Prof. Jun Yang
B.Eng., Ph.D., F.ASCE, FICE, FHKIE
Office: Room 625, Haking Wong Building
Phone: (852) 2241 5273
Fax: (852) 2559 5337
Email: junyang@hku.hk
Department of Civil Engineering
The University of Hong Kong
Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| Biosketch
Jun Yang, Ph.D., F.ASCE, FICE, FHKIE, is a full professor of civil engineering at the University of Hong Kong (HKU). He earned engineering degrees with distinction from Zhejiang University in China and Kyoto University in Japan. His research spans a broad spectrum of topics in geotechnical and earthquake engineering, with the aim to advance fundamental understanding of the complex behaviors of earth materials and to develop better solutions to major engineering problems such as natural hazards and mitigation and the infrastructure systems for sustainable development. Dr. Yang has published some 130 scientific papers in leading journals in his fields and his current H-index is 52. He has been listed by Clarivate Analytics among the world’s top 1% scholars by citations for several consecutive years, and has been named in Stanford's list of world’s top 2% most-cited scientists (in both career-long impact and single-year impact categories) since the release of its first edition in 2020. Besides fundamental research, his work has also been referenced by two design guides in the US. Dr. Yang serves or served as associate editor or editorial board member for several major journals in his fields and sits on three technical committees of the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. He has advised on geotechnical and earthquake problems in several important infrastructure projects including the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge project, the Sichuan-Tibet Railway project, and the Integrated Waste Management Facilities (IWMF) project.
A dedicated and enthusiastic teacher, Professor Yang has successfully supervised to completion 12 Ph.D., 3 M.Phil., 90 M.Sc. and 106 B.Eng. projects since joining HKU in 2003. He has also trained around a dozen postdoctoral research associates and visiting scholars. Many of his mentees hold significant positions in industry, academia and government. The notable awards and honors won by his mentees include the FUGRO Prize, AECOM Prize and RINGO YU Prize from the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, the Best Paper Award and the Emerging Engineer Award from the ICE Hong Kong Association, the Best Final Year Project Award from the ASCE Hong Kong Section, the Ms. Chu Yuk Baw Prize in Civil Engineering and the Swire Scholarship of HKU, the Excellent Young Scientists Award and the Outstanding Young Scholars Award from the National Science Foundation of China.
Committed to the promotion of the civil engineering profession, Professor Yang actively served in leadership roles as President (2010-2011), President-Elect (2009-2010) and Vice President (2008-2009) of the ASCE Hong Kong Section (now ASCE Greater China Section). He is currently President (2023-2025) of the Hong Kong Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (HKSTAM) and an invited board member of Chinese Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (CSTAM).
| Selected Honors and Awards
In Academics and Research
SUSTech Engineering Distinguished Lecture, Southern University of Science and Technology
2021
Elected Fellow, Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), UK
Elected Fellow, Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE), HK
Distinguished Lecture, ASCE Greater China Section
2020
HKSTAM Distinguished Lecture, Hong Kong Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics
2019
College of Civil Engineering Distinguished Lecture (土木學院高等講堂), Tongji University
2018
Adjunct Professorship, Tongji University
2017
Natural Science Award (First Class), Ministry of Education, China (中國教育部自然科學獎一等獎)
Distinguished Visiting Scholars Scheme, Tongji University
2014
NSFC Academic Collaboration Award (a.k.a. Outstanding Overseas Chinese Scholars Award), National Science Foundation of China
Adjunct Professorship, Zhejiang University
2013
JSPS Invitation Fellowship, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
Distinguished Visiting Professorship, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
2012
Elected Fellow, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), USA
William Mong Fellowship, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Hong Kong
2010
Research Output Prize, The University of Hong Kong
2009
Guest Professorship, East China Jiaotong University
2007
Outstanding Young Researcher Award, The University of Hong Kong
2003
Science and Technology Award for Research Excellence (First Class), Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, China (中國建設部華夏科學技術獎一等獎)
2001
Humboldt Fellowship, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany
2000
Best Presentation Award, Japan Society of Civil Engineers (on the occasion of the 55th JSCE National Conference)
1997
Center of Excellence Research Fellowship, Kyoto University, Japan
1995
Guang-hua Scholarship (First Class), Zhejiang University, China
1992
Outstanding Graduate Medal, Education Commission of Zhejiang Province
Outstanding Graduate Award, Zhejiang University, China
In Education and Training
2024
Best Student Presentation Award, received by Levinna Natalia (PhD student) at the 27th Annual Conference of HKSTAM
Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, received by Jonathan Fok Pak Hei (PhD student) from the Department of Civil Engineering, HKU
2023
Best Student Presentation Award, received by Zhang Li (PhD student) at the 26th Annual Conference of HKSTAM
2022
AECOM Prize, received by Chu Tsz Wai Wayne (final-year undergraduate student) from Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) Geotechnical Division for the best final-year geotechnical project
2021
First Runner-up for Three Minutes Thesis Competition (3MT) held by Department of Civil Engineering, received by Zhang Runze (current PhD student)
2020
Ringo Yu Prize for Best Ph.D. Thesis in Geotechnical Studies, received by Tang Xiao (PhD student) from Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) Geotechnical Division
AECOM Prize, received by Levinna Natalia (final-year undergraduate student) from Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) Geotechnical Division for the best final-year geotechnical project
Ms. Chu Yuk Baw Prize in Civil Engineering, received by Levinna Natalia (final-year undergraduate student) from the Department of Civil Engineering of The University of Hong Kong for the best final year project
LPM Scholarship, received by Chu Tsz Wai Wayne (final-year undergraduate student) from Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) Geotechnical Division
Best Student Presentation Award, received by Zhang Runze (current PhD student) at the 24th Annual Conference of HKSTAM
2019
LPM Scholarship, received by Levinna Natalia (final-year undergraduate student) from Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) Geotechnical Division
2018
Excellent Young Scientist Award (國家優秀青年基金), received by XQ Gu (former PhD student) from the National Science Foundation of China
Outstanding Young Scholar Award (國家傑出青年基金), received by ZX Yang (former postdoc) from the National Science Foundation of China
NSFC Young Scientists Fund, received by X Liu (former PhD student) from the National Science Foundation of China
2017
Ringo Yu Prize for Best PhD Thesis in Geotechnical Studies, received by X Wei (PhD student) from Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) Geotechnical Division
Fugro Prize, received by Ivan Tsz Ho Chai (MSc student and former FYP student) from HKIE Geotechnical Division for the best paper in geotechnical and geo-environmental engineering (for young geotechnical researchers and engineers under 35)
2016
Best Student Paper Award, received by Xiao Wei (PhD student) at the First International Symposium on Soil Dynamics and Geotechnical Sustainability, Hong Kong
Best Final Year Project Award, received by Vincent Jia-hao Liang (final-year undergraduate student) from ASCE Hong Kong Section
Emerging Engineers Award (formerly Best Paper Award), received by Ivan Tsz Ho Chai (final-year undergraduate student) in the Papers Competition organized by ICE Hong Kong Association
2015
NSFC Young Scientists Fund, received by XR Yan (former PhD student) from the National Science Foundation of China
Award of Merit in Geotechnical discipline, received by HK Li (final-year undergraduate student) in the Papers Competition organized by ICE Hong Kong Association
2014
Award of Merit in Geotechnical discipline, received by CY Ho (final-year undergraduate student) in the Papers Competition organized by ICE Hong Kong Association
AECOM Prize (First Runner-up), received by CY Ho (final-year undergraduate student) from HKIE Geotechnical Division for the best final year geotechnical project
2013
NSFC Young Scientists Fund, received by XQ Gu (former PhD student) from the National Natural Science Foundation of China
Best Final Year Project Award, received by CY Ho (final-year undergraduate student) from ASCE Hong Kong Section
2012
Fugro Prize, received by Eric HY Sze (former PhD student) from HKIE Geotechnical Division for the best paper in geotechnical and geo-environmental engineering (for young geotechnical researchers and engineers under 35)
NSFC Young Scientists Fund, received by BB Dai (former PhD student) from the National Science Foundation of China
AECOM Prize, received by Wen Chen (final-year undergraduate student) from HKIE Geotechnical Division for the best final year geotechnical project
AECOM Prize (First Runner-up), received by Yongwei Li (final-year undergraduate student) from HKIE Geotechnical Division for the best final year geotechnical project
Best Paper Award in Geotechnical discipline, received by Wen Chen (final-year undergraduate student) in the Papers Competition organized by ICE Hong Kong Association
Award of Merit in Geotechnical discipline, received by Yongwei Li (final-year undergraduate student) in the Papers Competition organized by ICE Hong Kong Association
AGS(HK) Best Final Year Project Award (First Runner-up), received by Y Yuan (final-year undergraduate student) in the AGS(HK) Final Year Projects Competition 2012
2011
Best Final Year Project Award, received by Wen Chen (final-year undergraduate student) from ASCE Hong Kong Section
2010
AECOM Prize, received by KK Leung (final-year undergraduate student) from HKIE Geotechnical Division for the best final year geotechnical project
Best Paper Award in Geotechnical discipline, received by KK Leung (final-year undergraduate student) in the Papers Competition organized by ICE Hong Kong Association
Award of Merit in Geotechnical discipline, received by Jin Tan (final-year undergraduate student) in the Papers Competition organized by ICE Hong Kong Association
2008
Best Final Year Geotechnical Project (now AECOM Prize), received by MK Heung (final-year undergraduate student) from HKIE Geotechnical Division