Interview with Dr. Qimao Gan—Winner of the Environments Best PhD Thesis Award
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Qimao Gan has won the Environments 2025 Best PhD Thesis Award. As the winner, he will receive CHF 500 and a free voucher for article processing fees valid for one year in Environments (IF: 3.7, ISSN: 2076-3298).
Dr Qimao Gan completed his PhD in water and environmental engineering at the University of Hong Kong under the supervision of Professor Chuyang Tang through the Hong Kong Postgraduate Fellowship and HKU Presidential Scholarship. His thesis received multiple awards and prizes, including the HKU Foundation Award for Outstanding Research Postgraduate Students (2025), the HKU Faculty of Engineering Norman W.M. Ko PhD Prize (2025), and the HKU Department of Civil Engineering Outstanding PhD Thesis Award (2025). During his PhD, Dr Gan focused on tailoring thin film composite reverse osmosis membranes for desalination and water reuse. After his PhD, Dr Gan pursued an academic career as a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Hong Kong. He currently focuses on nanofiltration membranes for freshwater production and resource recovery.
The following is an interview with Dr. Qimao Gan.
1. Could you introduce your PhD research and the main objectives of your doctoral thesis?
My PhD thesis focuses on tailoring thin film composite (TFC) reverse osmosis (RO) membranes for desalination and water reuse, a research area of critical importance to freshwater production and environment protection. Specifically, the reaction–morphology–performance relationship in TFC RO membranes—an important topic that has been debated for decades—was systematically investigated. As a result, an innovative “nanofoaming mechanism” was proposed to establish a theoretical framework guiding RO membrane design for enhanced desalination and water reuse.
2. What was the biggest challenge you faced while pursuing your PhD and how did you overcome it?
A major challenge during my PhD study was overcoming the high publication threshold of prestigious journals like Nature Sustainability. In response, we conceived a fundamentally new idea, performed extensive experimental and theoretical analyses, and fostered collaborations with leading specialists, which ultimately strengthened the study immeasurably.
3. In your opinion, what key qualities should an excellent PhD graduate possess?
Independent and logical thinking ability.
4. What are your future research plans, and what are your long-term career goals?
In my future research plan, I will try to extend the “nanofoaming mechanism” to another type of TFC membrane for nanofiltration (NF). Such TFC NF membranes offer great potential for not only freshwater production but also resource recovery, such as recovering calcium ions from wastewater and lithium ions from saline lake brine.
5. How does it feel to receive this recognition for your work? Is there something you would like to express or someone you would like to thank the most?
I feel excited and honored to win the Best PhD Thesis Award. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Prof. Chuyang Tang, for his invaluable suggestions, patient guidance, and warm encouragement throughout my PhD journey.
6. What advice would you give to students starting or coming to the end of their thesis?
For students just starting their thesis, my key advice is to establish a solid framework by choosing a manageable topic, creating a detailed and structured plan with daily goals, and organizing research from the outset. For those nearing the end, the focus should be on rigorous revision, preparing a compelling defense presentation that anticipates questions, and managing stress to finish strong.
7. When and how do you access Environments? What prompted you to apply for this award, and would you like to share your experience with the journal Environments?
My supervisor informed me about the Environments Best PhD Thesis Award via email in July and encouraged me to apply.