Fellowship scheme brings leading researchers to UTS

Eleven outstanding early career researchers from across the globe have been selected as this year's Chancellor's Postdoctoral (CPD) Research Fellows.

The researchers, exploring a range of diverse projects including quantum software, large-scale electrical energy storage and legislative outcomes of women leaders in Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines, have been appointed to the Faculties of Arts and Social Sciences, Design, Architecture and Building, Engineering and IT, Health, Law, and Science, the UTS Business School and the Institutes for Sustainable Futures, and Public Policy and Governance.

The CPD Fellowship Scheme supports UTS's strategic intent to be a world leader in specific research areas, says Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Glenn Wightwick.

"These fellowships are highly competitive. To be short-listed, applicants must have an exceptional track record as well as the commitment and potential to enhance the research capacity of UTS within our research focus areas – Health, Data Science, Sustainability, Future Work and Industry, and Social Futures.

"Since 2008, we have seen 98 local and international early career researchers advance their academic career through this fellowship scheme, helping to build the research profile of this university while providing career opportunities for outstanding young researchers."

This year's intake includes Dr Jianguang Fang, who joins the Centre for Built Instructure in the Faculty of Engineering and IT. His research project aims to develop eco-friendly and cost-effective concrete structures for the construction industry to mitigate the damage effects of natural hazards.

Fang says of his appointment, "I feel very honoured to be appointed as a CPD Research Fellow. It enables me to boost my research career and develop teaching skills in this young and ambitious university.

"This fellowship scheme provides me with a unique opportunity to carry out cutting-edge research to develop next-generation concrete materials and structures. UTS offers excellent research facilities and an innovative research environment with very supportive staff and students, which are crucial to an early career researcher. This fellowship scheme also enables me to supervise HDR students and to contribute to their teaching program."

The complete list of 2017 Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellows are:

Dr Carlo Bradac (Science) - Diamond Nanosensors for Bio-Nanotechnologies. Supervised by A/Prof Igor Aharonovich

Dr Jianguang Fang (FEIT) - Sustainable design of ultra-high performance concrete structures against impact loads. Supervised by Prof Chengqing Wu

Dr Christopher Ferrie (FEIT) - Using Quantum Artificial Intelligence to Bootstrap a Quantum Computer. Supervised by Prof Michael Bremner

Dr Anna Funder (FASS) - The Future Perfect: the legacy of reform in 1970s Australia. Supervised by Prof Mary Spongberg

Dr Mark Liu (DAB) - Developing technical and conceptual foundations for Non-Euclidean mathematics in the fashion industry. Supervised by Prof Lawrence Wallen

Dr Christopher Rodrigues (Science) - Deciphering How Bacteria Form a Dormant Cell Type. Supervised by Prof Elizabeth Harry

Dr Dawei Su (Science) - Materials architecture design for low-cost energy storage application. Supervised by Prof Guoxiu Wang

Dr Naomi Van Der Linden (Business) - The value of pharmaceutical risk-sharing policies. Supervised by A/Prof Stephen Goodall

Dr Ramona Vijeyarasa (Law) - Legislative outcomes of women leaders in Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines. Supervised by Prof Jenni Millbank

Dr Xiaoxue Xu (Science) - Nanoscale Engineering of Hybrid Upconversion Materials for Medical Diagnosis. Supervised by Prof Dayong Jin

Dr Zheng Yan (FEIT) - Collective neurodynamic systems for nonlinear optimization. Supervised by Prof Jie Lu

Applications for 2018 Chancellor's Postdoctoral Research Fellowships are now open. For details, or to apply, visit our Chancellor's Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Schemewebsite.