About Our Team
The group fosters a multicultural and diverse environment. We have recruited talented students and post-docs from five countries across the three continents.
Principal Investigator
Francesco Ciucci
Associate Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering & Chemical and Biological Engineering
Prof. Ciucci received his Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology where he was supported by a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship and by a Bechtel Graduate Fellowship. He did postdoctoral work at the Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing of the University of Heidelberg, Germany where he received a Heidelberg Graduate School Fellowship and a Marie Curie Reintegration Grant from the European Union (2010-2013). Prior to that, he graduated with a dual M.Sc. degree in Engineering Science (~applied physics and applied mathematics) at Ecole Centrale Paris, France, and in Aerospace Engineering (cum laude) at Politecnico di Milano, Italy. His current research focuses on fuel cells, batteries, and modeling of such systems using continuum and atomistic simulations.
Graduate Students
Alessio Belotti
PhD, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, HKUST, 2021 expected
MSc, Energy Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Italy, 2014
BSc, Mechanical Design Manufacture and Automation, Tongji University, China, 2015
Dual BSc, Mechanical and Production Engineering, Politecnico di Milano and Politecnico di Torino, Italy, 2010
Awards:
- Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, 2018
- Long Life Program scholarship for European Erasmus students, MIUR, 2011
- PoliTong Sino-Italian scholarship, MIUR, 2008
Zarah Medina Baiyee
PhD, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, HKUST, 2018 expected
MSc, New and Renewable Energy, Durham University, UK, 2011
BSc, Physics, King’s College London, UK, 2008
Awards:
- Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, 2014
- First Class honors, KCL, 2008
Chi Chen
PhD, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, HKUST, 2016 expected
BEng, Thermal Science and Energy Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, China, 2012
Awards:
- Student Travel Award, 20th International Conference on Solid State Ionics, 2015
- USTC Outstanding Graduate, USTC, 2012
- USTC Outstanding Student Scholarship, 2009-11
Mohammed B. Effat
PhD, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, HKUST, 2018 expected
MSc, Mechanical Engineering, Assiut University, Egypt, 2014
BSc, Mechanical Engineering, Assiut University, Egypt, 2008
Awards:
- Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, 2015
- Prof. Yehia EL-Said Prize, 2006
- Academic Excellence Awards, 2003-07
Yao Gao
PhD, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, HKUST, 2016 expected
BSc, Materials Science and Engineering, Xiamen University, China, 2011
Awards:
- XMU Outstanding Graduate Student, 2011
- National Scholarship, 2008-09 & 2010-11
- XMU CUBIC Award, 2009-10
- BMW Outstanding Student Award, 2009-10
Yang Gao
PhD, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, HKUST, 2017 expected
BSc, Materials Chemistry, Special Class for the Gifted Young, University of Science and Technology of China, China, 2013
Awards:
- Panasonic Education Fund Scholarship, 2012
- USTC Outstanding Student Scholarship, 2010
- USTC Outstanding Freshman Scholarship, 2009
Kwun Yu Lam
Mphil, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, HKUST, 2017 expected
BSc, Physics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2014
Ziheng Lu
PhD, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, HKUST, 2018 expected
BEng, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, China, 2013
Awards:
- CASIC Scholarship 2013-14
- National Scholarship, 2010-11 & 2012-13
Yuqi Lyu
PhD, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, HKUST, 2018 expected
Msc, Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University, China, 2015
BEng, Food Engineering, Tianjin University, China, 2012
Awards:
- TJU Outstanding Student Award, 2011-12
- TJU Outstanding student Cadre, 2010-11
- TJU Excellent Student Cadre, 2009-10
Mattia Saccoccio
PhD, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, HKUST, 2016 expected
Dipl.-Ing. Univ., Energy and Process Engineering, Technische Universität München, Germany, 2013
MSc, Energy Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Italy, 2013
BSc, Energy Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Italy, 2008
Awards:
- Outstanding Poster Award, 20th International Conference on Solid State Ionics, 2015
- Best Teaching Assistant Award, HKUST Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, 2014
- Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, 2013
- Roberto Rocca Foundation Scholarship, 2009
Ting Hei Wan
PhD, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, HKUST, 2018 expected
MPhil, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, HKUST, 2015
BSc, Mechanical Engineering (first class honors), HKUST, 2013
Awards:
- Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong, 2015
- Simatelex Charitable Foundation Scholarship, 2013
- The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers Prize, 2013
- The Hongkong Electric Co Ltd Scholarship, 2012
- Dean’s List, 2010-13
Jian Wang
PhD, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, HKUST, 2018 expected
BEng, Energy, Power System and Automation, Xi’an Jiaotong University, China, 2013
Awards:
- GE Foundation TECH Award (3rd prize), 2015
- XJTU Outstanding Graduate, 2013
- XJTU Outstanding Student, 2010-13
- Suzhou Garden Scholarship, 2010-11
- National Scholarship, 2009-12
Undergraduate Students
Xiaohan (Amanda) Du
BSc, Mechanical Engineering, HKUST, 2017
Awards:
- HKSAR Reaching Out Scholarship, 2014-15
- HKSAR Talent Development Scholarship, 2013-15
- Simatelex Charitable Foundation Scholarship, 2013-2014
- The Cheng Foundation Scholarship, 2013-14
- Dean’s List, 2012-present
Chunli Jiang
BSc, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, HKUST, 2017
Awards:
- HKSAR Reaching Out Scholarship, 2014-15
Former members
Dengjie Chen
PostDoctoral Scholar, HKUST, 2013-15
First position after the Ciucci lab: Associate Professor at Jinan University
Lin Nan
MPhil, Chemical Engineering, HKUST, 2013 (thesis)
First position after the Ciucci lab: PhD student at TU Braunschweig
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If you are interested in working with us, send us an inquiry and we will get back to you as soon as we can!