Weihui Liang | Organic Chemistry | Best Researcher Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Weihui Liang | Organic Chemistry | Best Researcher Award

Nanjing University, China

Profiles

Early Academic Pursuits

Dr. Weihui Liang began her academic journey with a strong foundation in architectural science and building performance. She pursued her doctoral studies in Building Science at one of China’s top institutions, where her research centered on environmental control, building energy efficiency, and indoor air quality (IAQ). Her rigorous academic training equipped her with multidisciplinary expertise in architecture, environmental health, and engineering simulations, laying the groundwork for her later contributions in both research and standardization.

Professional Endeavors

Currently serving as an Associate Professor at the School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Nanjing University, Dr. Liang is actively engaged in both academic research and industry consultation. She is a respected figure in the domain of indoor environmental quality, contributing to national and international projects focused on sustainable and healthy buildings. Her involvement spans academic collaborations, technical consulting, and participation in professional working groups, emphasizing her commitment to bridging research and practice in building science.

Contributions and Research Focus

Dr. Liang’s research focuses on indoor air quality, building pollutant emissions—especially volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde—heat-air-moisture transfer mechanisms in building envelopes, and green building system optimization. She has contributed significantly to the understanding of energy-efficient ventilation and air quality management through simulation-based design approaches and empirical studies. Her work addresses both technical depth and policy-level relevance, impacting how building environments are designed and managed for occupant health and sustainability.

Impact and Influence

A prolific researcher, Dr. Liang has authored 26 articles in high-impact SCI journals and played a pivotal role in drafting two Chinese national standards on IAQ. She is also a contributor to the internationally respected Handbook of Indoor Air Quality, which synthesizes global expertise on indoor environmental issues. Her role as China’s representative in the IEA EBC Annex 86 project underscores her international recognition and leadership in the field. She was awarded the Best Paper Award by the journal Building and Environment, reflecting peer recognition of her research excellence.

Academic Citations and Editorial Appointments

Dr. Liang’s work has been cited in numerous academic publications, contributing to a citation index of 14 and growing. She holds editorial roles in top-tier journals such as Building and Environment and Building Simulation, where she serves as a Young Editorial Board Member. These positions highlight her expertise and influence in shaping current and future research directions in the field of building science and environmental sustainability.

Technical Skills

Dr. Liang’s technical proficiencies include building environmental simulation (heat-air-moisture modeling), pollutant dispersion analysis, energy-efficient HVAC system design, and data analysis related to building performance. She integrates field measurements with computational simulations to derive insights that inform both design strategies and building codes.

Teaching and Mentorship Experience

As an academic mentor and educator, Dr. Liang is actively involved in teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. She guides students through interdisciplinary projects on sustainable architecture and building performance, nurturing a new generation of scholars and practitioners committed to improving the built environment.

Legacy and Future Contributions

Dr. Liang’s legacy lies in her scientific contributions to indoor environmental quality and her leadership in international collaborations such as IEA EBC Annex 68, 86, and 92. Looking ahead, she aims to further advance energy-efficient IAQ management technologies and integrate health-oriented design strategies into urban planning and green building frameworks. Her work continues to influence policy, research, and practice in environmental architecture, underscoring her role as a key contributor to the global discourse on sustainable urban living.

Notable Publications

An Occupational Dimethylacetamide Poisoning Incident Responded Efficiently in Health Emergency Response Network – Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province, China, August 2023
Authors: Jiang, JX; Huang, J; (…); Liu, XY
Journal: China CDC Weekly
Year: 2024

A literature review investigating the impact of temperature and humidity on volatile organic compound emissions from building materials
Authors: Zhu, YR; Guo, S; Liang, WH
Journal: Building and Environment
Year: 2024

Volatile organic compounds and odor emissions from typical building materials and air sample storage time analysis
Authors: Liang, WH; Hu, YB; (…); Xu, YL
Journal: Building and Environment
Year: 2024

Occupational exposure to methyl acetate resulting in methanol poisoning
Authors: Li, XY; Zhang, X; (…); Hu, SJ
Journal: Clinical Toxicology
Year: 2024

Volatile organic compounds and odor emissions characteristics of building materials and comparisons with the on-site measurements during interior construction stages
Authors: Guo, S; Liang, WH
Journal: Building and Environment
Year: 2024

 

Shizhen Zhao | Organic Chemistry | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Shizhen Zhao | Organic Chemistry | Best Researcher Award

Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

👨‍🎓Profiles

👨‍🎓 Early Academic and Research Foundations

Dr. Shizhen Zhao has pursued a career deeply rooted in environmental geochemistry and pollutant dynamics. From the early stages of his academic training, he has been engaged in the study of organic pollutants, combining field-based investigations with advanced numerical simulations to understand their transport, transformation, and long-term impact on ecosystems.

🧪 Professional Endeavors and Research Projects

Currently serving at the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dr. Zhao leads multiple high-impact environmental research initiatives. A central focus of his current work is the International Science and Technology Cooperation Project titled:
“Historical evolution of the aquatic environment in the CKDu region of Sri Lanka: Sedimentation of an ancient impoundment lake.”
This project addresses the agricultural water environment in Sri Lanka, specifically examining its links with the chronic kidney disease of unknown cause (CKDu)—a significant public health crisis. The project is conducted through China-Sri Lanka bilateral cooperation and aims to reconstruct historical water environment changes using sediment geochemistry and assess their spatiotemporal correlation with CKDu.

🌱 Contributions and Research Focus

Dr. Zhao’s research stands out in its integration of geochemical tools (e.g., ICP-MS, GC-MS, LC-MS/MS, HPLC) with epidemiological data and historical sediment analysis from ancient water tanks (AWTs). His team applies external observation methods, soil and air pollutant analysis, and field sampling techniques, aiming to uncover the origins, behavior, and human health risks of organic contaminants in vulnerable regions. This work represents a pioneering fusion of environmental forensics, historical ecology, and public health research.

🌍 International Cooperation and Collaboration

With over three years of active collaboration with Sri Lankan institutions and nearly 20 academic exchange visits, Dr. Zhao has built strong international ties. His research team also works closely with scholars from Hong Kong, sharing a decade-long history of cooperative projects and joint publications. These collaborations ensure multidisciplinary expertise, complementary methodologies, and smooth project execution.

🧾 Recognitions and Achievements

Dr. Zhao’s excellence has been recognized by several prestigious awards and talent programs, including:

  • Youth Innovation Promotion Association Award, Chinese Academy of Sciences

  • Tu Guangchi Young Scholar B Talent Program

  • Pearl River Talent—Overseas Young Talent Introduction Plan, Guangdong Province

He has also published 5 papers as first/corresponding author in the top-tier journal Environmental Science & Technology, with 2 selected as supplementary cover features—a rare distinction.

📊 Academic Output and Impact

Dr. Zhao has published over 22 SCI-indexed papers, many in high-impact journals. His research contributes significantly to understanding pollutant source attribution, environmental risks, and geochemical reconstruction of aquatic systems in Southeast Asia. His field investigations, especially in CKDu-endemic zones, are backed by rich epidemiological datasets and extensive regional insights.

🛠️ Technical and Field Capabilities

Equipped with advanced instruments and field tools, Dr. Zhao’s laboratory supports:

  • Sediment coring and borehole sampling

  • Chemical characterization of soils and surface sediments

  • Pollutant analysis using ICP-MS, GC-MS, LC-MS/MS
    These resources, combined with strong logistical coordination, enable comprehensive field-to-lab research pipelines.

🔮 Legacy and Future Contributions

Dr. Shizhen Zhao is a rising leader in the fields of environmental geochemistry, sedimentology, and transboundary water health research. Through cutting-edge science and sustained international cooperation, he is paving the way for new understandings of how environmental degradation intersects with human disease. His work not only deepens the knowledge of CKDu but also lays a robust scientific foundation for future environmental health policies and remediation strategies in affected regions.

📖Notable Publications

Aqueous secondary formation substantially contributes to hydrophilic organophosphate esters in aerosols
Journal: Nature Communications
Year: 2025
Citations: 1

Polycyclic aromatics in the Chang’E 5 lunar soils
Journal: Nature Communications
Year: 2025
Citations: 0

Legacy and currently-used pesticides in sedimentary archives: Anthropogenic footprint in the Pearl River Estuary
Journal: Science of the Total Environment
Year: 2025
Citations: 0

Quantification of micro- and nano-plastics in atmospheric fine particles by pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with chromatographic peak reconstruction
Journal: Journal of Hazardous Materials
Year: 2025
Citations: 0

Heavy metals in atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in Dhaka, Bangladesh: Source apportionment and associated health risks
Journal: Environmental Research
Year: 2025
Citations: 0

The Intrinsic Link between Optical Properties and Toxicity of Extractable Organic Matter in Combustion Particles: Mediated by Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds
Journal: Environment and Health
Year: 2025
Citations: 0