Derek Hao

Dr. Derek Hao

Vice Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellowship

Details

  • College: School of Science
  • Department: School of Science
  • Campus: City Campus Australia
  • derek.hao@rmit.edu.au

Open to

  • Masters Research or PhD student supervision
  • Collaborative projects
  • Industry Projects
  • Media enquiries
  • Membership of an advisory committee

About

Derek Hao is a materials scientist and environmental engineer with experiences at world-leading research institutes. He is now a Vice Chancellor's Research Fellowship at School of Science, RMIT University. In 2022, he was awarded the Humboldt Research Fellowship and worked at Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Germany under the supervision of world-leading chemist Markus Antonietti. In 2023, he was awarded RMIT University's 2023 Vice Chancellor's Research Fellowship. Both these two fellowships are highly competitive and prestigious fellowship schemes, indicating his outstanding academic achievement.

Dr. Hao's research primarily focuses on developing advanced materials for environmental sustainability and energy conversion processes. His work is at the intersection of materials science, nanotechnology, and renewable energy, aiming to address critical environmental challenges. His current research focuses on sustainable solutions for waste plastics, including novel catalysts to convert waste plastics to valuable monomers/materials, new methods for micro/plastic detection, the toxicology of micro/nano plastics etc. He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed papers (40 in journals with an impact factor > 10, and 10 papers with impact factor > 20) in top-tier journals in materials and chemistry, including Chemical Society Reviews, Materials Today, Advanced Energy Materials, Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, etc. The average impact factor of his publications is 11 and his publications have a Field-Weighted Citation Impact of 4.63, which means his outputs have been cited 363% more times than expected at the world average for similar publications. Six of his papers were featured on the cover of journals. Fifteen of his publications have been recognized as ESI Highly Cited Papers and 3 of his publications are Hot Papers ranked by Web of Science. These publications have been cited over 5100 times, giving an H-index of 41 (Google Scholar). His name was included in the 2022 and 2023 Stanford Elsevier List of World's Top 2% Scientists in the field of Environmental Sciences and the sub-field of Physical Chemistry.

He has successfully obtained over AU$ 1.2m in research funding and fellowships from prestigious entities in Australia, Germany, the European Union, etc. This achievement is not only of fundamental significance but also demonstrates a wide-reaching impact on the industry. Furthermore, two patents he holds on bismuth catalysts have been successfully commercialised by Karamay Youlian Industrial Co., Ltd., generating upwards of AU$ 500k in annual profits for the company. This contribution underscores the tangible value of his research and innovation to the commercial sector.

He is currently working at RMIT University (City Campus), engaging in extensive collaboration with researchers from Australia, China, Germany, Germany, India, Poland, the USA, etc. He not only pushes the boundaries of scientific knowledge in solar energy conversion, nanomaterials, and nanotechnologies but also aims at practical solutions for pressing environmental issues, demonstrating a profound commitment to leveraging science for a sustainable future.

Research fields

  • 3402 Inorganic chemistry
  • 340606 Photochemistry
  • 4018 Nanotechnology
  • 401106 Waste management, reduction, reuse and recycling
  • 400410 Wastewater treatment processes
  • 340604 Electrochemistry
  • 401605 Functional materials
  • 32 Biomedical and clinical sciences

UN sustainable development goals

  • 6 Clean Water and Sanitation
  • 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
  • 13 Climate Action
  • 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Academic positions

  • Vice Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellowship
  • RMIT University
  • Melbourne, Australia
  • 3 Jul 2023 – Present
  • Humboldt Research Fellow
  • Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces
  • Potsdam, Germany
  • 1 Aug 2022 – 23 Jun 2023
  • Research Fellow
  • Griffith University
  • , Australia
  • 16 Aug 2021 – 15 Jul 2022

Teaching interests

Derek is teaching Advanced Instrumental Analysis and Spectroscopy (2450) for undergraduate students. He is also active for Hounor, Masters Research and PhD supervision.

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Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.