I received my PhD degree from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. I was the Matthew Flinders Professor of Engineering, a research leader in the Flagship Institute of NanoScale Science and Technology (ERA ranking 5 in nanotechnology and materials engineering) and Medical Device Research Institute (one of the three flagship institutes in commercialization of medical devices in Australia) at Flinders University, Australia. My group works on smart systems design, manufacturing and implementation to tackle grand challenges in health, environment and energy.

I was the principal supervisor for 11 PhD students (co-supervisor for another 19 PhD students), 47 Master by coursework students and 30 honors in Flinders. In my group, 4 PhD were awarded Flinders VC’s best publications, and 3 PhD were awarded Chris Marlin HDR publication prize. All my 70+ HDR students and 30+ ECRs have been well mentored by myself in research publication and communication. I was awarded Flinders VC's Award for Excellence in HDR Supervision in 2022, College of Science and Engineering Research Student Mentorship Award in 2023, and Honorable Mention in Flinders Most Supportive Supervisor in 2024. Seven of my group members have achieved academic staff positions in China, Australia, Bangladesh, and Indonesia, and many of them work in various companies national and internationally.

Education Background

1996-2000, BEng, Wuhan University of Technology

2000-2002, MEng, Wuhan University of Technology

2002-2007, PhD, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Working Experience

2007-2009 The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Research Associate

2010-2012 South China University of Technology, Assistant/Associate Professor

2011 The University of Sydney, Research Fellow

2012-2015 Australian Research Council, Discovery Early Career Researcher Award

2017 The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Visiting Associate Professor 

2023 Aggregation Induced Emission Institute, Visiting Senior Advisor

2012-2026 Flinders University, Lecturer/ Senior Lecturer/ Associate Professor / Professor/ Matthew Flinders Professor 

           Flinders Institute for NanoScale Science and Technology Research Leader（2013-2026）

           Australia-China Joint Research Centre on Personal Health Technologies, Deputy Director（2019-2023）

           Flinders Medical Device Research Institute, Biomaterials & Biosensor Research Theme Leader（2021-2026）

2024, 2026 Cochin University of Science and Technology, Visiting Professor

2023, 2026 University of Bayreuth, Visiting Professor

2026-Now Flinders University, Academic Status (Level E) 

2026-Now Southern University of Science and Technology, Tenured Professor

Research Area

· Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE) Functional Materials for Intelligent Sensing and Diagnostic Systems

· Vortex Fluidic Mediated Functional Materials Engineering, Valorisation, and Intelligent Manufacturing

· Ocean Energy Harvesting and Self-Powered Intelligent Sensing Systems

· Sustainable Advanced Composite Materials and Intelligent Manufacturing

Publications

· H Wu, Y Yan, Q Peng, Y Tang. Aggregation-induced emission of carbon quantum dots: Mechanisms and applications. Applied Physics Reviews 12 (4), 041304, 2025.

· SF Rakhi, AHMM Reza, B Davies, J Wang, J Qin, Y Tang. Improvement of growth and lipid accumulation in microalgae with aggregation-induced emission-based nanomaterials towards sustainable lipid production. Nanoscale 17 (3), 1308-1316, 2025.

· S Rakhi, AHMM Reza, B Davies, J Wang, Y Tang, J Qin. Aggregation‐induced emission photosensitizer boosting algal growth and lipid accumulation. Small 20 (47), 2402463, 2024.

· J Wang, N Ninan, NH Nguyen, MT Nguyen, R Sahu, TT Nguyen, A Mierczynska-Vasilev, K Vasilev, VK Truong, Y Tang. Biomimetic bacterium-like particles loaded with aggregation-induced emission photosensitizers as plasma coatings for implant-associated infections. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 16 (15), 18449-18458, 2024.

· Q Hu, M Iwanaga, Y Tang. Metasurface platform incorporating aggregation induced emission based biosensor for enhanced human serum albumin detection. Advanced Optical Materials 12 (23), 2400868, 2024.

· D Tohl, ATT Pham, J Li, Y Tang. Point-of-care image-based quantitative urinalysis with commercial reagent strips: Design and clinical evaluation. Methods 224, 63-70, 2024.

· ATT Pham, D Tohl, A Wallace, Q Hu, J Li, KJ Reynolds, Y Tang. Developing a fluorescent sensing based portable medical open-platform-a case study for albuminuria measurement in chronic kidney disease screening and monitoring. Sensing and Bio-Sensing Research 37, 100504, 2022.

· D Tohl, MN Teferra, A Wallace, ATT Pham, Y Tang. Re-referencing and calibration for robust ratiometric light intensity measurement. IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement 71, 1-8, 2022.

· Y Tang, BZ Tang. Handbook of Aggregation-Induced Emission (Volume I, II, III). Wiley, 2022.

· Y Tang, BZ Tang. Aggregation-induced emission. Springer, 2021

· C Chuah, X Luo, J Tavakoli, Y Tang, CL Raston. Thin‐film flow technology in controlling the organization of materials and their properties. Aggregate 5 (1), e433, 2024.

· X Cao, S He, X Luo, J Gao, Y Tang, CL Raston. Stability and cleansing function enhancement of organic shampoo by a vortex fluidic device. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 12 (14), 5533-5543, 2024.

· S He, K Vimalanathan, P Su, M Jellicoe, X Luo, W Xing, W Cai, CT Gibson, Y Chen, JWC Wong, W Zhang, Y Tang, C L Raston. Upsized vortex fluidic device enhancement of mechanical properties and the microstructure of biomass-based biodegradable films. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 9 (43), 14588-14595, 2021.

· J Tavakoli, C Raston, Y Ma, Y Tang. Vortex fluidic mediated one-step fabrication of polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel films with tunable surface morphologies and enhanced self-healing properties. Science China Materials 63, 1310–1317, 2020.

· J Tavakoli, S Pye, AHMM Reza, N Xie, J Qin, CL Raston, BZ Tang, Y Tang. Tuning aggregation-induced emission nanoparticle properties under thin film formation. Materials Chemistry Frontiers 4 (2), 537-545, 2020.

· Y Wang, Y Tang. Ocean wave energy generators and self‐powered wave sensors based on triboelectric nanogenerators. Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research 7 (1), e202500232, 2026.

· Y Wang, H Zhu, W Xing, D Tohl, Y Tang. A hybrid self-powered wave sensing device enables low-amplitude wave sensing. Device 3 (3), 100575, 2025.

· Y Wang, ATT Pham, X Han, D Du, Y Tang. Design and evaluate the wave driven-triboelectric nanogenerator under external wave parameters: Experiment and simulation. Nano Energy, 106844, 2022.

· M Khorsand, J Tavakoli, H Guan, Y Tang. Artificial intelligence enhanced mathematical modeling on rotary triboelectric nanogenerators under various kinematic and geometric conditions. Nano Energy 75, 104993, 2020.

· M Khorsand, J Tavakoli, K Kamanya, Y Tang. Simulation of high-output and lightweight sliding-mode triboelectric nanogenerators.Nano Energy 66, 104115, 2019.

· L Chen, W Xing, J Chong, Q Jiang, Y Ouyang, L Wu, Y Tang. Analysing impact characteristics of composite helical springs with multi-braided layers based on virtual fiber model. Composites Communications 53, 102255, 2025.

· L Chen, W Xing, J Chong, Q Jiang, Y Ouyang, L Wu, Y Tang. Understanding stiffness degradation of composite helical springs with multi-braided layers under impact. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing 185, 108327, 2024.

· L Chen, J Chong, Q Jiang, L Wu, Y Tang. Understanding the static performance of composite helical springs with braided nested structures. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing 176, 107822, 2024.

· L Mao, Y Jiao, H Geng, Y Tang. Understanding friction and wear properties of carbon fiber/epoxy stitched composites. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing 169, 107501, 2023.

· L Chen, W Xing, L Wu, J Chong, T Lei, Q Jiang, Y Tang. Understanding multiple parameters affecting static and dynamic performances of composite helical springs. Journal of Materials Research and Technology 20, 532-550, 2022.

Awards

I was awarded Australian Research Council (ARC) -Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) (2012-2015) and Flinders Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Early-Career Researcher award in 2012. Recently, I was awarded Matthew Flinders Professorship by Flinders University in 2023 and Environmental Chemistry Medal 2025 by Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI).

I am the Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry (2018-), Royal Australian Chemical Institute (2021-) and International Association of Advanced Materials (2024-). I am Chartered Materials Professional (CMatP, 2021-) and Project Management Professional (PMP, 2008-).

Other

I act as editorial broad member of >10 international journals including Aggregate (Wiley, 2020-); Applied Composite Materials (Springer, 2020-), Scientific Reports (Nature, 2023-) and PhotoAggregate (Wiley, 2026-) and guest editor for >10 special issues of various journals.

I acted as Chair/co-chair of 8 international conferences and chaired the analytical chemistry section of RACI South Australian branch (2024-2026).

I am an Outstanding Editorial Board Member of Aggregate in 2022 and 2023, Excellent Contribution Awardee of Aggregate in 2023. and an Outstanding reviewer for Journal of Materials Chemistry B in 2024.