Muhammad Hafiz Hassan | Materials and Technology in Architecture | Research Excellence Award

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Dr. Muhammad Hafiz Hassan | Materials and Technology in Architecture | Research Excellence Award

Senior Lecturer | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Malaysia

Dr. Muhammad Hafiz bin Hassan is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, specializing in advanced manufacturing, composite machining, CNC processes, coating technologies, and the structural integrity of composite–metal systems. He has held impactful roles including Senior Lecturer, Application Specialist at Gandtrack Asia, and Material and Process Engineer at Spirit Aero Systems, while also serving as a research advisor, technical consultant, and collaborator for multiple engineering and industrial partners. His research focuses on single-shot drilling of CFRP/metal stacks, customized twist-drill geometry, DLC and nanocomposite coatings, polymer–MOF systems, machining optimization, and thermal–mechanical performance evaluation. He has led and participated in national grants, community-driven engineering initiatives, and postgraduate supervision in machining, materials engineering, and composite systems. His achievements include multiple international gold medals, best paper awards, invited and keynote speaker engagements, and recognition for innovative engineering solutions, strengthened by his credentials as a Professional Engineer (BEM) and Professional Technologist (MBOT), as well as active roles in academic, industrial, and vocational advisory committees. His research impact includes 458 citations, 47 publications, and an h-index of 10.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

1. Khan M.A., Halil A.M., Abidin M.S.Z., Hassan M.H., Ab Rahman A.A. Influence of laser surface texturing on adhesive bonding: a comprehensive review on surface morphology and strength enhancement. Optics & Laser Technology, 2025.

2. Hamidi M.N., Abdullah J., Mahmud A.S., Hassan M.H., Zainoddin A.Y. Influence of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and printing parameters on the thermal and mechanical performance of polylactic acid (PLA)/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) polymer. Polymer Testing, 2025.

3. Rusdi M.S., Rosli M.S.A.M., Manap A.H.A., Hassan M.H., Seman S.A.H.A. A mini review on elucidating wire lifting defects due to Au₅Al₂ formation in LED thermosonic bonding. International Journal of Nanoelectronics and Materials (IJNeaM), 2025.

4. Hamidi M.N., Abdullah J., Mahmud A.S., Hassan M.H., Zainoddin A.Y. Thermal characteristic of melt blend polylactic acid (PLA)/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) with different blend ratio. International Conference on Advancement in Materials, Manufacturing, 2024.

5. Khan M.A., Halil A.M., Abidin M.S.Z., Hassan M.H., Ab Rahman A.A. Influence of laser surface texturing on the surface morphology and wettability of metals and non-metals: a review. Materials Today Chemistry, 2024.

Dr. Muhammad Hafiz bin Hassan advances scientific and industrial innovation through cutting-edge research in composite machining, advanced manufacturing, and coating technologies. His work enhances machining efficiency, structural reliability, and material performance across aerospace and engineering sectors. By translating research into practical industrial and community solutions, he contributes meaningfully to technological progress and societal development.

Zhexu Xi | Materials and Technology in Architecture | Research Excellence Award

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Dr. Zhexu Xi | Materials and Technology in Architecture | Research Excellence Award

Assistant Researcher | University of Oxford | United Kingdom

Dr. Zhexu Xi is an Assistant Researcher at the Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory of the University of Oxford, an invited Visiting Professor at the Hong Kong Institute of Technology, and a Guest Professor with the North American Artificial Intelligence Agency, specializing in inorganic nanoscience, interfacial functional nanomaterials, and AI-assisted materials design. His professional experience spans leading projects on two-dimensional transition-metal clusters for electrocatalysis, magnetic nanoparticle platforms for microfluidic enrichment, and ultrafast carrier dynamics in quantum-dot heterostructures, along with advancing AI-driven prediction frameworks for nanomaterials and contributing to climate-adaptive permeable pavement research. He has published more than thirty peer-reviewed papers across SCI journals and major WoS-indexed conferences, authored patents and book chapters, and delivered interdisciplinary contributions integrating nanoscience, materials chemistry, machine learning, and environmental engineering. Dr. Xi has received distinctions including the Emerging Scientist Award and a Best Paper Award nomination, and he serves as Youth Editorial Board Member of J. Mater. Sci., invited editor for MC Pharm. Sci., annual fellow of J. Water Res., peer reviewer for leading journals such as Nat. Commun. and ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, and guest editor for multiple special issues across SCI journals and international conferences, while also contributing to academic leadership through conference chair roles and professional memberships supporting innovation in materials chemistry and AI-driven science. His research impact includes 106 citations, 11 publications, and an h-index of 3.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

1. Z. Xi, Revisiting the Marcus Inverted Regime: Modulation Strategies for Photogenerated Ultrafast Carrier Transfer from Semiconducting Quantum Dots to Metal Oxides. RSC Adv., 2025, 15, 26897–26918.

2. G. Jin, C. Liu, Z. Xi, H. Sha, Y. Liu, J. Huang, Adaptive dual-view wavenet for urban spatial–temporal event prediction. Inf. Sci., 2022, 588, 315–330.

3. G. Jin, Z. Xi, H. Sha, Y. Feng, J. Huang, Deep multi-view graph-based network for citywide ride-hailing demand prediction. Neurocomputing, 2022, 510, 79–94.

4. R. Kang, H. Li, Z. Xi, S. Ringgard, A. Baatrup, K. Rickers, M. Sun, D.Q.S. Le, et al., Surgical repair of annulus defect with biomimetic multilamellar nano/microfibrous scaffold in a porcine model. J. Tissue Eng. Regen. Med., 2018, 12(1), 164–174.

5. G. Jin, Z. Xi, H. Sha, Y. Feng, J. Huang, Deep multi-view spatiotemporal virtual graph neural network for significant citywide ride-hailing demand prediction. arXiv preprint, 2020, arXiv:2007.15189.

Dr. Xi’s work advances the scientific understanding of nanomaterial interfaces and ultrafast charge dynamics while integrating AI-driven modelling to accelerate material discovery, supporting innovations that strengthen clean energy technologies and sustainable urban systems.

Jonas Marinho Duarte | Materials and Technology in Architecture | Best Researcher Award

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Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jonas Marinho Duarte | Materials and Technology in Architecture | Best Researcher Award

Professor | Federal University of Western Para | Brazil

Professor Jonas Marinho Duarte of the Federal University of Western Para is a physicist and electrical engineer whose work advances the frontiers of nanotechnology and molecular nanoelectronics. With academic training grounded in physics and complemented by advanced degrees in electrical engineering, he has developed expertise in electronic transport, Majorana fermion detection, and the modeling of graphene-like two-dimensional materials using Green’s functions and ab initio methods. His professional experience includes leading and contributing to research projects on molecular electronics, low-dimensional systems, and carbon allotropes, with published studies appearing in Computational Condensed Matter, Physica E, and Optical and Quantum Electronics. He has been actively involved in collaborative work with institutions such as the Federal University of Pará and has contributed to emerging investigations on nanodevices for telecom applications and charge-transport phenomena in 1D and 2D materials. His scholarly engagement is supported by professional memberships within academic networks and his participation in interdisciplinary research groups. Across his career, Professor Duarte has established a growing record of scientific contributions, strengthening the field through computational insights, innovative modeling approaches, and the pursuit of new carbon-based device architectures, positioning him as a strong candidate for recognition in research excellence.

Profile: ORCID

Featured Publications

1. Duarte J.M., Cardoso D.H., Miranda I.R.S., Mota E.A.V., dos Santos da Silva S.J., da Silva C.A.B., Del Nero J., Numerical implementation of phagraphene as patch resonator for a microstrip antenna. Opt. Quantum Electron., 2025, DOI: 10.1007/s11082-025-08404-9.

2. Quaresma L.C., Ferreira D.F.S., Duarte J.M., Moreira M.M., da Silva C.A.B. Jr., Del Nero J., Eigenchannel visualization and transition-voltage spectroscopy in two-dimensional C-57 allotrope. Comput. Condens. Matter, 2025, DOI: 10.1016/j.cocom.2025.e01169.

3. Quaresma L.C., Duarte J.M., Ferreira D.F.S., da Silva C.A.B. Jr., Del Nero J., Electronic transport modulation in C-57: A path toward carbon-based logic and switching devices. Physica E, 2025, DOI: 10.1016/j.physe.2025.116340.

4. Duarte J.M., Santos J.C.S., Ferreira D.F.S., Paula M.V.S., Mota E.A.V., Silva C.A.B., Del Nero J., Systematic investigation of a metallic quadrilateral nanoribbon graphene allotrope for application in nanoelectronics. Comput. Condens. Matter, 2025, DOI: 10.1016/j.cocom.2025.e01007.

5. Duarte J.M., Metodologias ativas e educação ambiental: uma revisão integrativa sobre abordagens inovadoras para o ensino de energia solar. Ensino e Tecnologia em Revista, 2024.

Professor Jonas Marinho Duarte advances the scientific frontier of nanoelectronics by uncovering how emerging carbon allotropes and low-dimensional materials can enable next-generation logic, sensing, and energy-efficient device architectures. His computational research provides fundamental insights that support the development of future telecom, semiconductor, and molecular electronic technologies, strengthening innovation pathways across both academia and industry.