Prof. Yao Shujian | Transportation Systems | Transportation Research Award

Prof. Yao Shujian is a distinguished faculty member at the Railway College of Central South University, where he was promoted to professor ahead of schedule through special assessment. He obtained his academic training from Central South University and the National University of Defense Technology, with his doctoral dissertation recognized as an outstanding thesis in Hunan Province and shortlisted among 18 national finalists by the Chinese Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics. Recognized as both a national-level young talent and a Hunan Provincial Young Talent, he specializes in impact dynamics of structural materials, composite material structure design, energy absorption and buffering mechanisms, and experimental mechanics. His strong research performance is evidenced by 51 publications, 1,090 citations across 709 documents, and an h-index of 16, highlighting both productivity and scholarly influence. Over the past five years, he has successfully led more than 20 high-level research projects, including three major projects exceeding 10 million yuan in funding. Representative works include projects supported by the Military Commission Science and Technology Commission, Rocket Force Equipment Department, and Air Force Equipment Department, with responsibilities ranging up to 30 million yuan in budget allocations and leadership roles in groundbreaking defense-related initiatives involving phase change technology, high-speed controllable systems, and liquid-gas phase change devices, underscoring his influential contributions to advanced materials research and defense engineering.