Civil Engineering PhD Graduate Awarded for Advanced Water Treatment Research
Dr. YIN Ran, a 2020 PhD graduate from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, has been named the winner of the School of Engineering (SENG) PhD Research Excellence Award 2020-21.
Dr. Yin’s PhD research focuses on the fundamentals of the wavelength-pH-photodecay-radical nexus, which are significant to the applications of UV-LED photolysis of chlorine, chloramines, and chlorine dioxide for advanced water treatment. His work has specifically addressed the missing piece in scientific knowledge which is crucial in the real-world design and operation of multiple UV-LED-based water treatment processes. The idea and the pursuit are original, innovative, and both fundamentally and practically significant.
His excellent academic strengths and research capability have been well demonstrated by his exceptional track record. He has published 22 papers in leading journals, e.g. Environmental Science & Technology and Water Research in the field of environmental engineering, including being the first author of 12 papers and the corresponding author of two papers. He has an h-index of 14 and over 620 citations in Google Scholar. He is also the co-inventor of two granted patents. He has been selected to serve as the Strategic Growth Coordinator in the International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA) Young Professionals Committee since July 2019.
At the award ceremony, Dr. Yin shared his rewarding experience in the engineering research journey at HKUST with current postgraduate research students. He expressed gratitude for the valuable training and exchange opportunities, as well as technical and funding support from the University during his PhD studies. More importantly, he learned a great deal from his PhD advisor Prof. SHANG Chii, who taught him how to catch a fish instead of giving him a fish, which would benefit him for a lifetime.
“Do what you are truly passionate about, plan ahead and follow your plan, take every challenge as a learning process, cherish and learn from your lab mates, find a happy balance, and exercise physically and mentally.” Sharing his tips on PhD studies, Dr. Yin firmly believes that every effort pays off.
Dr. Yin was awarded the prestigious Research Grants Council of Hong Kong (RGC) Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2020, and is currently a postdoctoral fellow at HKUST. Joining the University in 2014 as an MPhil student in the same department, he earned his MPhil degree in 2016 and subsequently started his PhD studies.
Established in 2011, the SENG PhD Research Excellence Award scheme recognizes the outstanding achievements by our PhD students and recent graduates who have made influential contributions to their discipline during PhD studies at HKUST. This year, certificates were also presented to the shortlisted finalists Mr. Syed Faraz AHMED, current student of Electronic and Computer Engineering, and 2020 graduates Dr. KE Jintao, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Dr. YAO Yao, Chemical and Biochemical Engineering.
Related Link:
- SENG news (Jun 3, 2021): Engineering PhD Graduate Quenches Curiosity for Truth through Research
