Meng Yao | High-Barrier Materials | Best Researcher Award

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Prof. Meng Yao | High-Barrier Materials | Best Researcher Award

Qingdao University of Science and Technology | China

Author Profile

Scopus

Early Academic Pursuits

Prof. Meng Yao began his academic journey with a Ph.D. in Engineering from the prestigious State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology. During his doctoral training, he developed a strong foundation in chemical engineering and advanced materials research, which set the stage for his future academic career. His early academic pursuits reflect a consistent commitment to exploring the interface of chemistry, engineering, and material sciences, ensuring a solid platform for impactful research contributions.

Professional Endeavors

In 2019, Prof. Yao joined the College of Chemical Engineering at Qingdao University of Science and Technology as a Tier-5 recruited talent. Currently serving as the Director of the Teaching and Research Office and as a Master’s Supervisor, he actively contributes to both academic leadership and student mentorship. His professional journey is marked by a blend of administrative excellence, research supervision, and innovative academic program development, particularly within graduate programs in Chemical Engineering, Light Chemical Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering.

Contributions and Research Focus

Prof. Yao’s research contributions primarily center on biomass-based functional materials and biomimetic structurally colored materials, with applications in high-performance packaging, optical anti-counterfeiting, and advanced photonic structures. He has published over 20 SCI-indexed papers in high-impact journals, including Advanced Functional Materials, Chemical Engineering Journal, and ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. Additionally, his innovative work has resulted in 2 granted invention patents. His research reflects a forward-looking approach, bridging sustainability, functionality, and cutting-edge material design.

Impact and Influence

Beyond his publications, Prof. Yao’s influence extends to the wider scientific community. He serves as a Youth Committee Member of the Fine Chemicals Professional Committee of the Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China (CIESC), where he contributes to advancing the field of chemical engineering at a national level. His role as a mentor in national innovation and entrepreneurship programs further amplifies his impact, nurturing the next generation of researchers and innovators.

Academic Citations

Prof. Yao’s publications in Q1 journals with high impact factors-some exceeding IF 19-demonstrate the visibility and relevance of his research within the international scientific community. Several of his works have been highlighted in journal features and professional press reports, reflecting both academic recognition and practical importance. His scholarship is widely cited, particularly in areas such as sustainable materials, functional films, and photonic crystal technologies.

Legacy and Future Contributions

Prof. Yao’s academic legacy is being shaped by his dual commitment to advancing sustainable material solutions and training future scholars. His pioneering work in stimulus-responsive photonic crystals and biomimetic starch composite films lays the groundwork for transformative applications in security, food packaging, and green technologies. Looking forward, his contributions are poised to influence both academia and industry, aligning with global efforts toward sustainability, functional innovation, and environmentally conscious engineering solutions.

Conclusion

In summary, Prof. Meng Yao exemplifies the qualities of a distinguished researcher whose academic pursuits, professional leadership, and impactful research make him a strong candidate for recognition such as the Best Researcher Award. His ability to bridge fundamental science with practical applications, combined with his mentorship and service to the academic community, ensures that his influence will continue to grow, leaving a lasting legacy in chemical engineering and materials science.

Notable Publications

"High barrier paper-based materials with optical anti-counterfeiting performance." 

  • Author: Jiang Y, Tu W, Ma J, Wang W, Cheng H, Zhang X, Meng Y
  • Journal: Progress in Organic Coatings
  • Year: 2025

"Manipulation of random laser by the bandgap in three-dimensional SiO2 photonic crystals" 

  • Author: Lv H, Shi B, Zhang Y, Guo J, Meng Y, Wang X.
  • Journal: Journal of Luminescence
  • Year: 2024

"A novel paper-based composite film with enhanced oxygen and water vapor barrier properties." 

  • Author: Chen X, Xiao B, Yang Y, Jiang Y, Song X, Chen F, Wang W, Wu J, Meng Y
  • Journal: Progress in Organic Coatings
  • Year: 2024

"Biomimetic Robust Starch Composite Films with Super-Hydrophobicity and Vivid Structural Colors. " 

  • Author: Wang Y, Fan J, Zhao H, Song X, Ji Z, Xie C, Chen F, Meng Y.
  • Journal: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
  • Year: 2023

"The Flotation Separation of Chalcopyrite and Galena: Crystal, Surface, Floatability and Reagents" 

  • Author: Zhang X, Zhu Y, Mkhonto PP, Meng Y, McFadzean B, Ngoepe PE, O’Connor C.
  • Journal: Separation & Purification Reviews
  • Year: 2023

 

Uri Yechiali | Queueing Theory | Best Paper Award

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Prof. Uri Yechiali | Queueing Theory | Best Paper Award

Tel Aviv University | Israel

Author Profile

Scopus

Orcid ID

Google Scholar

Early Academic Pursuits

Professor Emeritus Uri Yechiali embarked on his academic journey with a strong foundation in industrial engineering and operations research. He earned his B.Sc. (Cum Laude) in Industrial Engineering and an M.Sc. in Operations Research from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, showcasing his early aptitude for analytical modeling and systems optimization. His academic trajectory continued internationally when he pursued and completed a Ph.D. in Operations Research at Columbia University, New York—a significant milestone that would set the stage for a remarkable career in mathematical modeling and queueing theory.

Professional Endeavors

Following the completion of his doctorate, Professor Yechiali began his long-standing affiliation with Tel Aviv University in 1971, where he steadily rose through the academic ranks, becoming a full professor in 1981. His career also included prestigious visiting professorships at renowned institutions such as Columbia University, New York University, INRIA in France, and Eurandom in the Netherlands, where he held the Beta Chair. These international academic engagements reflect the high regard in which he is held across the global research community.

Contributions and Research Focus

Professor Yechiali has made seminal contributions to the fields of Queueing Theory and Stochastic Modeling, authoring over 160 scientific publications. His research has significantly advanced theoretical understanding and practical applications in operations research. He is especially noted for his pioneering work on vacation models in queues, queues in random environments, and polling systems. His investigations extended into diverse applications, including the Israeli queue, optimal policies for live-organ transplants, genetic regulatory networks, and the asymmetric simple inclusion process (ASIP). Other notable areas of his research include tandem Jackson networks, ticket queues, layered queue systems, and statistical mathematical programming.

Supervision and Academic Influence

Over his illustrious career, Professor Yechiali has supervised 43 Master’s students and 14 Ph.D. candidates, many of whom have gone on to hold faculty positions at prestigious international universities. His mentorship has been instrumental in cultivating a new generation of researchers in operations research and applied mathematics. His leadership in the academic community has had a lasting influence on both theoretical frameworks and practical applications in queueing systems.

Impact and Recognition

Professor Yechiali’s research excellence has been recognized with numerous research grants from both Israeli and European institutes, underlining the broad support and value of his work. In 2004, he was awarded the Life Achievement Award by the Operations Research Society of Israel, a distinguished recognition of his lifelong commitment and contributions to the field. His research not only deepened theoretical insights but also provided models with real-world applicability in fields such as healthcare, telecommunications, and logistics.

Academic Citations and Global Standing

With a vast body of work accessible at his academic homepage, Professor Yechiali's publications are widely cited across disciplines, indicating the global impact and interdisciplinary relevance of his research. His work on stochastic systems and queueing models continues to be foundational, cited in both theoretical studies and applied research papers that address emerging challenges in system optimization, network performance, and resource allocation.

Legacy and Future Contributions

Professor Yechiali’s legacy is defined not only by his publications and awards but also by the enduring frameworks he introduced and the academic minds he mentored. His ongoing work in tandem stochastic systems, generalized ASIP models, ticket queues, and retrial networks signals that he remains at the forefront of research even after achieving emeritus status. His continuing efforts in developing optimal allocation policies for live-organ transplants underscore his commitment to leveraging mathematical modeling for the betterment of society.

Conclusion

In summary, Professor Uri Yechiali stands as a towering figure in the domains of queueing theory and stochastic modeling. His academic rigor, innovative contributions, global teaching roles, and impactful mentorship have not only shaped the evolution of his discipline but have also inspired a vast network of scholars and practitioners worldwide. With a legacy anchored in both theoretical advancement and real-world application, his work continues to illuminate new pathways in operations research and applied mathematics.

Notable Publications

"Queues with service resetting" 

  • Author: Ofek Lauber Bonomo; Uri Yechiali; Shlomi Reuveni
  • Journal: European Journal of Operational Research
  • Year: 2025

"The Number of Overlapping Customers in Priority Queues" 

  • Author: O Boxma, J Pender, U Yechiali
  • Journal: Operational Research
  • Year: 2025

"Inter-Departure Time Correlations in PH/G/1 Queues" 

  • Author: R Sagron, U Yechiali
  • Journal: Mathematics
  • Year: 2024

"The Maximum Overlap Time in the Mλ/G/1/k Queue" 

  • Author: Ofek Lauber Bonomo; Uri Yechiali; Shlomi Reuveni
  • Journal: Eurandom Report
  • Year: 2024

"A generalized ASIP with arrivals to all sites and particle movements in all directions" 

  • Author: Y Yeger, U Yechiali
  • Journal: Annals of Operations Research
  • Year: 2024