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 taught at CityUHK include General Physics III, Physics in Medicine, and Advanced Imaging Physics. Currently she is teaching Statistical Mechanics and Advanced Measurement and Instrumentation.

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 and did her Master project in the Haixing Li Group. Her research focuses on conductance of single-molecule junctions formed with Ag electrodes and chemical reactions catalyzed by an applied electric field. 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 started as a Research Assistant in 2024 and later a PhD student in 2025 working in the Haixing Li Group. 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.

Jessica Leyi Shen is an undergraduate student from Guangzhou currently studying at City University of Hong Kong. As a Physics student, she is deeply interested in exploring different parts of the world and gaining a deeper understanding of various concepts in physics. She is passionate about learning through both academic research and cultural experiences. Outside of her studies, her hobbies include dancing and painting, which allow her to express creativity and maintain a balanced lifestyle.

ZHANG Saiya is an undergraduate Physics student at City University of Hong Kong, originally from Fujian, China. He developed a strong interest in solid state physics during a two-and-a-half-month internship at the China Spallation Neutron Source, where he gained hands-on experience with phonons and neutron scattering techniques. This exposure deepened his curiosity about the microscopic world and motivated him to pursue further research in this area. Beyond academics, he enjoys making music in his spare time, finding it creative and entertaining when doing it.