Yiting Zhao | Urban Planning and Sustainable Cities | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Yiting Zhao | Urban Planning and Sustainable Cities | Best Researcher Award

Researcher | The University of Manchester | United Kingdom

Dr. Yiting Zhao is a researcher at The University of Manchester, United Kingdom, whose academic work is dedicated to advancing knowledge at the intersection of Complex Product–Service Systems (CoPSS), sustainable design, and responsible project management within the built environment and civil engineering management sectors. Her interdisciplinary research integrates principles of engineering design, digitalization, and sustainability to create innovative frameworks that guide the development of smart buildings and sustainable infrastructure systems aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Dr. Yiting Zhao’s scholarly portfolio encompasses several peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers, and book chapters. Notably, her 2025 publication in the Journal of Cleaner Production, titled “Advancing Complex Product–Service Systems (CoPSS) Design: An Integrative Literature Review,” presents a comprehensive synthesis of methodological developments in sustainable product–service integration. Her other research contributions include the studies “Integrating Sustainable Design and Responsible Project Management: Methodological Insights from a Smart Hospital Case Study” and “The Integration of Sustainable Design and Responsible Project Management in Designing Complex Product–Service Systems.” These works bridge theoretical frameworks and practical applications, highlighting the importance of co-creation, stakeholder collaboration, and system optimization in sustainable infrastructure design. Employing diverse methodologies such as conceptual modeling, semi-structured interviews, and data-driven analytical approaches, Dr. Yiting Zhao’s research investigates the dynamic interactions among design processes, service delivery mechanisms, and management efficiency in large-scale engineering systems. Her recent studies also explore smart building management, intelligent HVAC design, and circular design strategies to enhance environmental and operational performance. In recognition of her impactful research and academic excellence, Dr. Yiting Zhao received the prestigious IEEE TEMSCON Global 2025 Best Student Paper Award. Her growing scholarly influence-reflected by 15 citations, 1 document and an h-index of 1 on Scopus-demonstrates her commitment to driving sustainable engineering innovation and advancing interdisciplinary research in the fields of engineering design, sustainability, and digital transformation.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID | Google Scholar | Researcher Profile

Featured Publications

1. Wang, Y., Zhao, Y., Tian, X., Yang, J., & Luo, S. (2025). The influence of subjective knowledge, technophobia and perceived enjoyment on design students’ intention to use artificial intelligence design tools. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 35(1), 333–358.

2. Zhao, Y., Xie, C., & Lu, M. (2021). Design of smart building operations and maintenance management service system. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (pp. 183–190). Springer.

3. Zhao, Y., & Zhang, J. (2020). Research on the design of smart waste classification and collection service system. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (pp. 275–282). Springer.

4. Zhao, Y. (2015). The influence of the development of 3D printing technology on product design [3D 打印技术的发展对产品设计的影响]. China Machinery, 40–41.

5. Zhao, Y., Zhang, L., Maytorena-Sanchez, E., & Zhang, J. (2025). Advancing complex product–service systems (CoPSS) design: An integrative literature review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 527, 146690.

Jiajia Cai | Environmental Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Jiajia Cai | Environmental Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Lecture, Anhui University of Technology, China

Dr. Jiajia Cai is a Lecturer at the School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, China, where she leads research on photoelectrochemical corrosion protection, renewable energy conversion, and AI-driven materials discovery. She earned her Ph.D. in Materials Science from Northeastern University in 2016, following an M.Sc. in Analytical Chemistry (2011) and a B.Sc. in Applied Chemistry (2009), all from Northeastern University, China. Her research focuses on developing advanced photoelectrochemical materials for sustainable energy applications, including photoelectrocathodic protection (PCP) for metals, green hydrogen production via water splitting, and AI-assisted design of novel semiconductor photoanodes. Professionally, Dr. Jiajia Cai has served as a Lecturer at Anhui University of Technology since 2016, a Postdoctoral Researcher at the National University of Singapore (2019–2020) focusing on optimization of photoanode materials, and a Visiting Scholar at Tsinghua University (2024–2025) emphasizing AI applications in materials science. Her key contributions include the design and fabrication of highly efficient photoanodes using morphology engineering, heterojunction construction and cocatalyst loading strategies, bridging fundamental photoelectrochemistry with practical corrosion prevention technologies and publishing over 50 SCI-indexed papers (58 documents, 877 citations, h-index 17), along with 4 patents under publication or review. She has led multiple national and provincial research projects, including funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China and Anhui Provincial Natural Science Foundation, as well as support from the Key Lab for Anisotropy and Texture of Materials (ATM), Ministry of Education. Dr. Jiajia Cai is an active member of the Chinese Chemical Society and collaborates with leading institutions such as Tsinghua University, National University of Singapore, and Northeastern University. Her work significantly advances sustainable energy solutions, corrosion protection, and AI-driven materials discovery, contributing to environmental engineering, industrial innovation, and global scientific knowledge. Dr. Jiajia Cai’s research excellence, leadership, and vision position her to continue making transformative contributions to renewable energy and advanced material technologies worldwide.

Profile: Scopus | ORCID | Google Scholar | ResearchGate | Sci Profiles | Scilit

Featured Publications

1. Cai, J., Zhang, Z., Zu, S., Cui, A., Li, X., Xie, Q., Mao, K., & Chen, J. (2025). Built-in electric field in BiVO₄-SnO₂ heterostructure for enhanced photoelectrochemical H₂O₂ production. Fuel, 405, 136762.

2. Zhu, S., Cai, Z., Wang, Y., Wang, J., Cai, J., Xie, Q., & Huang, Z. (2025). Enhanced photoelectrochemical cathodic protection on steel in marine environment by cascade heterojunctions. Construction and Building Materials, 493, 143255.

3. Zhu, S., Xu, F., Wang, Y., Cai, J., Xie, Q., Yang, Y., & Huang, Z. (2025). Experimental study on heat transfer characteristics of a moving single-nozzle jet impingement. ISIJ International, 65(9), 1348–1358.

4. Xie, Q., Cai, Z., Wang, Y., Cai, J., Wang, J., & Sun, S. (2025). Efficient Z-scheme of 2D ZnIn₂S₄/3D TiO₂ for enhanced photoelectrochemical cathodic protection. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 13(5), 118305.

5. Chen, Q., Zhu, S., Xin, Z., Wang, D., Cai, J., Li, H., & Ding, S. (2024). Surfactant-assisted synthesis of NiCo alloy with specific nanopore architecture as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for rechargeable zinc-air batteries. Functional Materials Letters, 17(04), 451021.