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 🌏🔬. 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 🌡️🧪. 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 📚🌟. 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 🏆💡.

Publication Profile

Google Scholar

Education

Mr. Zhongqiang Zhang 🎓 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) 🧠🔧 in Dalian, PR China. From September 2004 to December 2010, under the supervision of Professor Hong-Wu Zhang 👨‍🏫, 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. 🚀📘

Experience 

Mr. Zhongqiang Zhang is a distinguished professor and Associate Dean at the School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu University, PR China (🇨🇳), 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 (🇺🇸), from October 2018 to January 2020, under the supervision of Shao-Fan Li 🌉. 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 (🇺🇸), from May 2008 to January 2009 🚗🔬. Mr. Zhang’s academic journey reflects a strong commitment to innovation, global collaboration, and mechanical engineering excellence 🌍📘🔧.

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 🏅, recognizing his significant contributions to the field. He was also honored with the First Prize of Science and Technology of Jiangsu Province in 2020 🧪🏆. His dedication to education was acknowledged in 2016 when he was named an Outstanding Young Backbone Teacher under the Jiangsu Blue and Blue Project 📘👨‍🏫. In 2015, he secured the Third Prize in the Jiangsu Provincial Science and Technology Award 🥉🔬. As a rising scholar, he was recognized as a Young Academic Leader of Jiangsu University in 2013 🎓🌟. 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 📜🎖️. 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 🇨🇳. 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) 🔬💧. From 2019–2022, he explored self-driven droplet behaviors on graphene-covered gradient textured substrates (RMB 630,000) 🌡️⚛️. Earlier, he investigated electro-mechanical coupling in fluid nano-devices based on low-dimensional carbon materials (2015–2018, RMB 800,000) 🔋📉. His 2012–2014 study examined boundary slip in nanochannels influenced by temperature-velocity coupling gradients (RMB 260,000) 🧪🌡️. 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 🤖🌊. 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 🌊🧪. He explores slip boundary conditions, programmable surfaces, and self-driving liquid motion, often through molecular dynamics simulations and experimental validations ⚙️💡. 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 🚿🔬. Dr. Zhang also contributes to the development of smart haptic electronic skins and temperature-responsive materials for microfluidics and environmental applications 🤖🌡️. Overall, his interdisciplinary approach connects physics, materials science, and engineering to pioneer next-gen nanotechnologies for efficient water management and soft robotics 💧.

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

Jose C Matos | Civil Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Prof Dr. Jose C Matos | Civil Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Prof Dr. Jose C Matos, University of Minho, Portugal

Based on the detailed curriculum vitae provided, Prof. Dr. José C. Matos appears to be a strong candidate for the Research for Best Researcher Award.

Publication Profile

Scopus

Google Scholar

Academic and Professional Excellence:

Prof. Dr. José C. Matos holds a PhD in Civil Engineering with a focus on probabilistic safety assessment of existing structures. His academic journey has been marked by excellence, with a unanimous and laudatory approval for his doctoral dissertation.

Research Contributions:

He has authored or co-authored over 250 publications in international conferences and journals, demonstrating a significant impact in his field. His research areas include asset management systems, life cycle costs, safety assessment, risk assessment, and sustainability.

Leadership and Coordination:

Prof. Matos plays a crucial role in leading and coordinating international research projects such as SIRMA, InfraCrit, and SAFEWAY, all of which focus on critical infrastructure management and sustainability. His involvement in these projects highlights his leadership and ability to drive impactful research.

International Recognition:

He actively participates in international committees and has held prestigious positions such as Past-President of the European Association on Quality Control of Bridges and Structures (EuroStruct) and Vice-President of the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE).

Innovative Contributions:

Prof. Matos holds patents related to collision detection in metal guards, showcasing his contributions to practical and innovative solutions in civil engineering.

Global Influence:

His participation as a speaker and organizer at numerous international conferences and workshops further underscores his influence and recognition in the global academic community.

Publication Top Notes

  • 📘 An innovative adaptive sparse response surface method for structural reliability analysis | Cited by: 83 | Year: 2018
  • 🏛️ Fragility curves for free and restrained rocking masonry façades in one-sided motion | Cited by: 69 | Year: 2018
  • 🕵️‍♂️ Visual inspection and bridge management | Cited by: 63 | Year: 2018
  • 🚂 Reliability-based assessment of existing masonry arch railway bridges | Cited by: 63 | Year: 2016
  • 🏗️ Iron-Based shape memory alloy for strengthening of 113-Year bridge | Cited by: 57 | Year: 2021
  • 🚧 Two-stage multiobjective optimization of maintenance scheduling for pavements | Cited by: 51 | Year: 2017
  • 🔍 Comparison of stochastic prediction models based on visual inspections of bridge decks | Cited by: 51 | Year: 2017
  • 🌉 Performance indicators for roadway bridges | Cited by: 51 | Year: 2016
  • 🧱 Condition prediction of existing concrete bridges as a combination of visual inspection and analytical models of deterioration | Cited by: 45 | Year: 2019
  • 🏛️ Probabilistic-based assessment of a masonry arch bridge considering inferential procedures | Cited by: 39 | Year: 2017
  • 🧮 An innovative framework for probabilistic-based structural assessment with an application to existing reinforced concrete structures | Cited by: 35 | Year: 2016
  • 🌉 Probabilistic-based assessment of existing steel-concrete composite bridges–Application to Sousa River Bridge | Cited by: 34 | Year: 2019
  • 🛤️ COST Action TU 1406 quality specifications for roadway bridges (BridgeSpec) | Cited by: 34 | Year: 2016
  • 🛠️ Comparison of forecasting models to predict concrete bridge decks performance | Cited by: 32 | Year: 2020
  • 🌍 Analysis of cost overrun and schedule delays of infrastructure projects in low income economies: case studies in Ethiopia | Cited by: 29 | Year: 2021

conclusion

Given these achievements and his active role in advancing research in civil engineering, particularly in the areas of infrastructure management and safety, Prof. Dr. José C. Matos is a suitable candidate for the Research for Best Researcher Award.