuing a Ph.D. at the Department of Engineering Mechanics, Dalian University of Technology (DUT) πŸ§ πŸ”§ in Dalian, PR China. From September 2004 to December 2010, under the supervision of Professor Hong-Wu Zhang πŸ‘¨β€πŸ«, he developed advanced knowledge and skills in engineering mechanics. His academic path reflects a strong commitment to excellence in mechanical sciences and a drive for contributing to technological advancement. Mr. Zhang’s educational background laid a solid foundation for his future research and professional achievements in engineering. πŸš€πŸ“˜

ExperienceΒ 

Mr. Zhongqiang Zhang is a distinguished professor and Associate Dean at the School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu University, PR China (πŸ‡¨πŸ‡³), serving since July 2020. With a solid academic foundation and deep expertise, he previously held the position of Associate Professor at the same institution from December 2010 to June 2020. His international academic engagements include a prestigious stint as a Visiting Scholar at the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California-Berkeley (πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ), from October 2018 to January 2020, under the supervision of Shao-Fan Li πŸŒ‰. Earlier in his career, he expanded his research exposure as a Visiting Ph.D. student at the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS), Mississippi State University (πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ), from May 2008 to January 2009 πŸš—πŸ”¬. Mr. Zhang’s academic journey reflects a strong commitment to innovation, global collaboration, and mechanical engineering excellence πŸŒπŸ“˜πŸ”§.

Honors and Awards

Mr. Zhongqiang Zhang has earned numerous accolades throughout his distinguished academic and research career. In 2023, he received the prestigious ICCES Outstanding Young Researcher Award πŸ…, recognizing his significant contributions to the field. He was also honored with the First Prize of Science and Technology of Jiangsu Province in 2020 πŸ§ͺπŸ†. His dedication to education was acknowledged in 2016 when he was named an Outstanding Young Backbone Teacher under the Jiangsu Blue and Blue Project πŸ“˜πŸ‘¨β€πŸ«. In 2015, he secured the Third Prize in the Jiangsu Provincial Science and Technology Award πŸ₯‰πŸ”¬. As a rising scholar, he was recognized as a Young Academic Leader of Jiangsu University in 2013 πŸŽ“πŸŒŸ. His scholarly excellence was evident early on, with his doctoral dissertation being awarded Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation by both Liaoning Province and Dalian University of Technology in 2012 πŸ“œπŸŽ–οΈ. In 2009, he won the 6th China Youth Science and Technology Innovation Award, showcasing his early potential and innovation.

Research Projects

Mr. Zhongqiang Zhang has led and contributed to multiple cutting-edge research projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China πŸ‡¨πŸ‡³. As Project Leader, he spearheaded a 2023–2026 project focused on the continuous capturing and cross-scale collection of fuel bubbles driven by structure-wetting coupling gradients (RMB 550,000) πŸ”¬πŸ’§. From 2019–2022, he explored self-driven droplet behaviors on graphene-covered gradient textured substrates (RMB 630,000) πŸŒ‘οΈβš›οΈ. Earlier, he investigated electro-mechanical coupling in fluid nano-devices based on low-dimensional carbon materials (2015–2018, RMB 800,000) πŸ”‹πŸ“‰. His 2012–2014 study examined boundary slip in nanochannels influenced by temperature-velocity coupling gradients (RMB 260,000) πŸ§ͺ🌑️. Additionally, he plays a key role (R2) in a major project (2023–2025) developing an energy self-supply, rigid-flexible coupling robot for intelligent water environment sensing, funded at RMB 3,000,000 πŸ€–πŸŒŠ. His research reflects deep expertise in nanofluidics, material science, and robotics, addressing vital scientific and environmental challenges.

Research Focus

Dr. Zhongqiang Zhang’s research focuses on nanofluidics, smart materials, and advanced surface engineering, with a strong emphasis on liquid transport, separation, and water harvesting technologies. His work leverages graphene membranes, conical micro-arrays, and textured surfaces to achieve breakthroughs in desalination, fluid dynamics, and droplet manipulation 🌊πŸ§ͺ. He explores slip boundary conditions, programmable surfaces, and self-driving liquid motion, often through molecular dynamics simulations and experimental validations βš™οΈπŸ’‘. His publications in top-tier journals like Science Advances, Chemical Engineering Journal, and ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces highlight innovations that overcome classic trade-offs like permeability-selectivity limits πŸšΏπŸ”¬. Dr. Zhang also contributes to the development of smart haptic electronic skins and temperature-responsive materials for microfluidics and environmental applications πŸ€–πŸŒ‘οΈ. Overall, his interdisciplinary approach connects physics, materials science, and engineering to pioneer next-gen nanotechnologies for efficient water management and soft robotics πŸ’§.

Publication Top Notes

Effect of argon plasma treatment on the output performance of triboelectric nanogenerator

Water diffusion inside carbon nanotubes: mutual effects of surface and confinement

Prediction of the viscosity of water confined in carbon nanotubes

Molecular dynamics-based prediction of boundary slip of fluids in nanochannels

Size and temperature effects on the viscosity of water inside carbon nanotubes

Simulation study of aggregations of monolayer-protected gold nanoparticles in solvents

Surface slip on rotating graphene membrane enables the temporal selectivity that breaks the permeability-selectivity trade-off

Nanoconfinement induced anomalous water diffusion inside carbon nanotubes

Origami triboelectric nanogenerator with double-helical structure for environmental energy harvesting

Unidirectional self-driving liquid droplet transport on a monolayer graphene-covered textured substrate

Todor Todorov | Engineering and Technology | Best Researcher Award

Todor Todorov | Engineering and Technology | Best Researcher Award

Todor Todorov, Technical University of Sofia, Bulgaria

Prof. Dr. Todor Todorov πŸŽ“πŸ”¬ is a distinguished researcher and professor at the Technical University of Sofia, specializing in Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) and Mechanism and Machine Theory. πŸ›οΈ He has served as Head of the Laboratory of MEMS and former Dean of the Faculty of Industrial Technology. His research focuses on electromechanical devices, energy harvesting, and smart materials. βš™οΈπŸ“‘ With a Ph.D. in Mechanism Synthesis and an MSc in Decision Support Systems, he has led multiple national and international projects. πŸ“šπŸ› οΈ A prolific author and editorial board member, he significantly contributes to advanced engineering innovations. πŸš€πŸ’‘

Publication Profile

Orcid

Education

Prof. Dr. Todor Todorov πŸŽ“πŸ”§ is an esteemed mechanical engineer and researcher specializing in precision engineering, decision support systems, and microelectromechanical systems. He earned his Ph.D. from the Technical University of Sofia (1992-2001) and an M.Sc. in Decision Support Systems from the University of Sunderland (1993-1994). With a career spanning academia and research, he has held leadership roles, including Deputy Head of the Department of Theory of Mechanisms and Machines and Chairman of the General Assembly of the Faculty of Industrial Technology. πŸ“šπŸ› οΈ A prolific editor and reviewer, he contributes to multiple international journals and MDPI publications. βœοΈπŸ“–

Experience

Prof. Dr. Todor Todorov is a distinguished academic at the Technical University of Sofia πŸ‡§πŸ‡¬, specializing in Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) and Mechanism and Machine Theory βš™οΈ. Since 2022, he has led the Laboratory of MEMS, previously serving as Dean of the Faculty of Industrial Technology (2019-2022) 🏫. A professor since 2013, he has taught MEMS, Microtechnology, and Machine Theory πŸ“š. His research spans mechanism synthesis, electromechanical devices, and nanoengineering πŸ”¬. Earlier roles include Associate Professor (2002-2013), Head Assistant Professor (1999-2002), and Senior Assistant Professor (1988-1999). Notably, he also served as Mayor of Vladaya (1995-1999) πŸ›οΈ.

Research Focus

Prof. Dr. Todor Todorov’s research focuses on vibrational energy harvesting, microcantilever sensors, and shape memory alloy (SMA)-based actuators βš™οΈπŸ”¬. His work explores self-excited thermomechanical oscillators πŸ”₯ and bistable pumps πŸ’§ using SMAs, enhancing energy efficiency and control in microdevices. He also investigates virus and pathogen detection 🦠 with dual-microcantilever sensors and the influence of Lorentz forces on sensor sensitivity ⚑. His interdisciplinary research integrates mechanical dynamics, thermoelectromechanical systems, and ultralow mass detection 🎯. With applications in energy harvesting, biomedical sensing, and microfluidics, his studies contribute to innovative sensing technologies and efficient actuator designs for advanced engineering solutions πŸš€.

Publication Top Notes

Ayat-Allah Bouramdane | Engineering and Technology | Best Researcher Award

Ayat-Allah Bouramdane | Engineering and Technology | Best Researcher Award

Assist. Prof. Dr Ayat-Allah, Bouramdane International University of Rabat, Morocco

Assist. Prof. Dr. Ayat-Allah Bouramdane is a passionate academic in renewable energy, currently an Assistant Professor at the International University of Rabat (IUR). He previously led the Modeling Group at GEP-IRESEN-UM6P, establishing impactful research on climate change and energy systems. With a Ph.D. from the Institut Polytechnique de Paris, his work focuses on large-scale solar and wind integration, energy storage, and climate change. Dr. Bouramdane has contributed significantly to publications and international reports on smart cities and energy systems. He’s recognized for his research excellence, earning multiple awards, including Best Researcher in 2023 and 2024. πŸŒβš‘πŸ“šπŸ†

Publication Profile

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Academic Background

Assist. Prof. Dr. Ayat-Allah Bouramdane holds a Ph.D. from the Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IP Paris), where he researched large-scale solar and wind integration in Morocco, focusing on storage, cost, complementarity, and climate change impacts. He completed his thesis at the Laboratoire de MΓ©tΓ©orologie Dynamique (LMD) and contributed to the Energy4Climate Interdisciplinary Center (E4C). He earned a Master’s in Energy Environment from Γ‰cole Polytechnique with a GPA of 3.68/4 and a Bachelor’s in Energy Engineering from UniversitΓ© Internationale de Rabat. Dr. Bouramdane also studied at the University of Lorraine and completed his high school with honors. πŸŒžβš‘πŸŒπŸŽ“

Experiences

Assist. Prof. Dr. Ayat-Allah has been serving as an Assistant Professor (Grade A) at the International University of Rabat (IUR) since April 2023, working in the Laboratory of Renewable Energies and Advanced Materials (LERMA) in the College of Engineering and Architecture. Previously, he was a Postdoctoral Researcher and Head of the Modeling Group at the Green Energy Park (GEP), Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, from January to October 2022, where he established the β€œClimate Change – Energy” group. He also supervised student projects and coordinated research in collaboration with OCP, UM6P, and IRESEN. Earlier, he completed his doctoral studies at l’X – IP Paris. πŸŒπŸ’‘πŸ“š

Awards and Recognitions

Assist. Prof. Dr. Ayat-Allah Bouramdane is an accomplished researcher recognized for his contributions to energy systems and sustainability. He contributed to REN21’s Renewables 2024 Global Status Report in both the β€œEnergy Supply” and β€œEnergy Systems & Infrastructure” modules 🌍. He has received multiple accolades, including the Best Researcher Award in 2023 and 2024 πŸ†. He’s a trusted reviewer with IOP Publishing, and an active member of various organizations such as the Canadian-French Association for the Advancement of Science πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦ and Women in Green Hydrogen 🌱. Additionally, he serves on multiple editorial boards and scientific committees πŸ“šπŸ”¬.

Teaching and Mentorship

Assist. Prof. Dr. Ayat-Allah Bouramdane is a respected academic with a strong track record in teaching and supervising students at prestigious institutions. His dedication to mentoring future engineers and researchers is evident through his active involvement in academic development. Dr. Bouramdane regularly leads technical conferences and workshops, where he plays a crucial role in keeping students updated on the latest challenges and advancements in energy and climate science. His contributions have helped shape the next generation of professionals in these critical fields. πŸŒ±πŸ”‹πŸ“šπŸŒπŸ’‘

Scientific Magazine

Assist. Prof. Dr. Ayat-Allah Bouramdane is a recognized expert in sustainable energy solutions. His works explore various aspects of energy transition, such as the role of critical materials in electric vehicle batteries πŸš—πŸ”‹, the impact of green hydrogen on Africa’s energy future πŸŒπŸ’§, and the optimization of hydrogen value chains using digital twins for smart grids βš‘πŸ€–. He has also delved into AI’s role in mitigating climate change effects on agriculture 🌾🌱 and urban water use for sustainable cities πŸŒ†πŸ’¦. Dr. Bouramdane’s contributions span hydrogen technologies, AI applications, and energy resilience, with a focus on global sustainability and innovation 🌿🌍.

Research Focus

Assist. Prof. Dr. Ayat-Allah Bouramdane’s research focuses on optimizing energy systems, environmental sustainability, and cybersecurity in smart cities. He explores challenges in smart grid cybersecurity, including artificial intelligence for decision-making. His work on water management strategies aims to promote sustainability in urban settings. Additionally, Dr. Bouramdane investigates renewable energy integration, particularly solar and wind power, with a focus on Morocco. He also assesses climate change impacts, analyzing temperature and drought patterns using climate models. His multi-criteria decision-making frameworks are applied to areas like photovoltaic site suitability and offshore wind energy. πŸŒπŸ’‘πŸ”‹πŸŒ±πŸ”

Publication Top Notes

Cyberattacks in smart grids: challenges and solving the multi-criteria decision-making for cybersecurity options, including ones that incorporate artificial intelligence, using …

Optimal water management strategies: paving the way for sustainability in smart cities

Assessment of CMIP6 multi-model projections worldwide: which regions are getting warmer and are going through a drought in Africa and Morocco? What changes from CMIP5 to CMIP6?

Scenarios of large-scale solar integration with wind in Morocco: impact of storage, cost, spatio-temporal complementarity and climate change

Adequacy of renewable energy mixes with concentrated solar power and photovoltaic in Morocco: Impact of thermal storage and cost

Identifying large-scale photovoltaic and concentrated solar power hot spots: Multi-criteria decision-making framework

Site suitability of offshore wind energy: A combination of geographic referenced information and analytic hierarchy process