XJTLU academics win National Natural Science Foundation grants

August 16, 2016

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University academics have been awarded grants by The National Natural Science Foundation of China.

The NSFC officially released a list of projects that have won grants from the Research Fund for International Young Scientists, with funding ranging from 60,000 to 340,000 RMB for each project.

The five winners (see pictures below, from left to right) and their research projects are:

  • Dr Graham Dawson from the Department of Chemistry, Nanomaterial composite synthesis to achieve visible light active photocatalysts for applications in environmental degradation
  • Dr Marek Hudik from International Business School Suzhou (IBSS), Games and Goal-Oriented Behaviour
  • Dr Eddy Fang from IBSS, Operationalising Culture as a Variable in Cross-Cultural Management Modeling: An Application to Innovation Adoption within Cultural Groups
  • Dr Boris Tefsen from the Department of Biological Sciences, Detection of tuberculosis-specific antibodies in patient sera by using glycan gold nanoparticles
  • Dr Charles K.S. Loo Chin Moy from the Department of Civil Engineering, Influence of semi-rigid connections on the overall structural stability of precast concrete frame structures

The academics’ research projects are contributing to new developments in their respective fields. For example, Dr Boris Tefsen’s research aims to develop a cheaper, faster and more reliable diagnostic tool than currently exists to help to combat tuberculosis early and properly.

Dr Eddy Fang's research contributes to the literature on the operationalisation of culture as a variable in management and organisational research. Empirical studies on this topic are questioning the ability of existing country-level measurements of culture to predict behavioural outcomes.

The Research Fund for International Young Scientists supports young foreign scientists to conduct research in mainland China in all areas of science, engineering and health. The NSFC funds research with the aim of promoting sustainable academic collaboration and exchange between Chinese and young foreign scientists.

This year a total of 108 projects were funded nationally, with XJTLU ranked 2nd place among all universities and research institutions across China in terms of the number of projects within this scheme.

Last year, two international academics of XJTLU won this grant, namely Dr Christian Nolf of the Department of Urban Planning and Design and Dr Ominda Nanayakkara of the Department of Civil Engineering.

August 16, 2016