Prof. WANG Zhe and Prof. YANG Jiachuan Named Excellent Young Scientists by National Natural Science Foundation of China
Prof. WANG Zhe and Prof. YANG Jiachuan, both Assistant Professors of Civil and Environmental Engineering, were named 2023 Excellent Young Scientists (EYS) by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). Each of them will receive RMB 2 million over a period of three years to conduct pioneering research on building energy system and urban climate respectively.
The NSFC-EYS is one of the most prestigious honors for young scientists (under 38 for male and under 40 for female) in China. It supports promising scholars who have already achieved good results in basic research to pursue innovative research in self-chosen areas, and aims to foster the rapid development of young talents who will eventually be at the forefront of world-class scientific and technology research.
The EYS scheme was first open to Hong Kong and Macau scholars in 2019. Each year, only 25 scientists from the two regions are selected. In addition to the two School of Engineering professors, Prof. JI Yan from the School of Business and Management was also selected, making a total of three awardees at HKUST.
With the funding, Prof. Wang will conduct research on advanced building control for energy efficiency and load flexibility. His study aims to develop a simulation platform, virtual testbed, and control algorithms to optimize and coordinate the multi-energy system at the building and neighborhood scales. The findings of this study can help the transition to a low-carbon society in an effective and efficient way.
Prof. Yang will use the funding to undertake urban climate research by integrating large eddy simulation and numerical model development, aiming to analyze the spatiotemporal characteristics of wind, temperature and humidity profiles within the urban canopy. Research outcomes are expected to provide new data, new methods and new understanding for urban climate community, and provide theoretical basis and technical support for the sustainable development and climate risk management of coastal cities.
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