Prof. Dr. Wanchang Zhang | Remote Sensing Awards | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Dr. Wanchang Zhang | Remote Sensing Awards | Best Researcher Award 

Prof. Dr. Wanchang Zhang | Chinese Academy of Sciences | China

Prof. Dr. Wanchang Zhang is a distinguished scientist and academic leader in the fields of remote sensing, GIS, and hydrology. With decades of professional experience across China and Japan, he has established himself as a pioneer in applying space technology, geospatial data, and digital earth methodologies to disaster monitoring, water resource management, and environmental studies. He currently serves as a Professor and Ph.D. Supervisor at the Institute of Remote Sensing & Digital Earth (RADI), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), where he directs the Global Disaster Division and holds the position of Vice Director at the CAS-TWAS Centre of Excellence on Space Technology for Disaster Mitigation. Throughout his career, Prof. Dr. Wanchang Zhang has played a critical role in advancing global change research, hydrological modeling, and geospatial integration for disaster mitigation and sustainable resource management.

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Summary of Suitability for Best Researcher Award

Prof. Dr. Wanchang Zhang is an internationally recognized scholar in remote sensing, GIS, hydrology, and environmental monitoring, with over three decades of impactful research. His academic journey spans China and Japan, where he earned advanced degrees in geography, hydrospheric-atmospheric science, and remote sensing, culminating in a Ph.D. from Nagoya University.

Education

Prof. Dr. Wanchang Zhang earned a strong multidisciplinary academic foundation, beginning with a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Geology from Chengdu Science & Technology University. He pursued a Master’s degree in Geography from the Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute (CAREERI), CAS, where he focused on glaciology and paleo-climate studies through snow and ice chemistry. His academic path then expanded internationally when he studied at Nagoya University, Japan, under the UNESCO Special Program with Monbusho Scholarship support, where he obtained a second Master’s degree in Hydrospheric-Atmospheric Sciences. He later advanced into doctoral studies at Nagoya University with a prestigious JSPS Fellowship, completing a Ph.D. in Earth System Sciences with a specialization in Remote Sensing and GIS. This progression reflects his deep expertise in both fundamental geosciences and advanced space-based monitoring systems.

Experience

Prof. Dr. Wanchang Zhang has held influential academic and research positions at several leading institutions. He began his research career at CAREERI, CAS, where he worked on ice core science and environmental reconstructions. After earning his doctorate in Japan, he was promoted as a research fellow and later returned to China, where he joined Nanjing University as a full professor and Ph.D. supervisor. At Nanjing, he contributed significantly to teaching and research in hydrology, water science, and environmental monitoring, and also served as Deputy Director of the International Institute of Earth System Sciences. Later, he was recruited into the prestigious “100 Talent Program” of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, an honor that positioned him at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics. Since then, he has been leading major research divisions at RADI, CAS, overseeing programs in global disaster mitigation, hydrological modeling, and remote sensing applications. Alongside his research, he has taught courses in remote sensing physics, GIS, ecological remote sensing, and resource monitoring, influencing generations of undergraduate and graduate students.

Research Interests

Prof. Dr. Wanchang Zhang research interests are wide-ranging but unified by a focus on remote sensing and GIS applications in hydrology, disaster monitoring, and environmental management. His work has advanced the application of remote sensing data to surface radiation and energy budget measurement, hydrological modeling in arid and semi-arid regions, and integration of spatial data into hydro-climatic models. He has pioneered methods to resolve spatio-temporal scaling challenges in global change studies and land-use analyses, as well as applied geo-statistics to soil and water resource management. His recent research emphasizes developing land data assimilation systems, integrating global climate models with distributed land surface models, and innovating flood and drought monitoring techniques through satellite-based remote sensing. His vision integrates technology and environmental science to provide practical solutions for climate adaptation, disaster preparedness, and water sustainability.

Awards

Prof. Dr. Wanchang Zhang has received multiple academic honors and recognition for his outstanding contributions to earth observation and hydrological sciences. He was selected for the highly competitive “100 Talent Program” of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, an award that identifies promising leaders in scientific research. He has also been recognized by international organizations for his contributions, serving as a committee member of IEEE since frequently invited as co-chair of major international conferences. His achievements are further marked by domestic invention patents, registered software, and professional service as an editorial board member and reviewer for numerous international journals.

Publication Top Notes

Semantic segmentation of urban buildings from VHR remote sensing imagery using a deep convolutional neural network

Year: 2019

Citations: 264

Landslide susceptibility mapping using multiscale sampling strategy and convolutional neural network: A case study in Jiuzhaigou region

Year: 2020

Citations: 223

Mapping favorable groundwater potential recharge zones using a GIS-based analytical hierarchical process and probability frequency ratio model: A case study from an agro-urban

Year: 2020

Citations: 194

Assessment of water quality and identification of polluted risky regions based on field observations & GIS in the Honghe River Watershed, China

Year: 2015

Citations: 192

Long-term groundwater storage variations estimated in the Songhua River Basin by using GRACE products, land surface models, and in-situ observations

Year: 2019

Citations: 150

Genetic correlation of fatty acid composition with growth, carcass, fat deposition and meat quality traits based on GWAS data in six pig populations

Year: 2019

Citations: 137

Conclusion

Prof. Dr. Wanchang Zhang is a leading figure in the integration of remote sensing, GIS, and hydrology for global environmental and disaster research. His career reflects a blend of rigorous academic training, innovative research contributions, and leadership in major international collaborations. With more than 300 scientific publications, multiple patents, and global recognition, he has significantly advanced scientific understanding of water resources, climate impacts, and disaster risk management. His work continues to inspire interdisciplinary research and technological development for sustainable environmental solutions. Prof. Dr. Wanchang Zhang contributions make him a highly deserving candidate for award nomination, reflecting his commitment to both scientific excellence and societal impact.

Dr. Xiaofei Yang | Remote Sensing Awards | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Xiaofei Yang | Remote Sensing Awards | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Xiaofei Yang, Guangzhou University, China

Dr. Xiaofei Yang is a lecturer at the School of Electronic and Communication Engineering, Guangzhou University, with a strong research background in artificial intelligence, remote sensing, image classification, and deep learning. He earned his Ph.D. in Computer Software and Theory from Harbin Institute of Technology in 2019 and completed postdoctoral research at the University of Macau, where he focused on hyperspectral image classification and 3D image reconstruction. Dr. Yang has authored 27 peer-reviewed publications, including 11 in IEEE Transactions journals—six as first author—and two Web of Science highly cited papers. His work has been presented at prestigious international conferences such as IJCNN, and he actively serves as a reviewer for top-tier journals including IEEE TGRS and TNNLS. His recent projects span cloud detection, terrain classification, plant disease diagnosis, and typhoon path prediction using deep learning. Recognized with the Innovation Scholarship by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in 2019, Dr. Yang continues to contribute to cutting-edge research in remote sensing and AI applications.

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Summary of Suitability: Dr. Xiaofei Yang – Research for Best Researcher Award

Dr. Xiaofei Yang is an outstanding candidate for the Research for Best Researcher Award, recognized for his impactful contributions to artificial intelligence, remote sensing, and deep learning applications. With a strong academic foundation from the Harbin Institute of Technology and advanced research experience as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Macau, Dr. Yang has emerged as a leading figure in intelligent image processing and computational modeling.

🎓 Education

  • Ph.D. in Computer Software and Theory
    Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, China
    March 2014 – October 2019

  • M.Sc. in Computational Mathematics
    Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, China
    August 2011 – January 2014

💼 Work Experience

  • Lecturer, Guangzhou University, China 🇨🇳
    March 2023 – Present

  • Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Macau 🇲🇴
    September 2021 – February 2023

    • Focus: Hyperspectral image classification using deep learning

  • Trainee, Zhuhai-UM Institute
    May 2021 – August 2021

    • Research on hyperspectral image classification

  • Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Macau
    September 2020 – April 2021

    • Research on 3D image reconstruction

  • Trainee, Peng Cheng Laboratory, Shenzhen 🇨🇳
    October 2019 – August 2020

    • Developed new open-source algorithm for image processing

🏆 Achievements

  • 📄 27+ publications in top journals and conferences, including:

    • 11 IEEE Transactions papers (6 as first author)

    • 2 papers highly cited by Web of Science

  • 🧠 Expert in:

    • Artificial Intelligence

    • Hyperspectral Image Classification

    • Remote Sensing

    • Deep Learning and Transformer Networks

  • 🗣️ Conference Presentations:

    • IJCNN 2019 (Hungary)

    • GSKI 2017 (Thailand)

  • 👨‍🏫 Teaching:

    • Courses at the University of Macau Master’s Program in deep learning and computer vision

  • 📚 Peer Reviewer for Top Journals:

    • IEEE TNNLS, TGRS, GRSL, Signal Processing Letters, and more

🥇 Awards & Honors

  • 🏅 Innovation Scholarship, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (2019)

  • 🎓 Outstanding Graduate Student, Harbin Institute of Technology (2014)

Publication Top Notes:

Balancing supply and demand for ride-hailing: A preallocation hierarchical reinforcement learning approach

Global–local prototype-based few-shot learning for cross-domain hyperspectral image classification

MDFFN: Multi-Scale Dual-Aggregated Feature Fusion Network for Hyperspectral Image Classification

Spectral-Spatial Attention Transformer Network for Hyperspectral Image Classification

ACTN: Adaptive Coupling Transformer Network for Hyperspectral Image Classification

 

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jie Zhao | Remote Sensing Awards | Best Researcher Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jie Zhao | Remote Sensing Awards | Best Researcher Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jie Zhao, Beijing University of Technology, China

  Dr. Jie Zhao is an Associate Professor at the School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering at Beijing University of Technology, China. She earned his Ph.D. in Optics from the university, where she also completed her Master’s degree. Dr. Zhao gained international research experience as a joint-cultured Ph.D. student at the University of Sheffield, UK. Her primary research interests include optical information processing, digital holographic microscopy, and Fourier ptychography imaging, with a focus on biological samples and terahertz wave phase-contrast imaging.She has contributed significantly to the advancement of diffraction tomographic imaging and continuous terahertz holography. Dr. Zhao has published numerous peer-reviewed articles in prominent journals and holds multiple patents.She is also an active member of the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) and has served as a postdoctoral researcher at the Henan Institute of Metrology.

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Summary of Suitability for the Best Researcher Award – Jie Zhao

Dr. Jie Zhao is an Associate Professor at Beijing University of Technology (BJUT), specializing in Optics and Optoelectronics. With a strong background in terahertz imaging, computational tomography, and optical information processing, Dr. Zhao has made significant contributions to both theoretical and applied optics. His extensive research output and collaborative efforts position him as an excellent candidate for the Best Researcher Award.

Education:

  • Sep. 2007 – July 2011: Ph.D. in Optics, College of Applied Sciences, Beijing University of Technology (BJUT), China.
    • Joint-cultured Ph.D. student at the College of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, The University of Sheffield, UK (Sep. 2008 – Sep. 2009).
  • Sep. 2005 – July 2007: Master’s in Optics, College of Applied Sciences, BJUT, China.
  • Sep. 2001 – July 2005: Bachelor’s in Science and Technology of Optical Information, College of Physics Science & Technology, Hebei University, China.

Professional Experience:

  • Aug. 2011 – Present: Associate Professor/Lecturer, School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, BJUT, China.
    • Courses taught: Optics, College Physics, and Optical Information Processing.
  • Nov. 2017 – Nov. 2020: Postdoctoral Researcher, Henan Institute of Metrology, China.
  • Sep. 2011 – Present: Member of SPIE (International Society for Optics and Photonics).

Publication top Notes:

Continuous-wave terahertz in-line holographic diffraction tomography with the scattering fields reconstructed by a physics-enhanced deep neural network

High accuracy terahertz computed tomography using a 3D printed super-oscillatory lens

Binary diffractive lens with subwavelength focusing for terahertz imaging

Binocular full-color holographic three-dimensional near eye display using a single SLM

Diffraction tomography based on Fourier ptychographic microscopy with the multiple scattering model

Continuous-Wave Terahertz In-Line Digital Holography Based on Physics-Enhanced Deep Neural Network

Ms. Oumayma Sadgui | Remote Sensing Awards | Women Researcher Award

Ms. Oumayma Sadgui | Remote Sensing Awards | Women Researcher Award 

Ms. Oumayma Sadgui, IAV Hassan II, Morocco,

Oumayma Sadgui is a Water and Forest Engineer currently working in Ifrane National Park and pursuing her Ph.D. at IAV Hassan II, specializing in Natural Resources Economics and Environment. With a rich educational background, she holds a State Engineer diploma in forestry economics from the National School of Forest Engineers (ENFI), along with diplomas in general forestry and agronomy. Since 2022, she has been actively involved with the National Water and Forests Agency and the IMU of the PLAR project, focusing on ecotourism development in Ifrane National Park. Oumayma has field experience in surveys, socio-economic and ecological diagnoses, forest inventories, and vegetation studies. She is skilled in statistical data analysis using SPSS, digital cartography (GIS), and remote sensing. Her work is complemented by her ability to lead workshops and training sessions.

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Suitability of Oumayma Sadgui for the Research for Women Researcher Award

Academic and Research Background:
Oumayma Sadgui’s strong academic and research background, particularly in natural resources economics and environmental sustainability, makes her a suitable candidate for the award. She holds a Ph.D. candidacy at IAV Hassan II in Natural Resources Economics and has completed significant research on ecosystem services, hydrologic systems, and forest economics. Her focus on economic evaluations of ecosystem services within protected areas like Ifrane National Park demonstrates a clear commitment to research on sustainable development and environmental conservation.

Education

  • 2021-2024: PhD Candidate in Natural Resources Economics and Environment at IAV Hassan II.
  • 2019-2021: State Water and Forest Engineer Diploma, specializing in Forestry Economics from ENFI (National School of Forest Engineers).
  • 2017-2019: Diploma in General Forestry from ENFI.
  • 2015-2017: Two years of preparatory cycle in Agronomy at ENAM.
  • 2014-2015: Baccalaureate (Very Good Honors) in Life and Earth Sciences from Maarabat Boudnib Errachidia High School.

Professional Experience

  • Since 2022: Engineer at the National Water and Forests Agency, involved in the PIAR Project for ecotourism development in Ifrane National Park.
  • 2021: End of study dissertation on the Economic Evaluation of Ecosystem Services in the Toubkal National Park.
  • 2019: Summer Internship at the Provincial Direction of Water and Forests in Casablanca. Participated in an integrated development project in the Ben Slimane region and a multidisciplinary tour in the Middle Atlas and Rif.
  • 2018: Summer Internship at the Regional Direction of Water and Forests in the Middle Atlas. Participated in a multidisciplinary tour in the Middle Atlas and East.
  • 2014: Internship on a farm in Errachidia Province.

Publication top Notes:

Economic Assessment of Hydrologic Ecosystem Services in Morocco’s Protected Areas: A Case Study of Ifrane National Park

Economic Assessment of Hydrologic Ecosystem Services in Morocco’s Protected Areas: A Case Study of Ifrane National Park

Evaluation and Mapping of Carbon Sequestration Service in Morocco’s Protected Areas : A case study of Ifrnae National Park

Hydrologic Ecosystem Services values in Morocco’s Protected Areas: A Case Study of Ifrane National Park

Impact of land use dynamics on ecosystem services in Ifrane National Park (INP)