Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ping Li | Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ping Li | Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Associate professor, Northwest University, China

Dr. Ping Li is an accomplished Associate Professor in the Department of Geology at Northwest University, Xi’an, China. With a robust academic and research background in geological and civil engineering, she has built her career around unsaturated soil mechanics, soil bioengineering, and soil microstructure analysis. Dr. Li is widely recognized for her extensive contributions to geotechnical research, particularly in the study of loess soils and their behavior under environmental influences. Her collaborative international work, especially during her joint PhD in Canada, reflects her commitment to advancing the understanding of sustainable soil engineering.

Professional Profile

Scopus

🎓 Education Background:

Dr. Ping Li holds a Ph.D. in Geological Engineering from Chang’an University (2013–2016) and a Joint Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Ottawa, Canada (2014–2016), where she conducted her thesis in English on predicting the wetting-induced collapse of unsaturated soils. She also earned her MSc (2011–2013) and BSc (2007–2011) in Geological Engineering from Chang’an University, graduating with a strong academic record and a GPA of 3.84.

💼 Professional Experience:

Dr. Li currently serves as an Associate Professor and Doctoral Supervisor at Northwest University, a position she has held since January 2023 after working as a Lecturer in the same department from 2017 to 2022. Her teaching responsibilities include courses like Foundation Engineering and Soil Testing Techniques. Throughout her career, she has played principal and collaborative roles in several national and provincial scientific projects focusing on loess deformation, soil stability, and eco-friendly soil improvement techniques.

🏆 Awards and Honors:

While specific awards are not individually listed, Dr. Li has successfully led multiple prestigious projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, and the Shaanxi Provincial Department of Education, highlighting her respected status in the field and her capacity to secure competitive research grants.

🔬 Research Focus:

Dr. Ping Li’s research revolves around three major themes: soil bioengineering, unsaturated soil mechanics, and soil microstructure. Her work investigates how vegetation roots impact the physical and mechanical properties of compacted loess, how collapse behaviors can be modeled under different wetting scenarios, and how advanced imaging can be used to quantify microstructural changes. She also explores sustainable approaches using biochar and nanomaterials to stabilize loess soils and improve their hydraulic behavior. Her research is both theoretical and application-driven, aiming to enhance infrastructure stability and environmental resilience.

🔚 Conclusion:

Dr. Ping Li stands out as a leading geotechnical researcher with deep expertise in loess soil behavior, sustainability, and microstructural analysis. Her dedication to academic excellence, international collaboration, and real-world problem-solving in soil mechanics has significantly influenced the field. She continues to mentor future geoscientists and push the boundaries of eco-geotechnical engineering.

📚 Top Noted Publications :

  1. Investigating the saturated hydraulic conductivity and its variation of a fine-grained soil with root exudates of Robinia pseudoaccaciaJournal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 2025, Accepted.
    Cited by: Pending

  2. Effects of vegetation roots on the structure and hydraulic properties of soils: A perspective reviewScience of The Total Environment, 2024, Vol. 906.
    Cited by: 15+

  3. Influence of biochar on the soil‑water retention behavior of compacted loessJournal of Soils and Sediments, 2024, Vol. 24.
    Cited by: 10+

  4. Effects of molding water content and compaction degree on the microstructure and permeability of compacted loessActa Geotechnica, 2023, Vol. 18.
    Cited by: 25+

  5. Review of chemical stabilizing agents for improving the physical and mechanical properties of loessBulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, 2021, Vol. 80.
    Cited by: 40+

  6. Characterizing and modeling the pore-size distribution evolution of a compacted loess during consolidation and shearingJournal of Soils and Sediments, 2020, Vol. 20.
    Cited by: 35+

  7. Microstructural evolution of loess soils from the Loess Plateau of ChinaCatena, 2019, Vol. 173.
    Cited by: 50+

  8. Simple method for prediction of the soil collapse behavior due to wettingInternational Journal of Geomechanics, 2018, Vol. 18.
    Cited by: 70+

  9. Prediction of the wetting-induced collapse behavior using the soil-water characteristic curveJournal of Asian Earth Sciences, 2019, Vol. 151.
    Cited by: 60+

  10. Review of collapse triggering mechanism of collapsible soils due to wettingJournal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 2016, Vol. 8.
    Cited by: 80+

 

Prof. Dr. Adrian Ioana | Engineering | Innovative Research Award

Prof. Dr. Adrian Ioana | Engineering | Innovative Research Award

National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, Romania

Adrian Ioana, born in Curtea de Argeș, Romania , is a distinguished metallurgical engineer, educator, and researcher with decades of contributions to materials science, eco-metallurgy, and industrial furnace technologies. Currently serving as a Lecturer Doctor Engineer at the University “Politehnica” of Bucharest, Dr. Ioana is a prolific academic and inventor whose work bridges theoretical research and industrial application. His areas of expertise include electric arc furnaces, energy-saving metallurgical equipment, and biofuel-based combustion systems. He is an honorary member of prestigious organizations such as the Romanian Metallurgy Society (SRM) and has participated actively in Romania’s scientific advancement in metallurgy.

Publication Profile

ORCID

🎓 Education Background

Dr. Adrian Ioana holds a Doctor Engineer title (1998) from the University “Politehnica” of Bucharest 🎓, where he defended a doctoral thesis titled “The electric arc furnaces (EAF) functional and technological performances with the preheating of the load and powder blowing optimization for the high-quality steel processing.” He completed postgraduate academic studies in Management in 2004 from the same university and earlier earned a degree in Metallurgy (1979–1984) with a specialization in Extraction Metallurgy from the Polytechnic Institute of Bucharest.

💼 Professional Experience

With an expansive career beginning in 1984, Dr. Ioana has served in various esteemed positions, including Metallurgical Engineer at the Special Steel Complex in Târgoviște 🏭, Assistant-Engineer, Associate Professor, and now Lecturer Doctor Engineer at University “Politehnica” of Bucharest. Between 1987 and 1996, he was a Main Scientific Researcher at the Metallurgical Research Institute (ICEM), focusing on burner and energy recovery systems. His professional career also includes work as an Engineer at GRANTMETAL S.A., where he addressed technical challenges in burners and furnaces.

🏅 Awards and Honors

Dr. Ioana’s inventive and academic contributions have earned him national and international recognition 🏆. These include the Gold Medal at EUREKA 2002 in Brussels for his invention “Lance for Post-Combustion,” the 1999 Henry Ford European Conservation Award, and the Great Award of the Romanian Metallurgy Society in 1996. He also won First Prize at the ICEM Symposium in 1989 and other accolades for his work in ecological and advanced industrial burning systems.

🔬 Research Focus

His research spans electric arc furnace optimization, energy efficiency in metallurgical plants, eco-metallurgy, and the implementation of biofuels in high-temperature industrial processes 🔥. He is an active member of CrossRef, WSEAS, and other professional and research networks. Dr. Ioana has authored 16 specialty books, 21 ISI articles, 32 BDI articles, over 100 conference papers, and 7 industrial patents, with a particular interest in integrating computational systems with metallurgical engineering.

✅ Conclusion

Dr. Adrian Ioana exemplifies the fusion of academic excellence and practical innovation in metallurgical science ⚙️. With a legacy of pioneering sustainable, economical, and high-performance metallurgical systems, his work continues to influence both educational and industrial domains in Romania and abroad. As an educator, researcher, and engineer, he stands as a leading figure in advancing eco-technological transformations in heavy industry.

📚 Top Publications

Ecological Education—Design and Implementation of Burners Operating with Biofuels in Oxy-Thermal Processes for Industrial Furnaces
Journal: Processes, 2025

Possibilities of Physical-Chemical Sensors’ Use for Optimizing the Processing of Metallurgical Melting Based on Computer Systems
Journal: Sensors, 2023

Experimental Research for the Establishment of the Optimal Forging and Heat Treatment Technical Parameters for Special Purpose Forged Semi-Finishes
Journal: Materials, 2023

Metallurgy’s Impact on Public Health
Journal: Revista de Cercetare si Interventie Sociala, 2013

Computational Methods and Management Algorithms for EAF Elaboration Optimization
Conference: WSEAS AMCME 2013 Proceedings, 2013