Khushboo Singh | Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Khushboo Singh | Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Research Fellow at University of Technology Sydney, Australia

Dr. Khushboo Singh ๐ŸŽ“๐Ÿ”ฌ is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Technology Sydney ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ. With 10+ years of experience in academia, defence, and industry, she specializes in high-power millimetre-wave antennas ๐Ÿš€๐Ÿ“ก. Her collaboration with the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) has earned her national recognition, including the prestigious Eureka Prize ๐Ÿ†. Passionate about cutting-edge tech, she also works on space, maritime, and mobile satellite communication systems ๐ŸŒŒ๐ŸŒŠ๐Ÿ“ถ. A dedicated mentor and leader, Dr. Singh actively supports women in STEM ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ”ฌ while advancing Australia’s research landscape through innovation and excellence ๐ŸŒŸ.

Professional Profile:

Scopus

Google Scholar

๐Ÿ”น Education & Experienceย 

๐ŸŽ“ Education:

  • ๐Ÿ“ Ph.D. in Electrical & Electronics Engineering | Macquarie University, Australia | 2021

  • ๐Ÿ“ M.Sc. (Research) in Electronics & Communication | LNMIIT, India | 2014 | CPI: 9/10

  • ๐Ÿ“ B.Tech in Electronics & Communication | SHIATS, India | 2012 | CPI: 9.7/10

๐Ÿ’ผ Experience:

  • ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ”ฌ Postdoctoral Research Fellow | UTS | Nov 2023 โ€“ Present

  • ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿซ Research Associate | UTS | Nov 2020 โ€“ Oct 2023

  • ๐ŸŒ Visiting Researcher | IIT-Kanpur | Mar โ€“ May 2023

  • ๐Ÿง  Technical Researcher | Electrotechnik Pty Ltd. | Nov 2019 โ€“ Mar 2020

  • ๐ŸŽ“ Casual Tutor | Macquarie University | 2017, 2024

  • ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿซ Guest Lecturer | Swami Rama Himalayan University | 2015 โ€“ 2016

  • ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿซ Assistant Professor | Pratap Institute, India | 2014 โ€“ 2015

๐Ÿ”น Professional Developmentย 

Dr. Singh is a passionate leader in research and professional mentoring ๐ŸŒŸ. She serves as a mentor in multiple STEM programs ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ”ฌ๐Ÿค including Women in Engineering and WiSR at UTS, encouraging female participation in science and technology ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ”ฌ. As award chair for the 2025 Australian Microwave Symposium ๐Ÿ… and a past session organizer for major IEEE and EuCAP conferences, she actively contributes to the global antenna research community ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿ“ก. She also provides project supervision, peer reviews, and guidance to students and engineers, playing a key role in shaping future tech talent and research direction ๐Ÿš€๐Ÿง‘โ€๐Ÿ”ฌ.

๐Ÿ”น Research Focusย 

Dr. Singhโ€™s research centers on high-power, metasurface-based millimetre-wave antennas ๐Ÿ“กโšก with beam-steering and in-antenna power-combining features. Her work has major applications in defence, space, maritime, and satellite communications ๐Ÿ›ฐ๏ธ๐Ÿšข. She collaborates with Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) to design antennas suited for compact, power-constrained environments ๐Ÿ› ๏ธ. Her contributions enable better surveillance, radar, and communication systems in mission-critical scenarios ๐ŸŽฏ. She is also exploring inter-satellite link antennas and intelligent surfaces for next-gen wireless communication ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿ“ถ, cementing her role at the intersection of advanced electromagnetics, microwave engineering, and national security defense systems ๐Ÿ›ก๏ธ.

๐Ÿ”น Awards & Honorsย 

๐Ÿ† Awards & Honors:

  • ๐Ÿฅ‡ Winner โ€“ 2024 ICEAA โ€“ IEEE APWC Best Paper Award

  • ๐Ÿ… Winner โ€“ 2023 Eureka Prize for Outstanding Science for Safeguarding Australia

  • ๐Ÿ‘ Finalist โ€“ 2025 AUS SPACE Academic Research Team of the Year

  • ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿš€ Finalist โ€“ 2024 ADM Women in Defence (R&D Category)

  • ๐Ÿงช Finalist โ€“ 2022 UTS Vice-Chancellorโ€™s Award for Research Excellence

  • โญ Top 200 Reviewer โ€“ IEEE Transactions on Antennas & Propagation (2023)

  • ๐Ÿฅ‡ Winner โ€“ 2019 IEEE NSW Outstanding Student Volunteer

  • ๐Ÿ’ฐ Winner โ€“ CHOOSEMATHS Grant by AMSI & BHP Foundation (2017)

  • ๐ŸŽ“ Scholarships โ€“ iRTP (2017โ€“2020), LNMIIT Research Stipend (2012โ€“2014)

Publication Top Notes

๐Ÿ“˜ 1. Controlling the Most Significant Grating Lobes in Two-Dimensional Beam-Steering Systems with Phase-Gradient Metasurfaces

  • Authors: K. Singh, M.U. Afzal, M. Kovaleva, K.P. Esselle

  • Journal: IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation

  • Volume/Issue: 68(3), Pages 1389โ€“1401

  • Year: 2019

  • Citations: 86

  • DOI: 10.1109/TAP.2019.2940403

  • Highlights:

    • Introduced techniques to control dominant grating lobes in 2D beam-steering.

    • Employed phase-gradient metasurfaces to steer beams without complex feed networks.

    • Achieved low sidelobe levels and improved directivity.

    • Combined analytical modeling with full-wave electromagnetic simulations.

๐Ÿ“— 2. Designing Efficient Phase-Gradient Metasurfaces for Near-Field Meta-Steering Systems

  • Authors: K. Singh, M.U. Afzal, K.P. Esselle

  • Journal: IEEE Access

  • Volume: 9, Pages 109080โ€“109093

  • Year: 2021

  • Citations: 34

  • DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3102204

  • Highlights:

    • Focused on near-field applications such as wireless power transfer.

    • Proposed a method to optimize phase response for compact metasurfaces.

    • Improved phase accuracy and minimized aperture size.

    • Demonstrated via simulations and measured prototypes.

๐Ÿ“™ 3. State-of-the-Art Passive Beam-Steering Antenna Technologies: Challenges and Capabilities

  • Authors: F. Ahmed, K. Singh, K.P. Esselle

  • Journal: IEEE Access

  • Volume: 11, Pages 69101โ€“69116

  • Year: 2023

  • Citations: 28

  • DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3285260

  • Highlights:

    • Comprehensive review of passive beam-steering technologies.

    • Covers reconfigurable metasurfaces, mechanical rotation, and tunable materials.

    • Discusses energy efficiency, low-cost manufacturing, and practical limitations.

    • Key insight for researchers targeting 6G, IoT, and wearable tech.

๐Ÿ“• 4. Evaluation Planning for Artificial Intelligence-Based Industry 6.0 Metaverse Integration

  • Author: K. Singh

  • Conference: Intelligent Human Systems Integration (IHSI 2023)

  • Year: 2023

  • Citations: 27

  • DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-28032-0_40

  • Highlights:

    • Discusses AI-driven frameworks for integrating Industry 6.0 with the metaverse.

    • Addresses human-system interaction, digital twins, and smart automation.

    • Proposes an evaluation roadmap for real-time metaverse-industrial synergy.

    • Useful for future cyber-physical systems and smart manufacturing.

๐Ÿ“’ 5. Accurate Optimization Technique for Phase-Gradient Metasurfaces Used in Compact Near-Field Meta-Steering Systems

  • Authors: K. Singh, M.U. Afzal, K.P. Esselle

  • Journal: Scientific Reports (Nature Publishing Group)

  • Volume: 12, Article 4118

  • Year: 2022

  • Citations: 20

  • DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08057-8

  • Highlights:

    • Developed a precise numerical optimization technique for metasurface design.

    • Reduced phase errors, enabling high-accuracy near-field beam control.

    • Achieved better performance in compact and portable systems.

    • Practical for radar, medical imaging, and wireless power applications.

Conclusion

Dr. Khushboo Singh exemplifies the qualities of an outstanding researcher โ€” innovative, impactful, and committed to scientific excellence. Her exceptional track record in antenna technology for defense and space applications, combined with her leadership in mentoring and research supervision, makes her a standout candidate for the Best Researcher Award. Her research is not only scientifically robust but also socially and nationally significant, particularly in safeguarding technological frontiers of Australia.

She is a role model for aspiring researchers, especially women in STEM, and a worthy recipient of such an honor.

Yun Zhao | Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yun Zhao | Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Yun Zhao at Northwest Normal University, China

Dr. Yun Zhao ๐ŸŽ“ is an Associate Professor at the College of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Northwest Normal University ๐Ÿซ, since 2020. He earned his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering ๐Ÿงช from the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ, in 2020. Shortly after, he joined the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering ๐Ÿ”ฌ as a postdoctoral researcher. His work focuses on thin film photodetectors ๐Ÿ“ธ and semiconductor devices ๐Ÿ’ก. Dr. Zhao is passionate about next-gen optoelectronics and is actively contributing to innovation in functional materials and device engineering ๐Ÿš€.

Professional Profile:

Orcid

Scopus

๐ŸŽ“ Education & Experienceย 

  • ๐Ÿ“š Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS โ€“ 2020

  • ๐Ÿง‘โ€๐Ÿซ Postdoctoral Researcher, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, CAS

  • ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿซ Associate Professor, College of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Northwest Normal University โ€“ Since 2020

๐Ÿ“ˆ Professional Developmentย 

Dr. Yun Zhao continuously engages in academic and research development through national and institutional collaborations ๐Ÿค. His postdoctoral work at the prestigious Ningbo Institute of CAS sharpened his experimental techniques and deepened his expertise in advanced semiconductors โš™๏ธ. As an associate professor, he mentors young researchers ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ”ฌ and collaborates on interdisciplinary projects across optics, electronics, and nanotechnology ๐Ÿ”. He regularly attends academic conferences, publishes in reputed journals ๐Ÿ“„, and reviews scientific manuscripts. His dedication to professional growth ensures he stays at the forefront of innovation in functional materials and optoelectronic devices ๐ŸŒ.

๐Ÿ”ฌ Research Focusย 

Dr. Yun Zhaoโ€™s research primarily revolves around thin film photodetectors ๐Ÿ“ธ and semiconductor devices โšก. His focus lies in designing and fabricating new materials with enhanced sensitivity, stability, and performance for light-sensing technologies ๐ŸŒž. He explores emerging materials such as perovskites and nanostructures ๐ŸŒฑ for integration into flexible and wearable electronics ๐Ÿงค. His work bridges the gap between material science and applied electronics, aiming to revolutionize future optoelectronic systems ๐Ÿ”‹. The end goal of his research is to contribute to high-performance, low-cost, and energy-efficient devices for real-world applications ๐Ÿš—๐Ÿ“ฑ.

๐Ÿ† Awards and Honorsย 

  • ๐ŸŽ–๏ธ Ph.D. fellowship from the Chinese Academy of Sciences

  • ๐Ÿ… Postdoctoral appointment at Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (CAS)

  • ๐Ÿ† Recognized for outstanding research contributions in thin film photodetectors

  • ๐Ÿ“œ Multiple peer-reviewed publications in reputed international journals

Publication Top Notes

1. Understanding Proton Radiation-Induced Degradation Mechanisms in Cuโ‚‚ZnSn(S,Se)โ‚„ Kesterite Thin-Film Solar Cells

Journal: Solar Energy
Date: May 2025
DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113450
Summary:
This study investigates how proton radiation affects the stability and performance of Cuโ‚‚ZnSn(S,Se)โ‚„ (CZTSSe) thin-film solar cells. Proton radiation is relevant for space applications where solar cells are exposed to high-energy particles. The paper likely explores:

  • Changes in carrier lifetimes and defect states post-irradiation.

  • Structural or compositional changes in the absorber layer.

  • Strategies to mitigate degradation for improved radiation tolerance.

2. Multifunctional Artificial Electric Synapse of MoSeโ‚‚-Based Memristor toward Neuromorphic Application

Journal: The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
Date: February 6, 2025
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c03353
Summary:
This article presents a MoSeโ‚‚-based memristor designed to emulate biological synapses. The work focuses on neuromorphic computing, highlighting:

  • Synaptic plasticity behaviors (e.g., potentiation/depression).

  • Multifunctionality (possibly electrical + optical control).

  • Performance metrics like switching speed, retention, and endurance.

3. Exploring the Promoting Effect of Lanthanum Passivation on the Photovoltaic Performance of CZTSSe Solar Cells

Journal: The Journal of Chemical Physics
Date: December 21, 2024
DOI: 10.1063/5.0244645
Summary:
This paper studies how lanthanum (La) passivation enhances CZTSSe solar cell efficiency. Key aspects likely include:

  • Reduction in defect densities at grain boundaries or interfaces.

  • Improvements in open-circuit voltage and fill factor.

  • Insights into Laโ€™s role in modifying electronic structure or surface chemistry.

4. Electrical-Light Coordinately Modulated Synaptic Memristor Based on Tiโ‚ƒCโ‚‚ MXene for Near-Infrared Artificial Vision Applications

Journal: The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
Date: August 29, 2024
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c02281
Summary:
This research showcases a Tiโ‚ƒCโ‚‚ MXene-based memristor that responds to both electrical and light inputs, mimicking the retina for near-infrared vision. Highlights include:

  • Dual-mode modulation (electrical and optical).

  • Application in neuromorphic visual systems.

  • Spectral response analysis and synaptic behavior simulation.

5. Multicolor Fully Light-Modulated Artificial Synapse Based on P-MoSeโ‚‚/PxOy Heterostructured Memristor

Journal: The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
Date: August 29, 2024
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c01980
Summary:
This study introduces a heterostructured memristor combining P-doped MoSeโ‚‚ and PxOy, enabling light-tuned synaptic responses. Likely contributions:

  • Multicolor light sensitivity for multi-channel processing.

  • Photonic modulation of conductance states.

  • Integration prospects for optical neuromorphic systems.

Conclusion

Dr. Yun Zhao is highly suitable for the Best Researcher Award, particularly in categories related to emerging materials, device physics, or engineering sciences. His rapid academic progression, focused and relevant research in photodetectors and semiconductors, and training at top-tier institutions within the Chinese Academy of Sciences establish him as a promising and impactful researcher. Recognition through such an award would be both meritorious and motivating for his continued contributions to the field.