Past projects

Waste

Design and Analysis of Flexibility in Waste-to-Energy System

This research develops a number of new data-driven algorithms and digital processes to support the design of complex engineered systems under uncertainty.

One project proposes a probabilistic approach based on Engineering Systems Matrix to identify value-enhancing opportunities for flexibility in waste-to-energy systems.

Another project evaluates the trade-offs between economies of scale, time value of money, and flexibility.

The research proposes a novel data-driven decision-support system that enables better 3D visualisation, data analytics, and economics of the optimal solutions.

The work is done in collaboration with the National Environment Agency of Singapore, as part of the Energy and Environmental Sustainability Solutions for Megacities, a collaboration between the National University of Singapore and Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Former Post-Doctoral Researchers

Dr. Elizaveta Kuznetsova, now Scientist at University of Montreal

Dr. Junfei Hu, now Associate Professor at Northwestern Polytechnic, China

Mingzhen Diao, now Business Analyst at ThoughtWorks

Former PhD Students

Dr. Sixiang Zhao, now Assistant Professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Dr. Qihui Xie, now Senior Researcher at SenseTime

Dr. Sizhe Zhang, now Lead Data Scientist at Tencent

Co-Supervisors

Dr. Tsan Sheng (Adam) Ng, Associate Professor in Industrial Systems Engineering and Management, National University of Singapore

Dr. William Haskell, Assistant Professor of Management, Purdue University

transpo

Resilience in Energy and Transportation Systems

This research looks into the role of flexibility as a paradigm to enable better resilience in complex engineered systems.

This is highly needed given the important threats and uncertainty faced by these systems due to climate change, pandemics, and terrorism.

One project proposes a novel methodology combining principles from decision rule real options analysis and robust optimisation theory to general expansion planning of power plant systems integrating renewable sources. It received the 2019 Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers Best Application paper in Design and Manufacturing.

Another project proposes a novel agent-based modeling methodology to analyse strategic, tactical, and operational level flexibility in a data-driven, simulation-based context for the New York City subway system

The work is part of the Future Resilient Systems project, a collaboration between Singapore universities and ETH Zürich.

It aims to develop and evaluate new modeling and optimisation techniques to better support decision and policy making on deployment and operations of next generation energy and transportation systems.

Former Post-Doctoral Researchers

Dr. Aakil Caunhye, now Lecturer in Business Analytics at University of Edinburgh Business School

Former PhD Students

Dr. Steffen Blume, PhD in Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zürich

Former Research Associate:

Yixin Jiang, now Research Associate at National University of Singapore

Co-Supervisor

Dr. Giovanni Sansavini, Associate Professor in Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zürich