Professor Lin Zhang and Mentees Receive Prestigious Honors at 15th National Conference on Energy Economics and Management

The 15th National Conference on Energy Economics and Management was recently held in Dalian, co-organized by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and Dalian University of Technology, bringing together leading scholars in the fields of energy economics, climate policy, and sustainable development. At this year's conference, Prof. Lin Zhang from the School of Energy and Environment (SEE) at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) and a number of scholars he has supervised achieved remarkable success through academic presentations, forum leadership, and major awards, highlighting the impact of his mentorship and scholarly contributions.

The conference also served as a platform for recognizing outstanding scholarly achievements. Prof. Zhang, his former students, and their collaborative research received several prestigious honors. Prof. Lin Zhang and Prof. Hongyan Zhang (former PhD student of SEE, graduated in 2021) received Outstanding Contribution Awards. Prof. Hanmin Dong (former PhD student of SEE, graduated in 2024) and Prof. Wenhua Yuan (visiting fellow of SEE) received Best Paper Awards. Among the highlights of the conference was the recognition of Prof. Minglai Li, a former student of Prof. Zhang (graduated in 2025), who received the Special Prize of the Guoshun Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award in Energy Economics and Management. As one of the most competitive distinctions for young scholars in the field, the award recognizes outstanding innovation and academic excellence in doctoral research. Prof. Li was also invited to address the conference on behalf of all award recipients.

The strong presence of Prof. Zhang and his current and former students at this national conference illustrates the growing influence of their research community. From doctoral students to early-career faculty members, many of Prof. Zhang's mentees are now making important contributions across leading universities and research institutions in China. Their achievements at this year's conference stand as a testament to the value of sustained mentorship, collaborative research, and academic excellence at SEE.

Award Summary