Scientia Professor Chun Wang

Scientia Professor Chun Wang is currently the Head of the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering and the Director of the ARC Research Hub for Connected Sensors for Health. His significant contributions to his field have been recognised with his election as a Fellow of the Academy of Technological Science and Engineering (FTSE) and his appointment as a SHARP professor in recognition of his world-leading research and leadership. In 2022, he was appointed UNSW Scientia Professor, a special category of Professor that recognises exceptional research and international eminence in their field.

Prior to joining UNSW, Scientia Professor Wang held several senior appointments in government and universities, including Head of Advanced Composites Technologies at the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (1995 -2009) and Director of the Sir Lawrence Wackett Aerospace Research Centre at RMIT University (2009-2016). He received his bachelor's degree from Huazhong University Science and Technology in 1985 and his Ph.D. from the University of Sheffield in 1991,  

Scientia Professor Wang's research focuses on advanced composites technologies, with a particular focus on load-carrying high-performance structures and soft composites for wearable sensors, actuators, and energy storage devices. Recently, his team's breakthroughs in toughening carbon fibre-reinforced composites at cryogenic temperatures have enabled lightweight all-composite vessels for the transportation and storage of liquid hydrogen at minus 253 degrees Celsius, a significant milestone in enabling composite vessels to operate at liquid hydrogen temperatures without matrix cracks, a challenge that has, up until now, prevented mass-market adoption of these materials for such applications. Media Release.

In 2021 he successfully led the application of an ARC Research Hub for Connected Sensors for Health. As the Director of the ARC Research Hub, he leads the strategic partnership between 29 Australian companies and 64 researchers to co-design, verify, and certify sensors that industry partners will deploy to global health markets. WIthin this Hub, he is leading a team to develop software sensors for monitoring pressure and stretch, and soft ultrasound sensors for imaging biological tissues and organs. 

He serves on the Editorial Advisory Boards of a number of professional journals, including Composites Science and Technology and Composites Part A. His past service experience to the professional community includes the ARC College of Experts (2013-2015), the Chair of the National Committee on Applied Mechanics (2013-2015), and the President of the Australian Fracture Group (1997-2003). He has chaired and co-chaired a number of international conferences, including the 11th International Fatigue Congress (Melbourne Australia and the 22nd International Conference on Composite Materials.