Principal Investigator
Associate Professor, Dept of Building Environment and Energy Engineering
Deputy Director, Research Center for Smart Urban Resilience and Firefighting
Address: ZS832, BLK Z, 181 Chatham Road South, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Email: xy.huang@polyu.edu.hk Google Scholar Profile Short CV
Research Areas: Combustion, Fire Safety Engineering, Smart Firefighting, Energy Safety, Human Behaviors in Fire, Fire Investigation, and Wildland Fire Ecology
-
Ph.D. in Mech. Engineering, Imperial College London (2016)
-
M.Sc. in Mech. Engineering, University of California, San Diego (2012)
-
B.Eng. in Thermal Engineering, Southeast University, China (2010)
Postdoc Fellows
Dr Botao Zhang 张博韬
Postdoc Fellow (2025 - )
Email: botazhang@polyu.edu.hk
Research: Smart Evacuation, Crowd Dynamics
-
PhD, City University of Hong Kong (2025)
-
MEng, Beihang University (2021)
-
BEng, Beihang University (2018)
Postdoc Fellow (2026 - )
Email: yunzhu.qin@connect.polyu.hk
Research: Smouldering, Wildland Fire and Fire Ecology, Fire Emission
-
PhD, HK Polytechnic University (2025)
-
PhD, University of Technology Sydney (2025)
-
BEng, Sichuan University (2021)
Postdoc Fellow (2026 - )
Email: yizhou-b3e.li@connect.polyu.hk；
Research: Wildfire, Coal Fire, AI-based Firefighting
-
PhD, HK Polytechnic University (2026)
-
BEng, China Univ of Mining & Technology (2021)
PhD Students
PhD Student (2021 - )
Email: deacon-hoyin.wong@connect.polyu.hk
Research: AIoT Sensor, Smart firefighting
-
BEng, City University of Hong Kong (2021)
PhD Student (2023 - )
Email: lei23.zhang@connect.polyu.hk
Research: Battery thermal safety, Battery structure
-
MSc, Imperial College London (2022)
-
BEng, Jiangnan University (2021)
PhD Student (2023 - )
Email: meng-rick.wang@connect.polyu.hk
Research: Smart firefighting, Firefighting robots
-
MSc, HK Univ of Science and Technology (2022)
-
BEng, Yangzhou University (2019)
PhD Student (2023 - )
Email: wei-kang.xie@connect.polyu.hk
Research: IoT-based Temperature Monitoring and Building Smart Firefighting
-
MEng, China University of Petroleum (2022)
-
BEng, China University of Petroleum (2018)
PhD Student (2023 - )
Email: yuxin.zhou@connect.polyu.hk
Research: Lithium-ion battery thermal runaway; Flame retardant materials; Water mist
-
MEng, Nanjing Tech University (2023)
-
BEng, Nanjing Tech University (2020)
PhD Student (2024 - )
Email: saizhe.ding@connect.polyu.hk
Research: Pedestrian Evacuation, Virtual Reality, Event-based Camera, Flame Detection
-
MEng, University of Science and Technology of China (2023)
-
BEng, Chang'an University (2020)
PhD Student (2024 - )
Email: rong.deng@connect.polyu.hk
Research: Smart Firefighting, Computer Vision, Tunnel Fire.
-
MEng, China Univ of Mining & Technology (2024)
-
BEng, China Univ of Mining & Technology (2021)
PhD Student (2024 - )
Email: yichao.zhang@polyu.edu.hk
Research: Wildland Fire and Biodiversity
-
MSc, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University (2023)
-
BSc, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University (2020)
PhD Student (2024 - )
Email: mengyao.geng@connect.polyu.hk
Research: Fault diagnosis of Lithium-ion battery
-
MEng, Beijing Institute of Technology (2024)
-
BEng, China University of Geosiences (2021)
PhD Student (2024 - )
Email: lenton.lu@connect.polyu.hk
Research: Pedestrian Dynamics.
-
MEng, Central South University (2024)
-
BEng, Southwest Jiaotong University (2020)
PhD Student (2024 - )
Email: changlin-aaron.liu@connect.polyu.hk
Research: Lithium-ion battery fire suppression.
-
MEng, Southwest Jiaotong University (2024)
-
BEng, Southwest Jiaotong University (2020)
Yixuan Liang 梁逸煊
PhD Student (2024 - ) Part-time
Email: yixuan.liang@connect.polyu.hk
Research: Construction Fire Safety
-
MEng, HK Polytechnic University (2023)
-
BEng, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture (2022)
Dual PhD Student (2025 - )
Email: sainan.quan@connect.polyu.hk
Research: Smart Firefighting.
-
MEng, Univ Science & Technology Beijing (2023)
-
BEng, Univ Science & Technology Beijing (2020)
PhD Student (2025 - )
Email: yanghan.su@polyu.edu.hk
Research: Battery thermal safety
-
M.Eng. in Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (2024)
-
B.Eng. in Central South University (2021)
PhD Student (2025 -)
Email: yuting25.jiang@connect.polyu.hk
Research: Fire and explosion on battery energy storage system.
-
BEng, Dalian University of Technology (2021)
-
M.Sc., Dalian University of Technology (2024)
Hongtao Zheng 郑宏涛
PhD student (2025 - )
Email: hongtao.zheng@connect.polyu.hk
Research: Smart Firefighting and Highly Autonomous Firefighting Robots, Fire Research Based on Generative AI, Fire Big Data Analysis.
-
B.Eng., Hangzhou City University (2023)
PhD Student (2026 -)
Email: xiangke-jacky.lan@connect.polyu.hk
Research: Smart Firefighting & Firefighting Robots
-
M.Sc, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2023)
-
B.Eng, Harbin University of Science and Technology (2021)
PhD Student (2026 -)
Email: ziheng.wu@connect.polyu.hk
Research: AI-assisted modeling & numerical simulation
-
M.Sc, Beihang University (2024)
-
B.Eng, Harbin Engineering University (2021)
PhD Student (2026 - )
Email: cai-ziqi.cai@connect.polyu.hk
Research: Lithium-ion battery, thermal runaway, Battery safety
-
B.Eng., Shenzhen Technology University
PhD Student (2026 - )
Email: zenghui.li@connect.polyu.hk
Research: Lithium-Ion Battery Environmental Safety and Pollution Control
-
M.Eng., Nanjing University (2026)
-
B.Eng., Guangxi University (2023)
Bohuai Yan 燕博怀
PhD Student (2026 - )
Email: 25120002g@connect.polyu.hk
Research: Smart Firefighting
-
M.Sc., The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2026)
-
M.Sc., Hong Kong Baptist University (2025)
-
B.Eng., China People's Police University (CPPU) (2024)
WO Ka Fai, West
PHD Student (2024 - ) Part-time
Email: ka-fai.wo@polyu.edu.hk
Research: Building Fire Safety
-
BEng, The HK Polytechnic University (2018)
Xiaoyu Sun 孙笑语
MPhil Student (2025 - )
Email: xiaoyusun.sun@connect.polyu.hk
Research: Social Impact of Major Fire Incidents, Urban Resilience Based on Human Mobility Data Analysis
-
BSc, Glasgow University (2025)
Research Assistants & Visitors
Prof. Bo Li 李博
Visiting Scholar (2024 - )
China University of Geoscience
Previous Postdoc and PhD Students
Postdoc Fellow (2020)
PhD in University of Hong Kong (2019)
Current Position: Associate Professor at Southeast University, China
Dr Han Yuan 袁晗
Postdoc Fellow (2021)
PhD in Imperial College London(2021)
Current Position: Senior Scientist at Huadian Electric Power Research Institute
Postdoc Fellow (2021)
PhD in Beihang University (2017)
Current Position: Associate Professor at Beihang University (Hangzhou)
Postdoc Fellow (2021 - 22)
PhD in PolyU (2021)
Current Position: Lecturer at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand
Dr Caiyi Xiong 熊才溢
Postdoc Fellow (2019 - 22)
PhD in University of Science and Technology of China (2019)
Current Position: Associate Professor at South China Univ of Technology
Postdoc Fellow (2021 - 22)
PhD at PolyU (2018 - 21)
Current Position: Professor, University of Science and Technology of China
Dr Rahul Wadhwani
Postdoc Fellow (2022 - 23)
PhD at Victoria University (2019)
Current Position: Postdoc at Missoula Fire Sciences Lab, USA
Postdoc Fellow (2021 - 22)
PhD at Tongji University (2021)
Current Position: Associate Professor, University of Kyoto
Dr Shakeel Ahmad
Postdoc Fellow (2022 - 23)
PhD at HK PolyU (2020)
Current Position: Postdoc at KAUST
Dr Peiyi Sun 孙培艺
Postdoc (2022 - 24)
PhD (2019 - 22), MEng (2017 - 18)
Current Position: Postdoc at Carleton University
Dr Xiaoning Zhang 张小宁
Postdoc Fellow (2024)
PhD (2021 - 24)
Current Position: Postdoc at Peng Cheng Lab
Ling-Chu Su
PhD Student (2019 - 23)
Current Position: Risk Engineer at HDI Global SE
Dr Yanfu Zeng 曾彦夫
PhD at PolyU (2021 - 24)
Current Position: Fire Safety Engineer at Arup, Australia
Dr Zhuojun Nan 南卓君
PhD at PolyU (2021 - 24)
Co-Supervised with Prof. A. Usmani
Current Position: Assistant Professor at TU Delft, Netherland
Dr Anwar Orabi
PhD student at PolyU (2018 - 21)
Co-Supervised with Prof. A. Usmani
Current Position: Lecturer at University of Queensland, Australia
Postdoc Fellow (2023 - 25)
Current Position: Associate Professor at Beijing Institute of Technology
Wai Kit (Wilson) Cheung 張偉傑PhD at PolyU (2022 - 26)
BEng at PolyU (2018 - 22)
Current Position: Engineer, Arup HK
Previous Fire Lab Members
Visiting Scholars
Prof. Cangsu XU 许沧粟
Visiting Professor (2019 - 20)
Associate Prof. at Zhejiang University
Visiting Professor (2023 - 24)
Professor at Anhui University of Science and Technology
Prof. Liqun Chen 谌礼群
Visiting Scholar (2025)
Shenzhen Technology University
Previous Research Assistants & Visiting Students
Feifan He 贺非凡
Visiting PhD student (2025 - 26)
Tsinghua University
Mostafa Ali
Visiting PhD student (2025 - 26)
University of New South Wales
Research Assistant (2024 - 25)
Current Position: PhD Student in City University of Hong Kong
Feiyu Guan 管飞宇
Visiting PhD student (2024 - 25) Huazhong Univ Science & Technology
Younggi Park
Research Assistant (2019-20)
Current Position: CFD Engineer in LG Co.
Dayang Nur Sakinah Binti Musa
Visiting PhD student (2022)
Universiti Malaysia Pahang
Current Position: Senior Lecturer at University Malaysia Sabah
Xinghao Chen
Research Assistant (2023)
Current Position: PhD student at HK PolyU
Jakub Bielawski
Visiting PhD student (2023 - 24)
Building Research Institute (ITB), Poland
Diane Luan 栾蝶
Visiting PhD Student (2023-24)
PhD in Central South University
Current Position: Associate Professor, Southwest Jiaotong University
Jiekai Xie 谢捷凯
Joint PhD Student (2024 - )
PhD in Guangdong University of Technology
Fuqiu Wang 王福秋
Research Assistant (2022-24)
Current Position: Engineer at HAI ROBOTICS
Janice Hiu Ching Ma
Visiting Student (summer 2024)
Cambridge University
Previous Master Students
Xiao Yang 萧洋
MEng in BSE (2018-19)
Current Position: CEO Assistant at Galaxy Holding Group
Research Assistant (2020)
Research Assistant (2020-21)
Current Position: Engineer at HK Electrical & Mechanical Services Department (EMSD)
Master Student (2020-2021)
Current Position: Engineer at Bright Future Chinese Medicine Ltd., HK
Yifan JIA 贾逸凡
MEng in BSE (2019-20)
Current Position: China Railway Design Corporation, Tianjin
Jingze Zhu 朱靖哲
MEng in BSE (2018-19)
Current Position: Engineer at Guangdong Academy of Building Research Group Co. Ltd
Previous Undergraduate Students
Ms Haiwei (Flora) Li 李海蔚
Undergrad Assistant (2018-19)
Project: Fire Impact on the Drying Process in Porous Soils
Postgraduate: PhD, University of Cambridge
Undergrad Assistant (2020-21)
Project: Ignition mechanism of concentrated sunlight
Postgraduate: PhD, University of California, Berkeley
Gulzhan Aldan
Undergrad Assistant (2021-22)
Project: Immersion Cooling for Li-ion battery
Postgradute: PhD, University of Pennsylvania