Research

Current Research Students 

1. Yehong Xu (PhD, from The University of Queensland, started in January 2021) Global Routing in Road Networks

2. Xi Zhao (PhD, from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, started in September 2022 and funded by the HKPFS scheme, visiting NUS from June - August 2025 and ByteDance from November 2025 - Januray 2026) Approximate Search in High-dimensional Spaces

3. Shiwen Wu (PhD, from Peking University, started in September 2022) Entity Resolution and Data Quality Management 

4. Jiawei Li (PhD, from Jacobs University Bremen, Germany, started in Sept 2023) Semantic Search in Large-Scale Point Cloud Databases

5. Elton Chun Chai Li (MPhil, from HKUST, started in September 2024, Oct 20205 - April 2026 internship with JP Morgan) Routing Optimization in Reconfigurable Cargo Networks

6. Jimmy Kwun Hang Lau (MPhil, from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, started in September 2024, August 2025 - Jan 2026 internship with Huawei Research Hong Kong) Temporal RAG

7. Harry Jounghoon Kim (PhD, from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, started in September 2024, partially supported by Huawei Fellowship) Indexing and Search for Ultra Large Vectors 

8. Zhenjun Huang (PhD, from Beihang University, started in September 2024 and funded by the PCL Scholarship Scheme) Graph RAG

9. Weijie Shi (PhD, from Soochow University, started in September 2024, May-August 2025 internship at Alibaba) Data Selection and Query Diversification for LLM

10. Zhoujin Tian (PhD, from Beihang University, started in September 2024, partially supported by Huawei Fellowship) Multi-vector Query Processing

11. Junle Chen (PhD, from Harbin Institute of Technology, started in September 2025)

12. Sherry Sau Lai Yip (MPhil, from HKUST, started in September 2025)

To start:

1. Ms Selena Song (from The University of Queensland, to start in September 2026)

2. Mr Yongqi Li (from Wuhan University, to start in September 2026)

3. Mr Zhicheng Hu (from UIUC, to start in September 2026)

4. Ms Nujibieke Shabuerjiang (from HKUST, to start in September 2026)

Co-supervision:

1. Zizhuo Xu (PhD, from Cornell University, started in September 2021, based on the Guangzhou campus, principal supervisor Prof Lei Li)

2. Jiawen Zhang (PhD, from the Chinese Academy of Science, based on the Guangzhou campus, principal supervisor Prof Jia Li)

3. Zhihan Luo (PhD, from The University of Queensland, based on the Guangzhou campus, principal supervisor Prof Lei Li)

Completed Research Students

PhD:

• 32. Jipeng Zhang (PhD, from The University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 2021 - 2025, under Professor Tong Zhang until Dec 2023) Enhancing Large Language Model via Data-Centric View: Strategies for Selection, Synthesis, and Evaluation.

• 31. Yao Tian (PhD, from Zhejiang University, 2021 - 2025) Bridging Databases and AI: from Efficient Vector Retrieval to Intelligent Data Systems. Left to join ByteDance.

• 30. Jing Zhao (PhD, from Soochow University, 2021 - 2025) Just-in-time Predicative Query Processing in Road Networks

• 29. Renjie Pi (PhD, from The University of Hong Kong,   2021 - 2025, under Prof Tong Zhang's supervision until Dec 2023) Visual Perception Enhanced Multimodal Large Language Models. Left to join NVIDIA USA.

• (Co-supervision) Xinjie Zhou (PhD, from Shanghai Jiaotong University, 2021 - 2025, based on the Guangzhou campus, principal supervisor Prof Lei Li) Scalable Shortest Path Query Processing on Dynamic Graphs. Left to join Huawei.

• (Co-supervision) Jianheng Tang (PhD, from Sun Yat-sen University, 2021 - 2025, based on the Guangzhou campus, co-principal supervisor Prof Jia Li) Graph-based Anomaly Detection, Similarity Computation, and Reasoning Exploration. Left to join ByteDance.

• 28. Yue Cui (PhD, from The University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 2021 - 2025) Fairness-alignment in Data-centric Machine Learning: From Regularization to Equilibrium. Left to join Alibaba.

• 27. Boyu Ruan (PhD, 2017 - 2021, from Tsinghua University) Large-scale graph algorithms. Now a Researcher at Hong Kong Huawei Research Center.

• 26. Mengxuan Zhang (PhD, 2018 - 2021, from Dalian University of Technology) Dynamic index maintenance for road networks and graphs. Now a Senior Lecturer at the Australian National University, Australia.

• 25. Ruiyuan Zhang (PhD, 2016 - 2020, from Aachen University of Technology, Germany, co-supervised with Prof Tapan Saha in Power Engineering at UQ) Microgrid Data Analytics. Now a researcher at the HK Generative AI Center (HKGAI). 

• 24. Doris Dan He (PhD, 2016 - 2019, from Peking University) Diversity query processing in spatiotemporal databases. Now a Data Scientist in the Queensland Government.

• 23. Pingfu Cao (PhD, 2016 - 2019, from East China Normal University) Large-scale transport network data analytics. Now an Associate Professor at Soochow University, China.

• 22. Bolong Zheng (PhD, 2014 - 2017, from Huangzhong University of Science and Technology) Spatiotemporal databases. Now a Professor at Huazhong University of Science and Technology

• 21. Douglas Alves Peixoto (PhD, 2015 - 2018, from Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Brazil). Parallel spatiotemporal database systems. Now works for IBM Brazil.

• 20. Lei Li (PhD, 2014 - 2018, from Harbin Institute of Technology) Time-dependent routing algorithms in road networks. Now an Assistant Professor at HKUST (GZ Campus).

• 19. Xingzhong Du (PhD, 2014 - 2017, from Nanjing University) Video databases. Now a Senior Applied Scientist at Oracle.

• 18. Saeid Hosseini (PhD, 2012 - 2017,  part-time from 2013 - 2015, from Queensland University of Technology) Using location information from social media. Now an Associate Professor at Sohar University, Oman.

• 17. Wen Hua (PhD, 2011 - 2015, from Renmin University of China) Entity linking. Now an Associate Professor at PolyU, HK.

• 16. Haozhou Wang (PhD, 2012 - 2015, from University of Queensland) In-memory Trajectory Databases. Now works for EMC China.

• 15. Ada Han Su (PhD, 2012 - 2015, from Nanjing University) Quality-aware trajectory query processing. Now an Associate Professor at the University of Electrical Science and Technology of China.

• 14. Dat T. Huynh (PhD,  2010 - 2014, from HoChiMinh City University of Technology) Entity Extraction from Unstructured Data on the Web.

• 13. Zhixu Li (PhD,  2009 - 2013, from Renmin University of China) Harvesting the Web for Linking and Imputing String Data in Databases. Now a Professor at Renmin University, China.

• 12. Felix Qing Xie (PhD, 2009 - 2012, from University of Science and Technology of China) Approximation and Exploration of Streaming Time Series Data. Now an Associate Professor at Wuhan University of Technology.

• 11. Kexin Xie (PhD, 2008 - 2012, from University of Queensland), Supporting Real-time Query Processing for Advanced Spatial Database Applications. Now a Senior Director & Architect, Software Engineering at Salesforce, USA.

• 10. Shuo Shang (PhD, 2009 - 2012, from Peking University). Spatial Query Processing for Trip Planning and Location Recommendation. Now a Professor at The University of Electronic Science and Technology of China.

• 9. Jia Zhu (PhD,  part-time 2006 - 2012, from Bond University), Robust Name Disambiguation Framework for Large Databases. Now an Associate Professor in South China Normal University.

• 8. Kevin Kai Zheng (PhD, 2009 - 2012, from Fudan University), Uncertainty Management in Spatiotemporal Database. Now a Professor at The University of Electrical Science and Technology of China.

• 7. Xiangmin Zhou (PhD, 2005 - 2008, from Northeast University, China), Similarity Search In Large Video Database. Now a Lecturer at RMIT University, Australia.

• 6. Saeid Asadi (PhD, 2004 - 2008), Dealing with Geographic Information in Location-Based Search Engines. Now an Associate Professor at Shahed University, Iran.

• 5. Ke Deng (PhD, 2004 - 2007, from Griffith University), Distance Ranking in Constraint-Based Spaces: An Elemental Problem in Spatial Query Processing. Now a Senior Lecturer at RMIT University, Australia.

• 4. Helen Zi Huang (PhD, 2003 - 2007, from Tsinghua University), Summarization-based Similarity Search for Complex Databases. Now a Professor and ARC Future Fellow at UQ.

• 3. Sai Sun (PhD, 2002 - 2006, from Nanjing University) Multiresolution and Semantic Caching: A Framework for Network-based Spatial Applications. 

• 2. Sham Prasher (PhD, 2001 - 2005, from University of Queensland) Query Processing in Multiresolution Spatial Databases. Now working with Mana Wind, Australia.

• 1. Kevin Kai Xu (PhD, 2000 - 2004, from Shanghai Jiaotong University) Database Support for Multiresolution Terrain Models. Now an Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham, UK.

Master By Research:

• 11. Oscar Zhonghan Chen (MPhil, from The University of Toronto, Sept 2023 - December 2025) Cardinality Estimation for Similarity Search: A Locality Sensitive Hashing Approach

• 10. Yue Liu (MPhil, from Zhejiang University, Sept 2023 - December 2025) On Faithful Citations in Retrieval Augmented Generation

• 9. Jian Yang (MPhil co-supervision, from The South China University of Technology, graduated in June 2024, based on the Guangzhou campus, principal supervisor Prof Zheyi Wen)

• 8. Ziyi Liu (MPhil, from QUT, started in Oct 2019 and converted to a PhD student under supervision by Dr Wen Hua in June 2021) Constraint shortest path problems

• 7. Xuanyi Zhang (MPhil, from University of California Santa Cruz, April 2019 - June 2021) An experimental study on constrained shortest path algorithms in road networks

• 6. Runhui Wang (MPhil, from Peking University, 2017 - 2019) Parallel Graph Algorithms. Now a PhD candidate at Rutgers University, USA.

• 5. Bingyu Yi (MPhil, August 2013 - December 2016, from Xi'an Jiaotong University)

• 4. Xin Li (Master student enrolled at Renmin University of China,  September 2011 - June 2014)

• 3. Jiping Wang (MPhil,  October 2012 - July 2014, from Tsinghua University) Efficient Distance-based Query Processing in Spatial Networks

• 2. Yiyue Gao (MPhil, Sept 2007 - March 2009, Associate Adverse: Dr Heng tao Shen) Comprehensive Evaluation of Image Color Features for CBIR Systems.

• 1. Bill Zhang (MPhil, August 2004 - Feb 2006) Data-Intensive Mediator-based Web Services Composition with Self-tuning Histogram. Now with Mincom in Denver, USA.

Other Research Students:

• Callum McDonald (Project Student 2011) Excerpt-level web search

• Haozhou Wang (Project Student 2011) Trajectory-based location ranking

• Doug Cathepole (MEng 2008) Efficiency in Visualizing Large-Scale Moving Objects

• Kexin Xie (MEng 2008) Supporting Data Provenance and Lineage Analysis for SQL Queries

• Ji Tao Gan (MSc 2008) Approximate Join Algorithms for Data Record Linking 

• Benjamin Cheviot (MSc 2007) Using Google Earth as a web search interface

• Sittichai Thongnopparat (MSc 2005) Address extract from Web pages

• Li Yang (MSc 2004, in collaboration with UQ CBIT) Semi-structured language processing for biological data, now working at tom.com in Beijing, China. 

• Yanqiu Richard Zhu (MSc 2004, Principle Adviser: Hoylen Sue and Linda Bird of DSTC)

• George Eng-Huan Pek (MSc 2002), Wrapper Validation

• David Horgan (Hons 2004) Progressive Spatial Vector Data Exchange

• Wei Yuan Ong (Hons 2004, Principle Adviser: Hoylen Sue and Linda Bird of DSTC)

• Lynn Teo (Hons 2003-4) Visualization and Surface Matching of 3D Protein Strictures

• Wissam (Sam) Hmud (Hons 2003-4), XML Containment Join Processing

• Christopher Lim (Hons 2003) Databases for the Grid

• Brendan Tse (Hons 2002) Managing Bioinformatics Data 

• Alex Hai Luong (Hons 2002) Evolution of Schemata within Bioinformatics: Tracking the Ensemble Database

• Darko Javanovic (Hons 2001), Web Wrapper Development and Maintenance using Wrapper Generator Interface 

• Anecia Johnston (Hons 2001), Extracting Real Estate Information From the World Wide Web 

• Travis Fusae (Hons 2001), Proposal for an Improved License Management System through a Case Study Analysis

• Dan Sketcher (Hons 2001), Terrain Data Simplification and Visualization 

• Keith Blair (Hons 2000), Find the Shortest Paths for Sea Turtle Migration: From a Spatial Database Perspective 

• Luke Boyce (Hons 2000), Join Non-Compatible Quadtrees 

• Frank Penkava (Hons 2000), A Study on Information Completeness and Search Speed in the World Wide Web Environment 

• Jackson Carroll (Hons 2000), Spatial Data Generalization for Internet and Mobile Applications 

• Joe Yates (Hons 1999), Map-Based Interface for Navigating the Web 

• Steve Broderick (Hons 1999), Efficiency in Querying Multiple Websites in XML