Youngah Do | Humanities and Science Integration | Research Excellence Award

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Prof. Youngah Do | Humanities and Science Integration | Research Excellence Award 

The University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong

Dr. Youngah Do is an accomplished scholar and Associate Professor of Linguistics at The University of Hong Kong, where she has developed a strong research and teaching profile in phonology, language acquisition, bilingualism, and the cognitive foundations of linguistic structure. She completed her B.A. in English Linguistics and Literature with summa cum laude distinction and her M.A. in English Linguistics at Seoul National University, demonstrating early academic excellence and a deep commitment to linguistic inquiry. Building on this foundation, she earned her Ph.D. in Linguistics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), one of the world’s top institutions for theoretical and experimental linguistics, where she further refined her expertise in phonological theory, formal models of linguistic knowledge, and empirical approaches to understanding how humans acquire and process language. Before joining The University of Hong Kong, Dr. Do broadened her academic experience as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Georgetown University, contributing to its interdisciplinary community and engaging in collaborative research across cognitive science, theoretical linguistics, and language acquisition. Her professional affiliations include being a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, reflecting her commitment to excellence in teaching and pedagogical innovation, as well as active membership in the Association for Laboratory Phonology, which aligns with her interest in integrating experimental methods with theoretical models of phonology. Dr. Do has been recognized with major international honors such as the Universitas 21 Fellowship and the U21@21 Award, distinctions that highlight her global academic impact and leadership potential. Under her mentorship, her students have also earned highly competitive international accolades, including The Global Undergraduate Award and the Cognitive Science Society Student Award, underscoring her dedication to cultivating the next generation of scholars. Her research program is characterized by a sophisticated integration of experimental, computational, and cognitive approaches aimed at advancing our understanding of phonological learning, the structure of linguistic knowledge, and the mechanisms underlying bilingual and second-language acquisition. She has produced an extensive body of peer-reviewed work published in high-impact journals and presented at leading international conferences, contributing significantly to both theoretical linguistics and cognitive science. In addition to her research and teaching contributions, Dr. Do plays an active role in scholarly service at the global level. She serves on the editorial boards of Phonology, published by Cambridge University Press, and Studies in Linguistics, helping shape the direction of research in her field. She is also a frequent reviewer for top-tier journals, conferences, and national and international funding agencies, reflecting her standing as a trusted expert within the academic community. Through her combined work as a researcher, educator, mentor, and academic leader, Dr. Youngah Do continues to make substantial contributions to the advancement of linguistics and to the broader understanding of how language is structured, learned, and processed across diverse contexts.

Profile: Scopus | Orcid

Featured Publications

Tan, F. L., & Do, Y. (2025). Bottom-up modeling of phoneme learning: Universal sensitivity and language-specific transformation. Speech Communication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.specom.2025.103343

Yu, X., & Do, Y. (2025). Preference for distinct variants in learning sound correspondences during dialect acquisition. Language and Speech. https://doi.org/10.1177/00238309241308171

Tan, F. L., & Do, Y. (2025). Attention-LSTM autoencoder simulation for phonotactic learning from raw audio input. Linguistics Vanguard. https://doi.org/10.1515/lingvan-2024-0210

Thompson, A. L., Van Hoey, T., Chik, A. W. C., & Do, Y. (2025). Iconic hand gestures from ideophones exhibit stability and emergent phonological properties: An iterated learning study. Cognitive Linguistics. https://doi.org/10.1515/cog-2024-0033

Sze, S. S. L., Yu, X., Van Hoey, T., Yu, B., & Do, Y. (2025). Bilinguals’ advantages in executive function: Learning phonotactics and alternation. Second Language Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/02676583251327097

Zheng, S., & Do, Y. (2025). Substantive bias in artificial phonology learning. Language and Linguistics Compass. https://doi.org/10.1111/lnc3.70005

Van Hoey, T., Yu, X., Pan, T.-L., & Do, Y. (2024). What ratings and corpus data reveal about the vividness of Mandarin ABB words. Language and Cognition. https://doi.org/10.1017/langcog.2024.22

Yu, X., Van Hoey, T., Tan, F. L., Du, B., & Do, Y. (2024). Tracking phonological regularities: Exploring the influence of learning mode and regularity locus in adult phonological learning. Linguistics Vanguard. https://doi.org/10.1515/lingvan-2023-0050

Weijian Wang | Sustainable Materials | Best Researcher Award | 13556

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Assoc Prof Dr. Weijian Wang | Sustainable Materials | Best Researcher Award

Assoc Prof Dr. Weijian Wang, Beibu Gulf University, China

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Weijian Wang, currently serving at Beibu Gulf University, is a promising researcher in the field of halide perovskite materials. With a strong academic foundation and postdoctoral training from Zhejiang University, his work emphasizes green synthesis and innovative applications of perovskites in solar cells, LEDs, and biomedical fields. He has published 11 SCI-indexed papers, authored 15 authorized patents, and led a major Guangxi research project, showcasing both academic rigor and practical innovation. His contributions, particularly through simulation-aided design and material fabrication, demonstrate significant potential for advancing sustainable energy technologies and high-performance optoelectronic devices.

Author Profile

Orcid | Scopus
Education

Dr. Weijian Wang embarked on his academic journey with a solid foundation in chemical sciences. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering and Technology from the China University of Petroleum (East China)—an institution known for producing talent in energy and chemical sectors. His academic excellence and growing passion for applied chemical research led him to pursue a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering at the China University of Mining and Technology, where he deepened his understanding of reaction engineering, process modeling, and advanced materials.

Eager to contribute to cutting-edge innovation in the energy sector, Dr. Wang pursued his Ph.D. in Chemical Technology at the Research Institute of Petroleum Processing (RIPP), Sinopec, one of China’s leading industrial research institutions. His doctoral training provided him with hands-on experience in industrial-scale research, advanced materials development, and interdisciplinary collaboration. To further strengthen his academic and research profile, Dr. Wang completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Zhejiang University, where he explored emerging materials and device applications, preparing him for a career at the intersection of academia and applied science.

Experience

In 2022, Dr. Wang joined Beibu Gulf University as an Associate Professor, where he has since led a promising research group focusing on halide perovskite materials. As a faculty member, he has embraced both teaching and research, mentoring students while pursuing innovative solutions to modern energy and optoelectronic challenges.

One of his key professional milestones includes leading the Guangxi Science and Technology Major Program (GuikeAA23062016). This ambitious research initiative demonstrates his leadership and technical capability in managing multi-disciplinary projects aligned with regional and national scientific goals. With no industry consultancies yet, Dr. Wang remains fully invested in academic research, pushing boundaries in materials science through both simulations and experimental designs.

Research Focus

Dr. Weijian Wang’s research is centered on the green synthesis and advanced application of halide perovskite materials, a field that is rapidly evolving due to its immense potential in next-generation energy and optoelectronic technologies. His work is particularly notable for developing environmentally friendly fabrication techniques, significantly reducing the environmental footprint of perovskite production. By leveraging simulation-assisted material design, Dr. Wang has enhanced the efficiency of perovskite-based solar cells, contributing to more sustainable energy solutions. Additionally, his innovations extend to optoelectronic applications, where he explores the integration of perovskites in high-performance LEDs and medical imaging technologies. With 11 SCI-indexed publications, including 8 as first or corresponding author, and 15 authorized invention patents as the lead inventor, Dr. Wang effectively translates scientific theory into practical, high-impact innovations that support both academic advancement and real-world applications.

Award and Recognition

Though still in the early stages of his academic career, Dr. Weijian Wang has already distinguished himself through the quality, innovation, and impact of his research contributions. He has published 11 articles in SCI-indexed international journals, showcasing his expertise in halide perovskite materials and their applications. As the first inventor on 15 authorized patents, Dr. Wang has demonstrated a strong ability to transform research insights into patentable, practical technologies. He also leads a major government-funded research initiative, underscoring his capacity to manage and deliver on large-scale scientific projects. With an H-index of 5, his work is gaining increasing visibility and recognition in the academic community. While he currently does not hold editorial positions or professional memberships, his growing body of work and innovation pipeline clearly mark him as a rising figure in materials science, poised for future leadership and accolades.

Publications

📖Aqueous synthesis of stable Pb(OH)Br:Cu red phosphor with DFT insights into its luminescence mechanism – Optical Materials (2025)
📖 Axial Ligand-Modified PdN4 as Efficient Electrocatalysts for the Two-Electron Oxygen Reduction Reaction: Insights from DFT -The Journal of Physical Chemistry (2025)
📖 Ameliorating Properties of Perovskite and Perovskite–Silicon Tandem Solar Cells via Mesoporous Antireflection Coating Model – Advanced Electronic Materials (2023)