Biography

Chizhi Chris Zhang is an Associate Professor at the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and a PhD Supervisor in Signal Processing at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

His work connects AI, signal processing, and reliability analysis for engineering systems, with current interests in diagnosis, prognosis, and health assessment under uncertainty.

Research Areas
Trustworthy AI for Engineering Systems Signal-based Diagnosis Reliability and PHM Predictive Modelling under Uncertainty
Student Opportunities

PhD and master's applicants through UCAS are welcome. Students with backgrounds in signal processing, applied mathematics, mechanics, control, computing, or data analysis are especially encouraged to apply.

News

Our student paper “Task-Aligned Variational CPAE with Stacking Ensemble Learning for CMP Material Removal Rate Prediction” received the Best Student Paper Award at SRSE 2026.

Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning course materials are available for the fall semester of the 2026–2027 academic year.

Published work on Bayesian partial pooling for early-stage lifetime prediction in Journal of Dynamics, Monitoring and Diagnostics. Article.

Published work on variable-length inspection scheduling and condition-based maintenance of VCSELs in Reliability Engineering & System Safety. Article · Data and scripts.

“Evolving Portfolio Heuristics: A Self-Correcting LLM Framework for Portfolio Optimization” received the Best Paper Award at DOCS 2025.

“Integrating AI Agents with Classical Reliability Assessment via LLMs of Semiconductor Lasers” received the Best Paper Award at SRSE 2025.

My student Zunxiang Wang received the Best Student Paper Award at SRSE 2025 for “Phase-Modulated LSTM for the Degradation Prediction of Chemical Mechanical Planarization.”

Our student presentation “Multi-Objective Optimization Framework for Maintenance and Reliability of Optical Systems” received Best Session Presentation at SRSE 2025.

Selected for the Jilin Province Provincial Talent Program D (2025–2030).

Appointed Associate Professor at the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics (CIOMP), Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Selected for the Jilin Province Outstanding Young Talents Program (Changbai Talent Program, 2024–2029).

Selected for the Chinese Academy of Sciences Young Talents Program (program period: 2024–2027).

Academic Appointments

 
 
 
 
 
Associate Professor
The Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics (CIOMP)
2024 - Present Changchun, China
Leads research in digital engineering, reliability and PHM, predictive modelling, signal-informed analysis, and AI-enabled engineering analytics, while teaching and supervising postgraduate researchers through UCAS.
 
 
 
 
 
Lecturer
University of Hull
Mar 2023 - Dec 2023 Hull, UK
Delivered teaching in engineering mathematics, fluid mechanics, programming, and control while supporting applied research in digital engineering.
 
 
 
 
 
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
University of Hull
Mar 2020 - Mar 2023 Hull, UK
Worked on offshore wind energy research, simulation workflow development, blade lifetime assessment, and reliability-informed engineering analysis, including VOX-FE-based engineering workflows.
 
 
 
 
 
Research Fellow
University of Cambridge
Sep 2019 - Apr 2020 Cambridge, UK
Investigated computational methods for acoustophoretic separation of circulating tumor cells in a microfluidics research setting.

Education

Formal degree study is listed together with clearly marked non-degree academic study and prior undergraduate study.

 
 
 
 
 
Non-degree study
MA in Global Public Policy
University of Birmingham
2024 - 2025 Birmingham, UK
Academic coursework and writing experience; not listed as an awarded degree.
 
 
 
 
 
Non-degree study
BA in International Business
University of Hull
2021 - 2024 Hull, UK
Coursework and dissertation-style academic writing; not listed as an awarded degree.
 
 
 
 
 
PhD in Computer-Aided Engineering
University of Greenwich
Dec 2014 - Jun 2019 London, UK
Doctoral research on fatigue damage modelling, reliability assessment, and maintenance strategy for wind turbine composite blades.
 
 
 
 
 
MSc in Engineering
University of Bradford
Sep 2013 - Dec 2014 Bradford, UK
Advanced training in engineering analysis, numerical methods, and computational modelling.
 
 
 
 
 
BEng in Civil Engineering
Chongqing University
Sep 2009 - Jun 2013 Chongqing, China
Foundation in structural analysis, mechanics, and engineering computation, following an internal transfer from Management studies in 2009.
 
 
 
 
 
Transferred major
Undergraduate Study in Management
Chongqing University
2008 - 2009 Chongqing, China
Initial bachelor's study before transferring internally to Civil Engineering.

Selected Publications

Selected outputs from the full faculty CV, including journal articles and refereed conference proceedings.

Selected Journal Articles
  1. Prefix Treatment and Bayesian Partial Pooling for Early-Stage Lifetime Prediction from Degradation Data C. C. Zhang, X. Feng, and J. Jiang, Journal of Dynamics, Monitoring and Diagnostics, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 117–130, May 2026. Article.
  2. Variable-length multiobjective optimization of inspection schedules for condition-based maintenance of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers under imperfect detection C. C. Zhang, X. Feng, and H. Zhang, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 277, Art. no. 113039, 2026. ScienceDirect · Data and scripts.
  3. Reliability-based lifetime fatigue damage assessment of offshore composite wind turbine blades C. Zhang, H. P. Chen, K. F. Tee, and D. Liang, Journal of Aerospace Engineering, vol. 34, no. 3, Art. no. 04021019, 2021.
  4. Fatigue damage assessment of wind turbine composite blades using corrected blade element momentum theory C. Zhang, H. P. Chen, and T. L. Huang, Measurement, vol. 129, pp. 102–111, 2018.
  5. Stochastic modelling fatigue crack evolution and optimum maintenance strategy for composite blades of wind turbines H. P. Chen, C. Zhang, and T. L. Huang, Structural Engineering and Mechanics, vol. 63, no. 6, pp. 703–712, 2017.
Selected Conference Papers
  1. Task-Aligned Variational CPAE with Stacking Ensemble Learning for CMP Material Removal Rate Prediction International Conference on System Reliability and Safety Engineering (SRSE), 2026. Best Student Paper Award.
  2. Evolving Portfolio Heuristics: A Self-Correcting LLM Framework for Portfolio Optimization X. Chen, Z. Wang, and C. Zhang*, in Proc. 2025 7th Int. Conf. Data-driven Optimization of Complex Systems (DOCS), pp. 540–545, 2025. Best Paper Award.
  3. Reliability Analysis of Photovoltaic Modules Based on Joint Bayesian Model C. C. Zhang, Z. Wang, K. F. Tee, and J. Jiang, in Proc. 2025 16th Int. Conf. Reliability, Maintainability and Safety (ICRMS), pp. 143–147, 2025.
  4. Integrating AI Agents with Classical Reliability Assessment via LLMs of Semiconductor Lasers C. C. Zhang, T. Wang, and J. Jiang*, in Proc. 7th Int. Conf. System Reliability and Safety Engineering (SRSE), 2025. Best Paper Award.
  5. Phase-Modulated LSTM for the Degradation Prediction of Chemical Mechanical Planarization Z. Wang, C. C. Zhang*, X. Ke, T. Wang, and S. Zhang, in Proc. 7th Int. Conf. System Reliability and Safety Engineering (SRSE), 2025. Best Student Paper Award.
  6. Multi-Objective Optimization Framework for Maintenance and Reliability of Optical Systems S. Zhang, X. Ke, Z. Wang, J. Li, C. C. Zhang, and T. Wang*, in Proc. 7th Int. Conf. System Reliability and Safety Engineering (SRSE), 2025. Best Session Presentation.
  7. Proactive maintenance strategy for submarine pipelines based on stochastic modelling of deterioration due to corrosion H. Zhang, C. C. Zhang*, J. Jiang, X. Chen, J. Dong, and D. Liang, in Proc. 2024 6th Int. Conf. System Reliability and Safety Engineering (SRSE), pp. 87–91, 2024.
Full Publications

Browse the full publications page for journal articles, refereed conference proceedings, invited talks, and software outputs.

Open Full

Teaching & Supervision

Teaching Record
Fall 2026

Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning

Open Course
Spring 2026

Artificial Intelligence and Neural Networks

Open Course
Spring 2025

Artificial Intelligence and Neural Networks

Spring 2023

Mathematics for Engineers

2022

Fluid Mechanics and Finite Element Method

Supervision Record (until 2026)
1 PhD in progress
5 Master's students in progress
2 Master's students completed

The two completed master's students continued to doctoral study at UCAS.

Contact

Email

zhangchizhi@ciomp.ac.cn

Institution

Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China.