TEAM

Department of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering

Contact: Yoke-Chin.Lai@nottingham.edu.cn

Dr. Yoke Chin Lai is an Assistant Professor at Product Design and Manufacture Programme, Department of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering. She is a cross-disciplinary educator with a background in Mechanical Engineering, specialising in Problem-Based Learning in higher education. A dedicated sustainability practitioner, Dr Lai has extensive experience in guiding students to win renowned international design of facilitating Sustainable Design workshops for engineers and product designers. Drawing on past collaborations with major Danish industry leaders, Dr. Lai's research areas cover LCA, Systems Thinking, System Dynamics, Human-Centred Design, and Renewable Energy. Her current research explores the use of sustainable living lab for climate solutions, the cultural dimensions of Autonomous Vehicles (AV) implementation challenges, and music therapy solutions for lifelong brain health.

Department of Architecture and Built Environment

Contact: Runqi.Liang2@nottingham.edu.cn

Dr Runqi Liang is working as Assistant Professor in Building Services and Engineering, she has a background in both building technologies and architecture design. She got the Bachelor of Architecture at Shandong Jianzhu University and then conducted postgraduate study at the University of Nottingham UK, obtaining her MSc in 2012 and PhD in 2018. Her research was focused on the numerical analysis of characteristics of thermochromic materials, as well as the energy and daylighting performance of office buildings with thermochromic windows applied. Additionally, she also investigated the human response to such innovative window systems applied in buildings. Afterward, she did postdoc research at Tongji University, Shanghai, China, exploring more advanced research methods to test the human response to luminous environments. She has experience doing reviews for some popular academic journals, i.g., 'Energy and Buildings' and 'Buildings Simulation', currently has over 20 publications and carried out many research projects. She has been awarded China Postdoctoral Science Foundation in 2019, and attended the general program of NSFC starting in 2023.

Associate Professor and UG Course Director at the University of Nottingham Malaysia

Contact: Christina.Chin@nottingham.edu.my

Dr. Chin is an accomplished Associate Professor and UG Course Director at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, where she oversees all undergraduate programmes in the Department of Mechanical, Materials, and Manufacturing Engineering. A founding member of 5Ps Malaysia, she is passionate developing project management professionals. Her multidisciplinary research spans energy management, green technologies, and sustainable project engineering. She has published extensively in refereed journals, conference proceedings, and books, and serves as an Editorial Board Member for Academia Green Energy and a Guest Editor for MDPI. She also leads a special issue on energy transitions for developing economies. Supported by competitive industry grants, her work drives impactful academic-industry partnerships. A dedicated mentor and sought-after speaker, Dr. Chin advances energy security and storage efficiency while shaping the next generation of engineering leaders.

Professor of Renewable Energy at the University of Nottingham Malaysia

Contact: Yousif.Abakr@nottingham.edu.my

Professor Yousif Abdalla Abakr Suliman is a Professor of Renewable Energy at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, bringing over three decades of academic, research, and industrial experience in sustainable energy systems and thermal engineering. His expertise spans renewable energy, building energy efficiency, digital twins, smart buildings, and low-carbon technologies. He has led interdisciplinary projects involving thermal modelling, CFD analysis, and heat transfer enhancement, and has provided consultancy in Malaysia and the Middle East. His recent work focuses on integrating digital twin technologies and intelligent energy management to optimise building performance and reduce consumption. A dedicated mentor, he has supervised numerous PhD and postgraduate researchers. Professor Yousif has published extensively in high-impact international journals and continues to advance simulation-based engineering for sustainable built environments.

Associate Professor in Building Science at Malmö University

Contact: Yujing.li@mau.se

Dr. Yujing Li is an Associate Professor in Building Science at Malmö University, Sweden. She holds a Bachelor's degree from Nanjing University, a Master's from Lund University, and a PhD in Engineering (Building Materials) from Lund's Faculty of Engineering. Before joining Malmö University in 2017, she spent over a decade at Lund University as a research fellow and senior researcher. Her interdisciplinary research applies systems thinking to building performance, energy use, indoor environments, and human well-being, with a focus on sustainable and climate-resilient building systems. She develops holistic approaches for healthier built environments, particularly in renovation and climate adaptation. Recent work addresses climate change impacts on living conditions, including extreme heat events. Beyond research and teaching, Dr. Li has served as Chairperson of the Climate Collegium at Malmö University and holds strategic roles in sustainability, education, and international collaboration, promoting sustainable development and global citizenship.