Yang NanMember of the Communist Party of China
Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering
PhD Supervisor
Listed among the World’s Top 2% Scientists
Published more than 50 high-level SCI academic papers
2022: Won the Second Prize of the Paper Award at the 11th Annual Academic Conference of Shantou Association for Science and Technology
2023: Guided students to win the Third Prize in the regional final of the “Jingdiao Cup” Graduation Design Competition of the China University Student Mechanical Engineering Innovation and Creativity Contest, and the Third Prize in the 17th “Challenge Cup” Guangdong College Students’ Extracurricular Academic and Technological Works Competition
2024: Selected into the World’s Top 2% Scientists list; guided students to win the Third Prize in the national final and the First Prize in South China Division of the 19th “GigaDevice Cup” China Graduate Electronic Design Competition
2025: Guided students to win the Third Prize in Guangdong Division of the 10th National College Students’ Life Science Competition
Delving into Cutting-Edge Research, Solving Technical Challenges through Innovation
Mechanical computing is a key field for breaking through the application bottlenecks of semiconductor devices in extreme environments. With a sincere commitment to scientific research, Yang Nan has long targeted pain points in the field, exploring the unknown and making breakthroughs amid challenges.
Facing the industrial problem that traditional electronic computing is vulnerable to electromagnetic and radiation interference, he led his team to focus on the chiral metamaterial’s compression-torsion coupling characteristics, opening up a new path for mechanical logic computing.
The team innovatively designed a 3D-printed chiral base system, realizing programmable stiffness regulation through interactions between units. They successfully constructed a full set of basic logic gates and built a half-adder system. Relevant achievements were published in Virtual and Physical Prototyping, a CAS Zone 1 journal, providing a brand-new solution for the development of mechanical computing in extreme environments.
From theoretical modeling, 3D printing preparation, finite element analysis to experimental verification, he led the team to overcome interdisciplinary challenges. Driven by curiosity and perseverance, they continue to expand the boundaries of design and application of mechanical metamaterials.
Fulfilling the Mission of Education, Cultivating Innovative Talents with Craftsmanship
As a Party member teacher, Yang Nan has always adhered to the “deep integration of teaching and research”, taking the cultivation of innovative talents as his core responsibility and building a high-level scientific research practice platform for undergraduates.
He attaches great importance to scientific research enlightenment for junior students, holding special lectures such as Scientific Paper Writing and Exploring Mechanical Metamaterials in the academy. He breaks down research logic and popularizes cutting-edge knowledge, effectively lowering the threshold for entry into scientific research.
In scientific research practice, he provides immersive guidance for undergraduates to participate in core research, covering model construction, simulation analysis, experimental testing and data processing. Through one-on-one precise guidance and group seminars, he helps students break through knowledge barriers and develop scientific thinking and innovation capabilities.
Luo Jiahong, a 2023 undergraduate student, deeply participated in the core research of a CAS Zone 1 journal paper, becoming a typical example of undergraduates engaging in scientific and technological innovation.
Meanwhile, he led students to compete in various scientific and technological innovation competitions, winning many national and provincial honors. Through practical experience, he sharpened students’ comprehensive abilities and helped them grow into high-quality applied talents.
Upholding the Character of a Party Member, Interpreting Responsibility through Solid Work
Devoted to research and dedicated to education, Yang Nan always keeps in mind the original aspiration and mission of a Party member teacher, integrating Party spirit cultivation into the whole process of scientific research and teaching.
He has deeply promoted industry-university-research integration, proactively visiting enterprises and hospitals in Shantou, Shenzhen and other places to accurately meet practical technical needs. He has promoted the application of research results such as porous lightweight structures and flexible intelligent structures, helping enterprises upgrade technology, shorten R&D cycles and reduce trial production costs.
In his view, a Party member teacher should be both a “climber” on the frontiers of scientific research and a “guide” for students’ growth.
He has always maintained a passionate spirit for scientific research and stayed true to the mission of fostering virtue through education. With rigorous scholarship and selfless dedication, he forges ahead on the road of mechanical metamaterial research and keeps working diligently in teaching.
With concrete actions, he interprets the responsibility and commitment of a Party member teacher in the new era, making solid contributions to the development of the university’s innovation and entrepreneurship education and to the country’s scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement.
