News timeline
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2020 |
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Sept 2020 |
Another wonderful news to share. Just won a £250k KTP project titled "AutoAlign for Cars and Vans", with RL Capital Ltd, working with Dr Maria Chli and Dr George Vogiatzis. Looking forward to develop the current AutoAlign project further for the new sector.
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Sept 2020 |
A wonderful news to share. Just won a H2020-MSCA-RISE-2020 project titled Integrated nanocomposites for thermal and kinetic energy harvesting (INTAKE), with a total value of 759k Euros. Great thanks to all the distinguished academic partners across 8 universities and 5 countries, the amazing research staff at Aston who provided incredible support, and the lovely grazing cows adjacent to my back garden who kept me company (and sane) for the whole month of March as I grinded on this.
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Apr 2020 |
Warm welcome to Dr Xiaoli Tang, joining our AutoAlign team as postodctoral research fellow at Aston.
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Mar 2020 |
Greatly honoured to receive the IOP Outstanding Reviewer Award (for Smart Materials and Structures) 2019, and my 3rd consecutive annual recognition by this award since 2017.
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Feb 2020 |
Kick-off of AutoAlign (18 months project, £1.5M total, £300k to Aston), for developing smart wireless inertial sensors for wheel alignment in order to reduce non-exhaust pollution for automotive applications.
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Jan 2020 |
It's been a while since I updated here about the individual publication of my journal papers due to the increased frequency in 2019. However, I feel this paper is rather special and worth a mention on the timeline. My first review paper, which is also my first sole author paper, has just been accepted with Journal of Intelligent Materials Systems and Structures (Sage). Look out for it!
"Review of nonlinear vibration energy harvesting: Duffing, bi-stability, parametric, stochastic and others" |
Jan 2020 |
Job opportunity! Looking for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow for the IUK project on reducing non-exhaust emission of vehicles through smart wheel alignment: https://jobs.aston.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?ref=R190549
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2019 |
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Dec 2019 |
Signing off a wonderful year of 2019:
Happy New Year and looking forward to a busy and exciting 2020! |
Dec 2019 |
3 papers presented at PowerMEMS 2019 international conference, including 2 presentations from PhD students.
I servied as the Chair of PowerMEMS-in-Action session and Poster session. Many congratulations to my PhD student Jie Pu, for winning Best Poster Award! I last won the Best Oral Presentation Award in PowerMEMS 2013, now it has come full circle! |
Nov 2019 |
Tecquipment case study video with us: https://youtu.be/vCMVQyZGKR8
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Sep 2019 |
Top Peer Reviewer in the Global Peer Review Awards 2019 (by Publons).
The award is given to the top 1% of reviewers in each of the 22 Essential Science Indicators (ESI) research fields, calculated by number of verified pre-publication reviews performed and added to Publons between 1 September 2018 and 1 September 2019. |
Sep 2019 |
Great experience and honoured to give an invited talk at Xidian University 西安电子科技大学, titled, "Net Zero Powered Smart Systems 净零功率智能系统". It was also my first technical presentation / talk given in Mandarin!
Also amazing experience visiting Prof. Xueyong Wei at Xi'an Jiaotong University 西安交通大学 and their world leading clean room in their Key State Laboratory! 下次再去华山论剑! |
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May 2019 |
Co-chair of PowerMEMS-in-Action session at PowerMEMS 2019 international conference, Krakow, Poland, 2-6 December 2019.
http://powermems2019.org |
Mar 2019 |
Nearly 4 years since joining the academic faculty at the University of Chester, I have come through the various ranks: Lecturer Jun 2015 - Sep 2017, Senior Lecturer Oct 2017 - Dec 2018, and Associate Professor Jan 2019 - Mar 2019. A great place to have kicked off my academic career.
Now on to new and exciting endeavours at Aston University, Birmingham. Looking forward to joining the new department, new school, new university, new city and the new adventures. |
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2018 |
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Dec 2018 |
Published peer-reviewed journal paper with Composites Part B: Engineering (Elsevier).
"Multiphysics vibration FE model of piezoelectric macro fibre composite on carbon fibre composite structures" Accepted for publication as is 19 days after submission. My 2nd paper to have been accepted for publication without revision. Also this is my 7th journal paper in 2018 (4 first authorships and 2 last authorships). A wonderful Christmas gift! |
Dec 2018 |
Attended PowerMEMS 2018 at Daytona Beach, FL, USA
Contribution: 3 posters (1 first author and 2 last author) My 7th consecutive attendance at this annual premier gathering of energy harvesting and powerMEMS researchers. Looking forward to Krakow, Poland next year. |
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Nov 2018 |
Published peer-reviewed journal paper with Energies (MDPI), as part of Special Issue: Materials and Devices for Waste Energy Harvesting 2017.
"An analytical and numerical study of magnetic spring suspension and energy recovery mechanism" This also marks my 50th academic publication (since I started just under 6 years ago). Looking forward to the 100th milestone.. |
Aug 2018 |
Published peer-reviewed journal paper with IEEE Transactions on Mechatronics (IEEE).
"Multi-modal shear wave de-icing using fibre piezoelectric actuator on composite for aircraft wings" |
28 Jun 2018 |
Won the "Research Informed Teaching Award" at the University of Chester Learning and Teaching Conference 2018.
Glad to be recognised for my research orientated teaching approach, helping undergraduates and masters students to publish at an international level. Also had a lovely day at the University of Chester Learning and Teaching Conference. |
Jun 2018 |
Nominated for University of Chester Research Informed Teaching Award 2018
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May 2018 |
Published peer-reviewed journal paper with Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins).
"Evidence for the Perception of Time Distortion During Episodes of Alice in Wonderland Syndrome" |
Apr 2018 |
Published peer-reviewed journal paper with Applied Physics Letters (AIP).
"A micromachined device describing over a hundred orders of parametric resonance" This paper experimentally reports of over a hundred orders of Mathieu instability intervals in a MEMS oscillatory device. |
Wind energy is one of the leading renewable sources to replace fossil fuel in order to tackle the environmental and climate crisis challenges thatthe world is facing. China and the UK together contribute to ~40% of the world's ~500 GW wind power capacity. However, the ever-increasing operation and maintenance (O&M) cost has become a critical constraint for the sustainability of wind energy growth - global cost estimated toreach US$17bn pa by 2020.The primary objective of this project is to develop an integrated smart composite to be incorporated into the wind turbine blades. The smart composite will be able to perform autonomous structural health monitoring of the blades, to detect the early signs ofdamage and enable predictability in maintenance scheduling and prevent the icing of the blades, to ensure operational efficiency, whilst also self-sustaining the power supply of these functionalities without need for battery replacement.The composite will be integrated with various types ofmacro fibre piezoelectric composite transducers used as vibration sensors and energy harvesters, micro-fabricated solid-state batteries andprinted electronics. This will open up new technological possibilities in the design, manufacturing and operation of wind turbine blades to improvetheir operation.
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Jan 2018 |
Published peer-reviewed journal paper with IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics (IEEE).
"A passive design scheme to increase rectified power of piezoelectric energy harvesters" |
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2017 |
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Nov 2017 |
Attended PowerMEMS 2017 at Kanazawa, Japan.
Contribution: 3 posters (1 first author, 1 co-author and 1 last author) and 1 oral (last author). My 6th consecutive attendance at this annual premier gathering of energy harvesting and powerMEMS researchers. It was great catching up with old acquaintances and networking with new brilliant minds.. |
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Oct 2017 |
After nearly 3 years of hard work, finally closed SELFP project (Innovate UK funded, McLaren/Cambridge). Great to see a successful completion of an ambitious MEMS vibration energy harvesting project: succeeded to power a wireless sensor from broadband automotive vibration profile by a single MEMS die under harsh environmental conditions. Looking forward to further developing VEH-on-a-chip..
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Sep 2017 |
Published peer-reviewed journal paper with Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures (Sage).
"Real World Assessment of an Auto-parametric Electromagnetic Vibration Energy Harvester" |
Aug 2017 |
Achieved the status of Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, in recognition of attainment against the UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and learning support in higher education.
Formally completed PGCLTHE (post-graduate certificate in learning and teaching in higher education) degree. Two more suffixes to add to the name: PGCLTHE, FHEA |
Aug 2017 |
Published peer-reviewed journal paper with Sensors and Actuators A: Physical (Elsevier). [online]
"Real-world evaluation of a self-startup SSHI rectifier for piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting" |
Aug 2017 |
Published peer-reviewed journal paper with Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems (IEEE). [online]
"Experimental and Theoretical Study of a Piezoelectric Vibration Energy Harvester Under High Temperature" |
Jul 2017 |
Published peer-reviewed journal paper with Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering (IOP). [online]
"Shock Reliability Enhancement for MEMS Vibration Energy Harvesters with Nonlinear Air Damping as Soft Stopper" |
Jul 2017 |
Published peer-reviewed journal paper with Sensors and Actuators A: Physical (Elsevier). [online]
"A new electrode design method in piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters to maximize output power" |
Apr 2017 |
My student, Maisie Snowdon, has won the Energy category of the Telegraph STEM 2017 awards and advanced to the finals of this national competition for young innovators. A solid achievement for both a Chester student and women in STEM.
Here are links to some of the press release: University of Chester News and Chester Standard Also link to a short film made by Telegraph |
5 Apr 2017 |
Co-chaired Energy Harvesting 2017 (the 7th Energy Harvesting Network Dissemination Event) in Manchester Town Hall. Over half year of hard work finally paid off with a wonderful and successful event. A great experience and pleasure organising the event.
Two of my students, Maisie Snowdon and James Horne, presented their posters in the event. Furthermore, the icing on the cake was my student, Maisie Snowdon winning the Best Poster Award. Congratulations to her. |
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21 Feb 2017 |
Gave an invited talk at the Research Seminar of the world renowned ISVR (Institute of Sound and Vibration Research) in University of Southampton.
It was a walk down memory lane for me to be back at the institution where I spent 4 years of undergraduate. ECS has definitely changed a lot in terms of upgrading teaching labs. ISVR is still pretty much the same, except now I am standing on the other end of the lecture theatre. Great experience and a great audience of respected researchers to share my research with. "Multifrequency operation of microelectromechanical vibration energy harvesting by accessing principal and higher order parametric resonance" |
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2016 |
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Dec 2016 |
Published peer reviewed journal paper with Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures (Sage). [online]
"Piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting: A connection configuration scheme to increase operational range and output power" |
6-9 Dec 2016 |
Attended PowerMEMS 2016 at Paris, France.
Contribution: presented 5 conference papers, 3 oral and 2 posters, one shortlisted for best paper award. My 5th consecutive attendance to this annual international meeting of PowerMEMS researchers. Was great to travel by Eurostar for the first time. Cruise banquet was a nice parallel to lastyear. It was nice to meet with old and new friends, great networking venue with like-minded academics. |
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Oct 2016 |
Published peer reviewed journal paper with Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering (IOP), an invited article as part of PowerMEMS 2015 special issue. [online]
"Micromachined cantilevers-on-membrane topology for broadband vibration energy harvesting" |
Aug 2016 |
Published peer reviewed journal paper with Journal of Solid-State Circuits (IEEE). [online]
"An Efficient SSHI Interface With Increased Input Range for Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Under Variable Conditions" |
Jul 2016 |
Published peer reviewed journal paper with Scientific Reports (Nature) [online]
"Twenty-Eight Orders of Parametric Resonance in a Microelectromechanical Device for Multi-band Vibration Energy Harvesting" |
Jul 2016 |
Published peer reviewed journal paper with Transactions on Power Electronics (IEEE) [online]
"An Efficient Inductorless Dynamically Configured Interface Circuit for Piezoelectric Vibration Energy Harvesting" |
11 May 2016 |
Attended Energy Harvesting 2016, the 6th one-day annual dissemination event from the Energy Harvesting Network. Although not new to the event, this was my first time attending an academic. It was also my first time to be on the other side of judging poster presentations. Again, a great opportunity to network with academics and industrialists in the field. Also at this event, I have been formally elevated to the Steering Board of the Network and will co-chair the event next year. A great honour.
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25-28 Jan 2016 |
Attended MEMS 2016 at Shanghai, China.
Cojtribution: presented 1 conference paper, 1 poster. First time attending this most prestigious academic gathering within the MEMS field. Great to see some familiar faces from the PowerMEMS community and many other new faces in the wider MEMS world. The number of industrial exhibitors were both impressive and interesting. |
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2015 |
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1-4 Dec 2015 |
Attended PowerMEMS 2015 at Cambridge, MA, USA.
Contribution: presented 3 conference papers, 1 oral and 2 poster. My 4th consecutive attendance at this annual international meeting of PowerMEMS researchers. This time, we gather at the "other Cambridge". We had a great lobster feast with colleagues in the field, visited Harvard and MIT campus, as well as an enjoyable cruise during the conference banquet that provided a great atmosphere to network. |
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Nov 2015 |
Before the year's out, why not another one. Published peer review journal paper with Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems (IEEE). [online]
"Power Optimization by Mass Tuning for MEMS Piezoelectric Cantilever Vibration Energy Harvesting" |
Sep 2015 |
Published another peer reviewed journal paper with Sensors Journal (IEEE). [online]
"A Hybrid Vibration Powered Microelectromechanical Strain Gauge" |
Jul 2015 |
Gave an invited talk at the Innovate UK-BSI Energy Harvesting Workshop on Standards, hosted by CSIC, University of Cambridge.
"Recent advances in vibration energy harvesting at macro and MEMS scale" |
3 Jul 2015 |
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22 Jun 2015 |
Officially starting my first academic faculty position as Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Chester's new and emerging dedicated science and engineering campus: Thornton Science Park. Having inherited the site from the world renowned Shell Research Centre a couple years back, this 66 acre site is an exciting new venture to embark on.
https://www.chester.ac.uk/science-engineering http://www.thorntonsciencepark.co.uk/ |
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2014 |
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Dec 2014 |
The first invited PowerMEMS special issue paper last year, which was previously featured in IOPSelect, is now also featured in IOP Best of 2013 Collection and IOP PowerMEMS Collection.
"Parametrically excited MEMS vibration energy harvesters with design approaches to overcome initiation threshold amplitude" |
Dec 2014 |
Publication of the fourth peer-reviewed journal article with Sensors and Actuators A: Physical (Elsevier) [online]
"An auto-parametrically excited vibration energy harvester" |
18-21 Nov 2014 |
Attended PowerMEMS 2014 at Awaji Island, Japan.
Contribution: presented 2 conference papers, 2 poster. My 3rd consecutive attendance at this annual international meeting of PowerMEMS researchers. My first visit to Japan and a most enjoyable PowerMEMS gathering. Also a varying experience being my first conference as Dr Yu Jia. |
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17 May 2014 |
Formally admitted as a member of the senate (Cambridge's way of saying, here goes your certificate at the PhD graduation ceremony in the Senate Hall). Also, finally got to experience the famous graduation in Latin,
"Auctoritate mihi commissa admitto te ad gradum Philosophiae Doctor, in nomine deus" Amazing experience to be the first in the Downing College congregation, got shown the centuries old book of the senate that started with Latin, phased to English about a few hundreds years ago, and now almost running out of pages! Write small.. |
Apr 2014 |
Third peer-reviewed journal paper published with Smart Materials and Structures (IOP). [online]
"Parametric resonance for vibration energy harvesting with design techniques to passively reduce the initiation threshold amplitude" |
Mar 2014 |
Started as Research Associate at Nanoscience Centre and Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction at the University of Cambridge.
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29 Jan 2014 |
Successfully defended thesis in viva voca in front of Dr Paul Mitcheson and Prof. Nathan Arokia. 3 hours of intensive yet pleasurable defence. Great to have the undivided attention of two experts.
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2013 |
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3-6 Dec 2013
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Attended PowerMEMS 2013 at London, UK
Contribution: presented 1 conference paper, 1 oral. Won Best Oral Presentation Award. My 2nd consecutive attendance at this annual international meeting of PowerMEMS researchers. It was truly a humbling experience to network and present my work inside the historic Royal Society. Also a most befitting banquet at the Science Museum. |
Nov 2013 |
The invited PowerMEMS special issue paper, has been chosen by IOP editors to be featured in IOPSelect, citing novelty, significance and potential impact.
"Parametrically excited MEMS vibration energy harvesters with design approaches to overcome initiation threshold amplitude" |
Oct 2013 |
After 7 months of peer review and in press, the first invited article and the second peer reviewed journal paper published with Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering (IOP) PowerMEMS special issue. [online]
"Parametrically excited MEMS vibration energy harvesters with design approaches to overcome initiation threshold amplitude" |
Late Aug 2013 |
After a summer of PhD thesis write up and 21 seasons of Star Trek, first completed draft is ready! The Convergence of Parametric Resonance and Vibration Energy Harvesting.
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Jun 2013 |
After a lengthy and very educational review process, the very first peer reviewed journal paper published online first with Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures (Sage). [online]
"A parametrically excited vibration energy harvester" |
16-20 Jun 2013 |
First attendance at Transducers 2013 at Barcelona, Spain. Contribution: 1 paper (poster). The most prestigious bi-annual gathering of top tier and large international academics.
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Mar 2013 |
Gave an invited talk at Engineers Without Borders event, Trinity College, University of Cambridge.
"Smarter Infrastructure, energy harvesting for self-powered structural health monitoring" |
Feb 2013 |
Accepted invitation to submit an extended paper from PowerMEMS 2012, to the IOP Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, PowerMEMS Special Issue. The first invited paper.
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2012 |
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2011 |
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2010 |
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Oct 2010 |
Commenced to read PhD in Engineering at the Mechanics Division, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge under supervision of Dr Ashwin A. Seshia. Researching on novel energy harvesting approaches for both macro-scale and MEMS devices.
Matriculated at Downing College; and affiliated with and based at the Nanoscience Centre in the West Cambridge site. |
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