Join Our Lab

New Project, Big Opportunities

Exciting Opportunity Alert! 📣 - Join our Lab and help shape the future with a next-generation digital twin coast for Hong Kong and the world!

Are you passionate about climate change's impact on coastal cities? Do you excel in digital and computational mechanics, data science, and high-performance computing? We are seeking capable research students and postdoc fellows to contribute to a groundbreaking project focusing on predicting and managing coastal hazards during extreme weather events.

Coastal cities, including Hong Kong, face increasing vulnerability to typhoons, storm surges, and overtopping waves. With the anticipation of more frequent and intense events due to global warming, it is vital to develop a forward-looking prediction and assessment platform to enhance the resilience of coastal areas in Hong Kong and around the world.

In this project, we will utilize cutting-edge digital and computational methods, physical sensing, data science, and high-performance computing to model and predict complex coastal geosystems. Our aim is to provide precise predictions and support informed decision-making for hazard resiliency design and management during extreme storm surges. Joining our team means delving into the mechanisms of wind-wave-soil-pore water-structure interactions across various scales. You will also have the opportunity for interdisciplinary supervision in data science and machine learning as well to develop advanced techniques for evaluating and improving the safety, resilience, and sustainability of coastal cities like Hong Kong against extreme storm surges.Take the first step towards a safer and more resilient future for coastal areas worldwide by applying to be part of this innovative project with our Lab.

Hong Kong PhD Fellowship

We encourage exceptional applicants to apply for the prestigious Hong Kong PhD Fellowship. The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) aims to attract the brightest students worldwide to pursue their PhD studies at Hong Kong's institutions.

The Fellowship provides an annual stipend of HK$337,200 (approximately US$43,230) and a conference and research-related travel allowance of HK$14,000 (approximately US$1,790) per year for each awardee for a period up to three years. 400 PhD Fellowships will be awarded in the 2025/26 academic year. Additional support may be provided by HKUST for fellowship recipients who need longer time to complete Ph.D..

HKUST has been ranked highest in all past rounds in success rate. In the latest round, 80% of our nominations have won HKPF. Our Lab proudly has 6 HKPF awardees since 2015. The new round of selection will commence in Sept and closed in Dec each year (see RGC-HK's website on HKPFS).

HKUST Postgraduate Scholarship

Postgraduate scholarships are available for application at our Lab for interested applicants with excellent academic standing in geotechnical/civil engineering or engineering mechanics, a good knowledge of mathematics, mechanics and numerical modeling (e.g., using FEM, DEM, MPM, CFD), and be willing to learn new programming languages and skills. The ideal candidate should be fully self-motivated, enjoy taking challenges and communicate well in English.

The current stipend is around HK$225,120 per year tax-free (around US$28,790/year). Our Lab would provide travelling supports for members who produce high-quality research for dissemination. Please contact me (by email) with a copy of your current CV, transcript record and a personal statement including your research plan for consideration. For more information on application please visit HKUST admission office website.

HKUST Research Assistant Professorship

We invite outstanding young scholars at the postdoctoral level to apply for Research Assistant Professor positions at HKUST. Applicants should hold a recent PhD in geotechnical engineering, computational mechanics, or engineering mechanics, along with at least two years of overseas postdoctoral experience. Candidates are expected to demonstrate a great potential to inject new research ideas and explore funding opportunities to enhance the University’s research capabilities..

Successful candidates should have a strong track record of research publications and the ability to lead individual research projects for competitive grant applications. They will also be involved in teaching or co-teaching postgraduate and undergraduate courses. The salary is highly competitive and will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. The appointment will be on a fixed-term 2-year contract, renewable subject to performance, funding availability, and mutual agreement. A gratuity will be payable upon successful completion of the contract. Fringe benefits include annual leave, medical and dental benefits, and a housing allowance may be provided where applicable.

Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Jidong with (i) an updated curriculum vitae and (ii) a list of publications for initial evaluation. Formal applications may also include (iii) a research statement, (iv) a research plan, and (v) three reference letters by the application deadline (early January each year).

RGC Postdoc Fellowship

Strong candidates are encouraged to apply for the Research Grants Council (RGC) Postdoctoral Fellowships (PDFs) Scheme from July each year. Aiming at promising local and non-local postdoctoral researchers at UGC-funded universities at a pivotal time of their very early careers, PDFS will provide support to 50 awardees every year. Each awardee will be eligible for a full-time appointment as postdoctoral fellow (PDF) at HKUST for a 36-month period. The award covers an annual stipend for the awardee’s basic salary as well as a conference and research-related travel allowance throughout the fellowship period. Please contact Jidong to show your interest in this scheme.