In August 2012, Professor Xun-Li Wang joined City University of Hong Kong as a Chair Professor and Head of the Department of Physics and Materials Science. In July 2017, the department split and Professor Wang assumed the headship of the new Department of Physics starting with 12 faculty members. He oversaw a rapid expansion of the new department, now with a 27+ strong faculty body and growing. In the latest Research Assessment Exercise (RAE2020), commissioned by Hong Kong’s University Grants Council, the Department of Physics performed well amongst a very competitive group in Hong Kong. An independent international panel rated 38% of the department’s research output as four-star (i.e., “world-leading”) and 52% as three-star (i.e., “internationally excellent”). In 2022-2023, he was appointed Executive Director of Hong Kong Institute for Advanced Study (HKIAS). Following the lifting of travel restrictions in Hong Kong, he guided the HKIAS to quickly revitalize its academic program through the appointments of Senior Fellows and Visiting Fellows plus a host of Distinguished Lectures and workshops.
Prior to coming to Hong Kong, he had been working at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the US, rising through the ranks to Distinguished Staff Member. He was responsible for the design, construction, and commissioning of VULCAN, a powerful engineering diffractometer at the Spallation Neutron Source, Oak Ridge National Laboratory. As a senior scientist in the Neutron Science Directorate, he led innovative research, using neutron scattering as a primary tool, to understand deformation and phase transformation behavior in complex materials.
Since joining City University of Hong Kong, Professor Wang has dedicated his efforts to establishing Hong Kong as an international hub for neutron scattering research. With the support from The Croucher Foundation, he started the biennial Croucher Summer Course on Neutron Scattering. He was also instrumental in launching the Gordon Research Conference series on Neutron Scattering, serving as the inaugural Chair in 2015. In addition, he and Professor Hesheng Chen of the Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, co-founded a joint laboratory on neutron scattering. The joint laboratory has received financial support from The Croucher Foundation, Hong Kong’s Research Grants Council, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. In 2020, Professor Wang helped establish the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Laboratory on Neutron Scattering, serving as the Executive Director in Hong Kong. In the meanwhile, Professor Wang has maintained an active research portfolio. His current research interests include structure and dynamics in metallic glass, deformation behaviors in high entropy alloys, and magneto-elastic coupling in magnetic shape memory alloys.
Professor Wang received his Ph.D. from Iowa State University and B.S. from Peking University, both in Physics. He is an elected Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS), American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Neutron Scattering Society of America (NSSA). In 2024, he was elected to the Board of Directors of the American Physical Society.
Awards and Achievements
- 2024 “Co-Chair” Gordon Research Conference on Structural Nanomaterials. [Program]
- 2024 “Elected to Board of Directors, American Physical Society” American Physical Society. [Croucher Foundation News]
- 2022 “The President's Award” City University of Hong Kong. The President’s Awards recognize the awardees’ remarkable achievements in their respective academic arena in support of the University’s enhancement and development. . [Physics News]
- 2022 “Collaborative Research Fund” Research Grants Council, Hong Kong SAR. The Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) supports multi-investigator, multi-disciplinary projects in order to encourage more research groups to engage in creative and high-quality cross-disciplinary / cross-institutional projects. [Funding Results]
- 2021 “Croucher Senior Research Fellowship” The Croucher Foundation, Hong Kong. [Press Release]
- 2020 “Elected Fellow” Neutron Scattering Society of America (NSSA). For innovative neutron scattering studies at the interface between condensed matter physics and engineering materials science, and for the development of new neutron instrumentation to enable these seminal studies. [URL]
- 2019 “Collaborative Reserach Fund” Research Grants Council of Hong Kong SAR. The Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) supports multi-investigator, multi-disciplinary projects in order to encourage more research groups to engage in creative and high-quality cross-disciplinary / cross-institutional projects. [URL]
- 2018 “Lee Hsun Lectureship (李薰講座獎)” Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences. [Announcement]
- 2017 “Elected Fellow” American Association for the Advancement of Science. Section B (Physics). [Press Release]
- 2015 “Chair” Gordon Research Conference . The inaugural Gordon Research Conference on Neutron Scattering, June 21-25, 2015, Hong Kong. [Program]
- 2010 “Elected Fellow” American Physical Society. For sustained contributions in neutron diffraction studies and his leadership in the design and construction of a versatile engineering diffractometer at the Spallation Neutron Source. [Press Release]
- 2009 “Chang Jiang Chair Professorship （教育部長江講座教授）” Chinese Ministry of Education.
- 2008 “Outstanding Oversea Scholars（中國科學院海外知名學者）” Chinese Academy of Sciences.
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- 2006 “Outstanding Oversea Young Scientist Award (基金委杰出青年B類)” National Natural Science Foundation of China.
- 1999 “A. F. Davis Silver Medal” American Welding Society .
- 1998 “Significant Event Award” Oak Ridge National Laboratory. for solving the cracking problems in kraft recovery boilers in the pulp and paper industry.
- 1998 “Walter A. Mueller Memorial Award” 9th International Symposium on Corrosion in the Pulp and Paper Industry. for the best paper presented at the conference.
- 1985 “CUSPEA Scholar” (China-US Physics Examination and Application program). [URL]
Previous Experience
- 2009 - 2012, Distinguished Research Staff, Neutron Scattering Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
- 2006 - 2008, Senior Research Staff, Neutron Scattering Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
- 2006 - 2011, Group Leader, Powder Diffraction Group, Neutron Scattering Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Oversaw powder diffraction and neutron imaging instruments at both the Spallation Neutron Source and High Flux Isotope Reactor, two premier neutron sources in the world.
- 1999 - 2011, Instrument Scientist and Project Manager for VULCAN, Spallation Neutron Source, Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Responsible for the design, construction, and commissioning of VULCAN, the engineering diffractometer at the Spallation Neutron Source.
- 1994 - 1999, Research Staff, Metals and Ceramics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
- 1992 - 1994, Postdoc Fellow, Metals and Ceramics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Research Grants
- Competing deformation mechanisms of complex alloys at thermomechanical extremes, Collaborating Research Fund, Research Grants Council, Amount: HKD $4,731,032, Jul 2022 - Jun 2025, Xun-Li Wang (PC).
- Hong Kong's Participation at the China Spallation Neutron Source, Collaborative Research Fund, Research Grant Council. Hong Kong SAR, Amount: HKD $8,651,102, 2020 - 2022, Xun-Li Wang (PC).
- CAS-Croucher Joint Laboratory on Neutron Scattering Science and Technology, Croucher Foundation and Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2014 - 2018, Xun-Li Wang (PI - CityU), Hesheng Chen (PI - CAS).
Journal
- Lan, S. et al.. (2021). A medium-range structure motif linking amorphous and crystalline states. Nature Materials. doi:10.1038/s41563-021-01011-5
- He, H. Y. et al. (2021). Stacking Fault Driven Phase Transformation in CrCoNi Medium Entropy Alloy. Nano Letters. 21. 1419 - 1426.
- Neem, M,. et al. (2020). Cooperative deformation in high-entropy alloys at ultralow temperatures. Science Advances. 6. eaax4002 .
- Li, X. Y. et al. (2020). Observation of high-frequency transverse phonons in metallic glasses. Phys. Rev. Lett. 124. 225902 .
- Li, X. Y. et al. (2020). Ultralow Thermal Conductivity from Transverse Acoustic Phonon Suppression in Distorted Crystalline α-MgAgSb. Nature Communications. 11. 1 - 9.
- Lan, S. et al. (2019). Engineering medium-range order and polyamorphism in a nanostructured amorphous alloy. Communication Physics. 2. 1 - 9.
- Yuan, C. C. et al. (2019). Impact of hybridization on metallic-glass formation and design. Materials Today. 32. 26 - 34.
- Wang, B. et al. (2018). Deformation of CoCrFeNi high entropy alloy at large strain. Scipta Mat. 155. 54 - 57.
- Lan, S. et al. (2017). Hidden amorphous phase and reentrant supercooled liquid in Pd-Ni-P metallic glasses. Nature Communications. 8. 14679.
- Chen, Hesheng. & Wang, Xun-Li. (2016). China's first pulsed neutron source. Nature Materials. 15. 689 - 691.
- Lan, S. et al. (2016). Structural crossover in a supercooled metallic liquid and the link to a liquid-to-liquid phase transition. Appl. Phys. Lett. 108. 211907 .
- Pramanick, A. et al. (2015). Nanoscale Atomic Displacements Ordering for Enhanced Piezoelectric Properties in Lead-Free ABO3 Ferroelectrics. Adv. Mat. 27. 4330 - 4335.
- Pramanick, A. et al. (2014). "Kinetics of magnetoelastic twin boundary motion in ferromagnetic shape memory alloys". Phys. Rev. Lett. 112. 217205 .
- Cheng, S. et al. (2013). "Uncommon Deformation Mechanisms during Fatigue-Crack Propagation in Nanocrystalline Alloys". Phys. Rev. Lett. 110. 135501 .
- Wu, Y. et al. (2012). "Ductilizing Bulk Metallic Glass Composite by Tailoring Stacking Fault Energy". Phys. Rev. Lett. 109. 245506 .
- Ma, D. et al. (2012). "Moduli inheritance and the weakest link in metallic glasses". Phys. Rev. Lett. 109. 085501 .
- Wang, X.-L. et al. (2012). "Visualizing the chemistry and structure dynamics in Li-ion batteries by in-situ neutron diffraction". Sci. Rep. 2. 0747 .
- Robertson, I. et al. (2011). Characterization of Materials Structure and Damage in Four Dimensions. J. Mat. Res. 26. 41 .
- Cheng, S. et al. (2010). “Structure modulation in nanocrystalline NiFe driven by cyclic deformation”. Phys. Rev. Lett. 104. 174114 .
- Ma, D. et al. (2009). "Power-law scaling and fractal nature of the medium range order in metallic glasses". Nature Mat. 8. 30 .
- Cheng, S. et al. (2009). “Deformation cross-over: from nano to meso scales”. Phys. Rev. Lett. 103. 035502 .
- Yang, L. et al. (2009). “Nano-scale solute partitioning in devitrified bulk metallic glass". Adv. Mat. 21. 305 - 308.
- Liu, C. T. et al. (2007). “Magnetism and solid solution effects in NiAl (40%Al) alloys”. Prog. Mat. Sci. 52. 352 .
- Wang, X.-L. et al. (2006). “VULCAN – The Engineering Diffractometer at the SNS". Physica B. 385-386. 673 .
- Wang, X.-L. et al. (2003). “In-situ Synchrotron Study of Phase Transformation Behaviors in Bulk Metallic Glass Using Simultaneous X-ray Diffraction and Small Angle Scattering". Phys. Rev. Lett. 91. 265501 .
- Lee, W. T. & Wang, X.-L. (2002). "IDEAS, a General-purpose Computer Program for Simulation of Neutron Scattering Instruments". Neutron News. 13. 30 .
- Wang, Y. D. et al. (2002). “Development of Large Grain-Orientation-Dependent Residual Stresses in a Cyclically-Deformed Alloy". Nature Mat. 2. 103 .
- Wang, Z. R. et al. (1994). "Antiferromagnetic Ordering and Paramagnetic Behavior of Ferromagnetic Clusters in BaCuO2+x". Science. 264. 402 .
Book
- Wang, X.-L. (2000). “Conceptual Design of the SNS Engineering Diffractometer". SNS Report No. IS-1.1.8.2-6035-RE-A-00.
External Services
Public Service
- 2024 - Now, Co-Chair, Gordon Research Conference on Sructure Nanomaterials.Switzerland.
- Jul 2021 - Now, Editor, Acta Materialia and Scripta Materialia.
- 15 Jul 2018 - 20 Jul 2018, Co-Chair, QENS-WINS2018, 13th International Conference on Quasinelastic Neutron Scattering; 8th Workshop on Inelastic Neutron Scattering.Hong Kong.
- Nov 2013 - May 2016, Member, The Bragg Institute Program Advisory Committee, The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization (ANSTO) (2013 – 2016).
- 2012, Member of Selection Committee for “Sustained Research and Science Prize”, Neutron Scattering Society of America .
- 11 Sep 2011 - 15 Sep 2011, Appointed to Review Committee, US Department of Energy, Basic Energy Sciences, Operational Review of the Advanced Photon Source. USA.
- 2011 - 2013, Chair, Chemistry and Physics of Materials Committee, TMS (www.tms.org). USA.
- 2010 - 2013, Member, Neutron Science Proposal Review Committee (NSPRC), Japan Proton Accelerator Complex.
- 10 Feb 2009 - 12 Feb 2009, Member of Review Committee of Los Alamos Lujan Neutron Science Center, US Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences. USA.
In the news
- Nature article “China fires up next-generation neutron-science facility,” November 14, 2017. https://www.nature.com/news/china-fires-up-next-generation-neutron-science-facility-1.22976
- Our paper “Hidden Amorphous Phase and Reentrant Supercooled Liquid in Pd-Ni-P Metallic Glasses,” Nature Communications 8, Article number: 14679 (2017), was widely covered in news media in English, Japanese, and Chinese.
“Atomic 'Re-Packaging' Behind Metallic Glass Mystery,” http://www.sciencenewsline.com/news/2017032913020012.html
"Insights may lead to design and development of superior metallic alloys," https://phys.org/news/2017-03-insights-superior-metallic-alloys.html
40 年間謎とされてきたアモルファス合金の示差走査熱量測定に おける異常発熱の理由を中,米,豪,日の 4 カ國共同で初めて解明
http://www.hokudai.ac.jp/news/170321_pr2.pdf
城大首發現金屬玻璃無定型狀態, http://std.stheadline.com/daily/news-content.php?id=1567773&target=22016
香港城大金屬玻璃研究取得突破，http://news.xinhuanet.com/2017-03/19/c_1120654670.htm
我國青年學者發現非晶合金在晶化溫度以下的多形性相變， http://www.nsfc.gov.cn/publish/portal0/tab448/info68359.htm
- “Neutrons Probe Inner Workings of Batteries,” ORNL Review, http://www.ornl.gov/info/ornlreview/v44_3_11/article04.shtml
Also featured on the website of Office of Sciences, US Department of Energy, In Focus section, October 18, 2011
- “我校與中科院高能物理研究所共同申請的406次香山科學會議在京召開,” 北京科技大學, 2011年9月30日
http://alumni.ustb.edu.cn/infoSingleArticle.do?articleId=3885&columnId=119 - “SNS user finds 'perfect instrument' for materials research,” ORNL News Features, March 24, 2011, http://phys.org/news/2011-03-spallation-neutron-source-user-instrument.html
- “Neighbor lends a hand: Spallation Neutron Source's VULCAN 'ideal' tool to probe ITER's superconducting cable,” ORNL Press Release, January 14, 2011
http://superconductivity-news.blogspot.hk/2011/01/neighbor-lends-hand-spallation-neutron.html - “Giant neutron 'microscope' will study glass transition,” Washington University in St. Louis, March 19, 2010
http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/20292.aspx - MTS Newsletter on VULCAN Load-frame, “Getting Particular,” September 20, 2009
http://www.mts.com/ucm/groups/public/documents/library/dev_004651.pdf - 路甬祥指出：大科學裝置的建設要及早做好準備工作(圖), December 31, 2000
http://www.cas.cn/xw/ldhd/200906/t20090608_607177.shtml
Perspective Students
- The Department of Physics at City University of Hong Kong is seeking outstanding PhD students in the area of the neutron and synchrotron scattering studies. All admitted students will receive a generous financial support. Currently, the stipend for PhD student is HK$17,510 (~US$2,245) per month.
Outstanding applicants are encouraged to apply for the “Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS). HKPFS is a prestigious scholarship established by the Government of Hong Kong to attract the best and brightest students in the world to pursue PhD study at renowned institutions in Hong Kong. The Fellowship provides the following financial support,
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Stipend: HK$26,600 (~US$3,410) per month
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Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies Entrance Scholarship, HK$81,096 (~US$10,396)
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Conference and Research-Related Travel Allowance: HK$13,300 (~US$1,705) per year
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Additional academic awards, allowances, and subsidies are available
More information about the department can be found at http://www.jvrhmfr.xyz/phy/research-degree/phd-physics, and from www.wangxl.hk
Last update date :
29 Apr 2025
