Tang Chuyang

Qualifications

• PhD (2007), Environmental Engineering & Science, Stanford University, USA
• MEng (2002) & BEng, First Class Honours (2000). Civil Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Positions Held

• CDE Chair Professor (current), Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore
• Chair Professor (2023-2025), Professor (2018-2023) & Associate Professor (2013-2018), Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong
• Professor of Chemical Engineering (2018-2019), School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney [part-time]
• Professor of Environmental Engineering (2018-2019), School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wale,s Sydney [part-time]
• Associate Professor (2012-2013) & Assistant Professor (2006-2012), School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University

Selected Honours & Awards

• Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher since 2021 (Cross-field for 2021, 2022, 2023, & 2024; Environment & Ecology for 2025)
• Outstanding Researcher Award, The University of Hong Kong, 2023
• Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC) Senior Research Fellowship Award, 2021-2025
• Environmental Science & Technology Letters Best Paper Award, 2022
• ACS ES&T Engineering Best Paper Award, 2022
• Global Chair (distinguished international visiting professor), University of Bath, 2022
• Water Reuse & Conservation Award for Outstanding Professional, the International Desalination Association, 2021
• Inaugural SPT® International Lectureship on Separation & Purification Technology, 2021
• CAPEES/Nanova Frontier Research Award, 2021
• Inaugural HKU Innovator Award, The University of Hong Kong, 2020
• HKIE Outstanding Paper Award, Hong Kong Institute of Engineers, 2020
• Desalters to Watch, Water Desalination Report, 2015
• EuroMembrane Society Best Paper Award, 2015
• Singapore Ministry for National Development R&D Award, 2013
• Finland Distinguished Professor Program Fellowship Award, 2010
• International Desalination Association Fellowship, 2010

Research Interests

• Membrane technology; environmental nanotechnology; water and wastewater treatment; water-energy nexus; pollution control; desalination; water reuse
• Separation and purification technology for various applications for food, biomedical, energy, and resource recovery

Selected Publications

1. Gan, Q.; Liu, W.; Xiao, Q.; Yang, Z.; Guo, H.; Elimelech, M.; Tang, C. Y., Plasmonic nanoheating for versatile water purification membranes. Nature Sustainability 2025, 8, (10), 1190-1198.
2. Zhou, S.; Peng, L. E.; Liu, W.; Guo, H.; Tang, C. Y., Thermal-intensified interfacial polymerization enables ultra-selective reverse osmosis membrane for toxic micropollutant removal. Nature Communications 2025, 16, (1), 9004.
3. Guo, Y.; Zhou, Q.; Wang, L.; Deng, Z.; Phillips, D. L.; Tang, C. Y.; Zhu, Y., Enhanced hydrogen peroxide photosynthesis via charge-complementary π-electron sites. Nature Communications 2025, 16, 6297.
4. Long, L.; Wu, C.; Shao, S.; Yang, Z.; Sarkar, P.; Tang, C. Y., Assessment of permeance and selectivity of thin-film composite polyamide membranes for diverse applications. Nature Water 2025, 3, (6), 668-682.
5. Hu, Y.; Sarkar, P.; Peng, L. E.; Wang, F.; Yang, Z.; Tang, C. Y., Design Ultrathin Polyamide Membranes against Funnel Effect: A Novel Zone-of-Influence-Based Approach. Environmental Science & Technology 2025, 59, (21), 10600-10607.
6. Gan, Q.; Hu, Y.; Wu, C.; Yang, Z.; Peng, L. E.; Tang, C. Y., Nanofoamed polyamide membranes: mechanisms, developments, and environmental implications. Environmental Science & Technology 2024, 58, (47), 20812-20829.
7. Zhang, L.; Li, R.; Zheng, S.; Zhu, H.; Cao, M.; Li, M.; Hu, Y.; Long, L.; Feng, H.; Tang, C. Y., Hydrogel-embedded vertically aligned metal-organic framework nanosheet membrane for efficient water harvesting. Nature Communications 2024, 15, 9738.
8. Xiao, Q.; Li, W.; Xie, S.; Wang, L.; Tang, C. Y., Ultrafast complete dechlorination enabled by ferrous oxide/graphene oxide catalytic membranes via nanoconfinement advanced reduction. Nature Communications 2024, 15, 9607.
9. Xiao, Q.; Yang, Z.; Li, W.; Wei, B.; Guo, H.; Yu, S.; Gan, Q.; Liu, W.; Tang, C. Y., Iron nanoparticles-confined graphene oxide membranes coupled with sulfite-based advanced reduction processes for highly efficient and stable removal of bromate. Environmental Science & Technology 2024, 58, (40), 18009-18019.
10. Gan, B.; Peng, L. E.; Liu, W.; Zhang, L.; Wang, L. A.; Long, L.; Guo, H.; Song, X.; Yang, Z.; Tang, C. Y., Ultra-permeable silk-based polymeric membranes for vacuum-driven nanofiltration. Nature Communications 2024, 15, 8656.
11. Yang, Z.; Wu, C.; Tang, C. Y., Making waves: Why do we need ultra-permeable nanofiltration membranes for water treatment? Water Research X 2023, 19, 100172.
12. Gan, Q.; Wu, C.; Long, L.; Peng, L.E.,, Yang, Z.; Guo, H.; Tang, C. Y., Does surface roughness necessarily increase fouling propensity of polyamide reverse osmosis membranes by humic acid? Environmental Science & Technology 2023, 57, (6), 2548-2556.
13. Long, L.; Wu, C.; Yang, Z.; Tang, C.Y., Carbon nanotube interlayer enhances water permeance and antifouling performance of nanofiltration membranes: mechanisms and experimental Evidence. Environmental Science & Technology 2022, 56, (4), 2656-2664.
14. Liu, J.; Huang, T.; Ji, R.; Wang, Z.; Tang, C.Y.; Leckie, J. O., Stochastic collision–attachment-based Monte Carlo simulation of colloidal fouling: transition from foulant–clean-membrane interaction to foulant–fouled-membrane interaction. Environmental Science & Technology 2020, 54, (19), 12703-12712.
15. Yang, Z.; Wang, F.; Guo, H.; Peng, L. E.; Ma, X.-h.; Song, X.-x.; Wang, Z.; Tang, C.Y., Mechanistic insights into the role of polydopamine interlayer toward improved separation performance of polyamide nanofiltration membranes. Environmental Science & Technology 2020, 54, (18), 11611-11621. 

There are more than 400 SCI papers, citation >52,000, h-index 127 (Google Scholar)
Full list of papers available at: https://scholar.google.com.hk/citations?user=k9IKysUAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

Invited/Keynote/Plenary Speeches

• More than 100 Invited/Keynote/Plenary Speeches.

Patents/Commercialistion

• 26 patents; Professor Tang’s patent on aquaporin-based biomimetic membranes, widely recognized in the desalination field, resulted in the spin-off company Aquaporins Asia (Singapore) and the successful commercialization of Aquaporin Inside Membranes (AIMs®).

Editorial Board Membership

• Co-editor (2022-2025) of Desalination, Elsevier;
• Editorial Advisory Board Member (2018-present), Environmental Science and Technology Letters, American Chemical Society;
• Editorial Board Member (2018-present), Journal of Membrane Science, Elsevier.