Xu Wang

Dr. Xu Wang is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the School of Engineering, RMIT University, specializing in research on future engineering design, new materials, and renewable energy.

Xu grew up in Nanchang, China. He is a graduate of Tianjin University (BSc Hons and MSc), China, and Monash University (Ph.D.), Australia. Following his Ph.D. in 1995, Xu joined the University of Melbourne as a postdoctoral fellow until 1996. He joined RMIT University in 2005 where he is now a senior academic staff.

Xu has specialist expertise in dynamics, noise and vibration control, and vibration and acoustic energy harvesting. He has generalist disciplinary knowledge in the areas of thermodynamics, thermoelectrical energy conversion, nano-material fabrication and characterization, engine, vehicle, and aircraft design and research. He has broad, interdisciplinary interests across many areas of mechanical/automotive engineering, aerospace engineering, material engineering (Inorganic materials, function materials, nanomaterials), physics (Structural properties of condensed matter), chemistry (analytical, biological, environmental), and chemical/environmental engineering (desalination, water technology, and ocean wave energy conversion). His work has a focus on solving real-world problems in collaboration with active industry engagement.

He has developed an international reputation for high-quality research. He has received many awards for his research, including five RMIT Foundation International Visiting or Exchange Fellowships, three RMIT Research Leave Awards, and a Finalist for the Professional Engineer of the Year 2021, Victoria. He has published three books (Elsevier), 114 journal articles (45% in the top 10% ranked journals) and 40 peer-reviewed conference papers with 1753+ citations and his H-Index is 30. He has been awarded 1 ARC Discovery and 2 ARC Linkage Project grants (A$1.6 million), 1 DMTC project grant, 1 RSIF grant, and 3 AUTOCRC project grants (A$3.2 million). He has one European patent and one German patent.

Xu is also known for his work in Learning and Teaching and received six RMIT STEM College Learning and Teaching Achievement Awards. He has a particular interest in the innovative use of technology in Education and developed online laboratory practices of “Measure Noise and Vibration Using mobile phone and APPS” and “Taguchi Test for Investigation of the Car Traveling Distance on a Slope”.

Xu was a Delegate Member of the Victorian Government Super Trade Mission to China on behalf of the Australian automotive industry. He was Director of the Society of Automotive Engineers, Australia. He is a Fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers, Australasia, and a Fellow, Chartered Professional Engineer, Engineering Executive of Engineers Australia. He served on the Noise Control Division Committee of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering. He was previously Board Director of the Society of Automotive Engineers, Australasia.

Professor Wang has worked with a wide variety of industry partners including the Delta-V Expert for the 2021 Road Safety Innovation Fund RSIF2-64 project. He worked with Futuris and SMR Technologies Ltd for product development in his AUTO CRC projects.

Xu is also very keen to communicate science to the public and is a skilled media commentator. He can be found promoting science on Twitter, Linkedin, and Facebook.


Awards
2021
Finalist for the Professional Engineer of the Year 2021, Victoria
2019
2019 RMIT School of Engineering Research Leave Award for a 3-month visit to the Department of Structure of Matter, Thermal Physics and Electronics, University Complutense of Madrid, Spain.
2012
2012 RMIT SAMME Research Leave Award for a 3-month visit to the University of California, Berkeley, USA.
2012 RMIT Learning and Teaching Achievement Award, for outstanding course experience survey results for AUTO1019 Sustainable Vehicle Design.
2011
2011 Visiting Professorship, Zhejiang University, P.R. China, for research excellence in power and energy engineering.
2011 RMIT Learning and Teaching Achievement Award, for outstanding course experience survey results for AUTO1030 Automotive Project II.
2010
2010 RMIT Learning and Teaching Achievement Award, for outstanding course experience survey results for AUTO1030 Automotive Project II.
2010 RMIT Learning and Teaching Achievement Award, for outstanding course experience survey results for AUTO1019 Sustainable Vehicle Design
2010 RMIT Learning and Teaching Achievement Award, for outstanding course experience survey results for AUTO1031 Vehicle Noise Vibration Harshness.
2008
2008 RMIT SAMME Research Leave Award for a 3-month visit to the University of Cambridge, UK

Public and media engagements
Xu has featured widely in radio and media where he is skilled at providing informed, evidence-based context, and explaining complex science to a mainstream audience. Examples of his work can be seen at:

UK - https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2021/08/prototype-tech-extracts-twice-the-power-from-ocean-waves/
Netherlands - https://www.offshore-energy.biz/chinese-australian-researchers-extract-twice-the-power-from-ocean-waves-with-new-prototype/
Spain - https://elperiodicodelaenergia.com/la-eficiencia-de-la-energia-de-las-olas-mejora-con-la-doble-turbina-desarrollada-por-investigadores-chinos-y-australianos/
Spain - https://www.que.es/2021/08/17/nuevo-prototipo-turbina-dual-energia-olas/
Spain - https://www.europapress.es/ciencia/laboratorio/noticia-nueva-turbina-extrae-doble-energia-olas-20210817175218.html
Spain - https://www.la-razon.com/la-revista/2021/08/17/146-artistas-se-registraron-en-servicio-medico-thelonious-med-en-una-semana/
US - https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210817102723.htm
US - https://interestingengineering.com/prototype-doubles-ocean-wave-energy
US - https://newatlas.com/energy/counter-spinning-twin-turbine-generator-ocean-waves/
US - https://wonderfulengineering.com/this-new-technology-can-extract-twice-the-energy-from-ocean-waves/
US - https://www.offgridenergyindependence.com/articles/24570/technology-that-can-double-the-power-harvested-from-ocean-waves
US - https://www.ethicaleditor.com/tech/new-clean-energy-tech-extracts-twice-the-power-from-ocean-waves/
US - https://techxplore.com/news/2021-08-energy-tech-power-ocean.html
US - https://www.notimerica.com/ciencia-tecnologia/noticia-nueva-turbina-extrae-doble-energia-olas-20210817175244.html
Australia - https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/energy/device-doubles-waves-energy-output/
Australia - https://esdnews.com.au/new-wave-energy-prototype-doubles-the-power/
Australia - https://www.ecdonline.com.au/content/efficiency-renewables/article/making-ocean-waves-a-viable-source-of-power-881342753
Australia - https://reneweconomy.com.au/australian-dual-turbine-wave-power-breakthrough-promises-to-double-efficiency/
Australia - https://www.ecogeneration.com.au/buoys-plot-to-overthrow-power-regime/
China - https://m.toutiao.com/i6997752215762960935
Vietnam - https://vnexpress.net/thiet-ke-turbine-kep-nguoc-chieu-thu-gap-doi-nang-luong-song-4342829.html