Members

Haixing Li obtained her B.S. in Physics from the University of Science and Technology of China in 2012 where she did her undergraduate thesis with Prof. Xianhui Chen growing oxides in search of superconductors. During her undergraduate studies, she also spent a summer at the University of Oxford learning quantum optics. She then moved to Columbia University and earned her Ph.D. in Applied Physics in 2017 under the guidance of Prof. Latha Venkataraman uncovering electronic properties of molecular silicon. She worked as a postdoctoral fellow and later a Charles H. Revson Senior Fellow in the laboratory of Prof. Ruben Gonzalez at Columbia University studying mechanisms of ribosomal frameshifting from 2017 to 2021. Haixing Li is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at City University of Hong Kong. Courses that she teaches at CityU include General Physics III, Advanced Measurement and Instrumentation, Physics in Medicine, and Advanced Imaging Physics.

J.M. An was born and raised in China. He received his B.Sc. in Automation from Bohai University, where he spent his time to develop photodetectors in optical image recognition with Prof. Xuebo Yang. He later completed his M.Sc. degree in Optical Engineering from Dalian Polytechnic University with Prof. H. Lin and Prof. D.S. Li and developed a love for luminescence with rare earth elements. During his graduate studies, he spent a brief time as a research assistant in Research Institute of Photonics and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences with Prof. G. Li and Prof. D.S. Li. He then moved to Hong Kong to pursue a Ph.D. in Physics working at City University of Hong Kong, China. He is looking forward to integrating his optical science background with molecular electronics in the laboratory of Dr. Haixing Li. Outside of lab, he enjoys playing saxophone, cracking software and making RPG games by UE4.

Weiyi Guo holds a MSc degree in Chemical Engineering from Columbia University. He previously earned his BSc degree in Applied Chemistry from Nankai University. As part of the Li Lab, his research interests focus on the electrochemical gating to tune molecular energy levels and he hopes to achieve a controllable quantum interference effect by adjusting the electrode potential. In his free time, he likes to travel and watch Formula One races.

Xueling Xu received her Bachelor’s degree in physical chemistry from University of Science and Technology of China in 2023, and then she becomes a master, and later a PhD student in materials engineering and nanotechnology of City University of Hong Kong in July, 2023 under the supervision of Prof. Haixing Li and Prof. Dangyuan Lei. Her research interests include theoretic model experimental verification and machine learning for break junction data classification. She always spends her free time on swimming and fishing.

Song completed his B.S in Bioengineering in 2018, followed by postgraduate studies in polymer chemistry at Beijing University of Chemical technology, where he received his Master’s degree in 2021. During his postgraduate studies, he focused on organic chemistry and polymer materials. He joins LI’s lab as a doctoral candidate in Sep. 2023. He enjoys running and playing puzzle games in his leisure time.

Yihao Zhang completed her B.S. in Physics from Central China Normal University in 2023. She obtained her M.S. in Applied Physics from the City University of Hong Kong in 2024. She is working on single molecule conductance measurements with Ag electrodes under the supervision of Prof. Haixing Li. Her research interests include medical imaging and multidisciplinary physical chemistry and biology integration. She likes to play badminton and cook delicious food in her free time.

Yaran Cheng received her BSc degree in Applied Chemistry from Qingdao University of Science and Technology. She later got the MSc degree in Chemical Engineering and Technology from Beijing Institute of Technology with Prof. Q. Wu and Prof. H.S. Li, mainly working in catalysis. She joins Li lab as a research assistant and later a PhD candidate in 2024. She enjoys running and traveling in her leisure time.

Yidong Xiao earned his Bachelor’s degree in Polymer Materials and Engineering from Beijing University of Chemical Technology in 2021, and his Master’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering from South China Normal University in 2024. His research focuses on electrochemistry and polymer materials, particularly in energy storage applications. He is passionate about applying technological innovations to solve real-world challenges and takes great satisfaction in the process. In his free time, he enjoys playing football and reading science fiction and mystery novels.

My name is Shaarib, and I am currently a final-year physics major with a minor in neuroscience at City University of Hong Kong. I have a deep passion for experimental physics and aspire to pursue higher studies, with the goal of contributing to academia. My research interests include molecular electronics, quantum conductance, nanoscale materials, and areas of space physics and astrophysics, as I am fascinated by both the microscopic and cosmic scales of the physical universe. My Final Year Project explores conductance in nitro molecules, allowing me to engage in hands-on experimentation and further develop my understanding of molecular behavior in electronic systems.