ARC Future Fellow, Scientia Associate Professor in Construction Materials and Structural Engineering

Wengui Li is a Scientia Associate Professor and ARC Future Fellow in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at The University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney), Australia. He received a Joint Doctoral Degree in Structural Engineering from Tongji University and Northwestern University in 2013. From 2010 to 2013, he was a Predoctoral Research Fellow at the Centre for Advanced Cement-Based Materials (ACBM) at Northwestern University, USA. Prior to joining UNSW in 2023, Wengui was an Associate Professor at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). He joined UTS as a Lecturer and ARC DECRA Fellow in 2016, was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2019, and to Associate Professor in 2023.

At UNSW, Wengui is the Leader of the "Intelligent Concrete and Infrastructure Materials" (ICIM) Research Group, comprising 15 members. The interdisciplinary research team focuses on cement chemistry, advanced concrete technology, energy harvesting and storage, and the development of novel concrete functionalities enabled by nanotechnology. He has gained international recognition for developing multifunctional intelligent concrete and advanced infrastructure materials for smart infrastructure and renewable energy systems. His research addresses global challenges in energy efficiency, decarbonisation, smart cities, and the transition to a net-zero future, delivering broad benefits to industry through sustained research excellence and high-impact outcomes. Over the past decade, Wengui has independently established and led a research program centred on two complementary themes: Multifunctional Intelligent Concrete and Advanced Infrastructure Materials. These two themes are highly synergistic, with discoveries and innovations in one area directly informing and accelerating progress in the other.

Theme 1: Multifunctional Intelligent Concrete
Multifunctional intelligent concrete with diverse functionalities—including self-sensing, self-healing, self-powering, hydrophobicity, photocatalytic properties, and carbon sequestration—enabled by the incorporation of carbon nanomaterials and alternative binders, can improve the durability, resilience, and sustainability of infrastructure. This research bridges the material properties of concrete and structural responses across multiple scales, from the nanoscale to the structural level, with a focus on developing advanced intelligent concrete materials that are not only highly efficient and functionally tunable but also commercially viable and readily scalable for field applications. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are also being integrated into material design and optimisation, fostering deeper cross-disciplinary collaborations to accelerate the development of next-generation intelligent concrete.

Theme 2: Advanced Infrastructure Materials
Energy harvesting and storage concrete enables the harvesting and storage of renewable energy to support the operation of buildings and infrastructure, contributing to net-zero energy buildings and energy-efficient infrastructure. This research focuses on the integration of concrete materials and energy technologies, driving the development of cement-based energy materials that endow conventional concrete with energy harvesting, energy storage, and thermal regulation capabilities. These materials can be integrated with renewable energy systems, such as solar panels and wind turbines, to enhance the energy efficiency and sustainability of buildings and infrastructure. As energy demand continues to increase and the need for climate resilience grows, cement-based energy materials offer a scalable pathway for embedding energy functions directly into concrete infrastructure.

Wengui is a recipient of the Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship and the JSPS Invitational Fellowship. He serves as a member of the College of Assessors for New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), a role equivalent to the member of ARC College of Experts. He is an editor or editorial board member for several leading JCR Q1 journals in his field and serves as a co-chair for sessions at international conferences. He is also a founding member and working group leader of several international RILEM and ACI technical committees. As a Fellow of Engineers Australia, he maintains strong engagement with industry and contributes to the advancement of engineering research and practice.

Journal publication and conference awards
Currently 13 active highly cited papers by Clarivate in 2026
Front cover paper, March 2026 issue of the ACI Materials Journal, 2026
2025 Most Downloaded Paper Award “Nano Energy, 2025, 137: 110823”, Nano Energy, 2026
2025 Most Downloaded Paper Award “Nano Energy, 2025, 135: 110656”, Nano Energy, 2026
Best International Collaboration Award, SynerCrete’23 - International Conference, 2023
Best Paper Award, 3rd International Conference on Structural Engineering Research (iCSER2022) and 6th GCSTMR World Congress, Sydney, Australia, 2022
Research.com Rising Star of Science Award, 2022
2022 Most Downloaded Paper Award “Resour. Conserv. Recycl.: X, 2020, 6: 100036”, Resources, Conservation & Recycling Advances, 2023
2022 Most Cited Paper Award “Resour. Conserv. Recycl.: X, 2020, 6: 100036”, Resources, Conservation & Recycling Advances, 2023
Outstanding Reviewers Award “Journal of Infrastructure Preservation and Resilience”, 2021
The Best Paper Award (two papers), “ES Materials & Manufacturing”, 2021

Selected high impact, leading journal papers
W. Dong, ..., W. Li*, Nano Energy, 2025, 135: 110656 (IF=16.7, leading journal in nanomaterials and energy)
L. Sun,…, W. Li*, Engineering Structures, 2024, 317: 118647 (IF=7.6, flagship journal in strcutural engineering)
W. Dong,…, W. Li*, Composites Part B: Engineering, 2025, 303: 112603 (IF=14.0, leading journal in compsoite materials)
S. Gomes,…, W. Li, Cement and Concrete Research, 2025, 194: 107899 (IF=14.0, flagship journal in cement and concrete)
W. Dong,…, W. Li*, Cement and Concrete Composites, 2026, 168: 106489 (IF=14.4, leading journal in cement concrete)
X. Wang, …, W. Li*, Construction and Building Materials, 2025, 494: 143448 (IF=8.9, flagship construction material journal)
Y. Fan, …, W. Li*, Carbon, 2026, 253: 121463 (IF=12.7, flagship journal in carbon-based nanostructures)
K. Chen, …, W. Li*, Chemical Engineering Journal, 2026, 529: 172697 (IF=12.5, leading journal in heterogeneous catalysis)
C. Zhao, ..., W. Li*. Sustainable Materials and Technologies, 2026, 48: e01947 (IF: 9.7, flagship multiscale material journal)
F. Qu, …, W. Li*, Journal of Cleaner Production, 2026, 543: 147583 (IF=10.7, flagship journal in construton sustainability)
K. Alireza,…, W. Li, Resources, Conservation & Recycling, 2026, 226: 108698 (IF=10.4, leading journal in sustainability)
C. Zhao, …, W. Li*, Energy and Buildings, 2025, 338: 115732 (IF=8.0, flagship journal in energy use in buildings)
W. Dong, …, W. Li*, Materials Today Energy, 2025, 52: 101943 (IF=8.1, leading journal in materials for energy)
X. Wang, …, W. Li*, Journal of Energy Storage, 2025, 104: 114495 (IF=10.7, flagship journal in energy storage)
W. Dong,…, W. Li*, Energy, 2025, 315: 134382 (IF=10.1, Leading journal in the energy engineering area)
A.J. Cheng,…, W. Li,…,S. Peng, Advanced Science, 2026, 13: e19398 (IF=14.1, flagship journal in materials science)