RGC Senior Research Fellow Scheme

Biography

Chair Professor of Mechanical Engineering at City University of Hong Kong
Research interests lie in unraveling the power of surface-structure-function and then translating learned understandings for the physics-guided and bio-inspired design of new surfaces that dynamically change their interfacial and transport processes such as wetting, adhesion, and thermal-fluid transport for a wide range of applications
SRFS project — to answer a few important scientific and technological questions related with superwettability of surfaces under extreme environments through the combined theoretical, numerical, and experimental studies. The tasks include designing nature-inspired materials and structures for spontaneous freezing droplet shooting, advancing our understanding of ice formation and propagation in the three-dimensional space, achieving achieve superwetting state on superhot surfaces for efficient heat transfer and flow boiling in the closed-system
Awards and Honours:
- RGC Senior Research Fellow (2022)
- Green Tech Award (2021)
- Xplorer Prize (2020)

Project Title

Superwettability: From Fundamentals to Applications

Award Citation

Prof. Zuankai Wang is Chair Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Deputy Director of Research Center for Nature-Inspired Engineering at the City University of Hong Kong (CityU). He earned his B.S. degree from Jilin University in 2000, Master degree from Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, in 2003, and PhD degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2008. After one-year postdoc training at Columbia University, he joined CityU in September 2009 and was promoted to Chair Professor in July 2021. He served as Associate Dean in the College of Engineering from August 2019 to August 2022, the founding Deputy Director of Research Center for Nature-Inspired Engineering at CityU. He is also the founding member of Young Academy of Sciences of Hong Kong, Fellow of the International Society of Bionic Engineering, and Changjiang Chair Professor awarded by Ministry of Education of China.

He has made seminal contributions to bridging nature-inspired innovations with surface science, especially unraveling several century-old scientific questions and translating the insights towards the development of new materials and systems with high efficiency, productivity, durability, reliability, and environmental sustainability.

He has published over 200 papers in Nature, Science and other journals, and was also recognized as 2022 Highly Cited Researcher (Clarivate). He has received many awards including the RGC Senior Research Fellow, Green Tech Award, Xplorer Prize, Top 10 Innovation and Technology News in Hong Kong in 2020, World Cultural Council Special Recognition Award, Outstanding Youth Award from International Society of Bionic Engineering, Outstanding Research Award and President’s Lectureship at CityU. His inventions on “Fog-to-electricity Generator with Ultra-high Power Density” and “Structured Thermal Armor” won the Gold Metal with Congratulations of Jury and Gold Metal in the 48th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva, respectively.