About me

I am holding a joint position of Research Fellow at Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology and School of Chemical Engineering. My research interests include innovative nutrient removal and recovery (NRR) technologies, reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, nitrogen conversion-related novel microorganisms and physiochemical reactions.

Education

Ph.D. in Environmnetal Engineering, The University of Queesland, Australia, 10/2016 - 06/2021.

• Supervisor: Prof. Zhiguo Yuan Google scholar
• Thesis: Innovative nitrogen conversion to enhance wastewater and sludge management

B.Eng. in Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, China, 09/2012 - 07/2016.

• Chu Kochen Honour Degree in Advanced Engineering
• Supervisor: Prof. Ping Zheng Scopus
• Thesis: The application of fractal theory in Anammox Granular sludge

Working Experience

Research Fellow, University of Queensland, 05/2024 - present

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Queensland, 06/2021 - 04/2024

Industrial Placement, Urban Utilities, Brisbane, Australia, 06/2020 - 09/2020

Selected Awards

2024 Early Career Research Excellence Award, UQ Faculty of Engineering, Architecture & Information Technology [Highly competitive, 1 out of > 100 early career researchers from 7 schools/centers in the faculty].

2022 Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award (Honourable Mention), Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP). One of the most prestigious PhD thesis award in the field of Environmental Science and Technology. The only non-US recipient over the past 10 years. link

2022 Best Ph.D. Thesis Award, awarded by Journal Water. Only one doctoral thesis is recognized worldwide per annum. link

2021 National Student Water Prize, Australian Water Association (1 out > 20 national finalists. The first time awarded to UQ students) link

2021 UQ Dean’s Award for Outstanding PhD Theses, University of Queensland. [< 10% of research higher degree graduates are recognised each year]

2020 Research Opportunities Travel Award,, Technical University Munich, Germany [50 per year/worldwide to attract high-profile early-career researchers]

News

• [Paper] 26 Jan 2025. Our paper “Insights into the start-up of acidic nitritation using conventional activated sludge: Process dynamics, nitrifiers succession, and pilot-scale demonstration” has been accepted by Water Research. Check it out via Link.
• [Invited Talk] 27 Dec 2024. I was invited to give a presentation at the 12th Cheng Yao Young Scholars Forum, hosted by Nanjing University.
• [Grant] 16 Dec 2024. I was awarded the Theo Murphy Initiative Grant from Australian Academy of Science.
• [Award] 29 Nov 2024. I am so honored to recieve the Early Career Research Award from the EAIT Faculty.
  
• [Workshop] 22 Nov 2024. Wrapped up the UQ-TUM workshop on Pathways to Resource Recovery from Wastewater in the Net-Zero Era. Many insights and heated debates on the conflicts between resources recovery & net zero.
  
• [Conference&Award] 20 Nov 2024. Wrapped up the IWA NRR24 Conference in Brisbane—a milestone for me as it was my first time helping to organize an international conference. Adding to the excitement, my first PhD student, Mr. Xi Lu, won the ‘Best Poster Pitch Award.’ I couldn’t be prouder! Even more thrilled than if I had won the award myself!
  
• [Invited Talk] 15 Oct 2024. I was invited to give a presentation at the 3rd International Outstanding Young Scholars Environment Forum, hosted by School of Environment,Tsinghua University.
• [Paper] 7 Oct 2024. Our paper “Surface-adhered Micro-bubbles Enhance the Resistance of ANAMMOX Granular Sludge to Sulfamethoxazole Stress” has been accepted by Environmental Science & Technology. This is my first paper as the last senior author! Link.
• [Grant] 30 Sep 2024. Our workshop proposal has been granted. I will be organizing an international workshop, together with Prof. Liu Ye from UQ and Prof. Korad Koch from TUM, Germany, on “Pathways to Resource Recovery from Wastewater in the Net-Zero Era”! Already getting excited!
• [Miscellanea] 19 Sep 2024. Launching my academic personal page, as a birthday gift to myself. Happy 30th Birthday! Looking forward to populating the page and documenting my academic journey. Better late than never!