Dr Yujie Qi is currently a Senior Lecturer at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). After receiving her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in (Civil/Geotechnical) Engineering at Zhengzhou University, China, Dr Qi completed her PhD at the University of Wollongong (UOW), Australia. She obtained her PhD degree in 2018 in Geotechnical Engineering, and for which she was awarded the “Industry Engagement Award” as well as ‘Special Commendation’ for outstanding doctoral research.

Dr Qi’s research involved various aspects of soil dynamics, granular mechanics, geo-mathematical modelling, large-scale process simulation dynamic testing, and more significantly, the use of waste and marginal materials in the design and construction of transport infrastructure. She has been instrumental in introducing Energy Absorbing Materials to enhance the performance of rail substructure through the utilisation of waste rubber to alleviate degradation of track components. During her PhD candidature and post-doctoral tenure, she had carried out extensive investigations on the performance of three types of waste materials, namely, discarded coal wash from Australian coal mines, steel furnace slag from steel manufacturing plants, and rubber crumbs derived from off-the-road vehicle tyres. For the first time, she identified the optimal ratios of these waste materials to enhance the longevity of railways and promoted the energy-absorbing concepts to analyse and interpret the deformation mechanisms of the track substructure. The impact that her research work has already been recognised both at local and international levels. Her innovative energy-absorbing concepts have been acknowledged by national and international firms (e.g. Bridgestone, Sydney Trains). Her outstanding contributions have been presented in numerous events organised by the Australian Geomechanics Society as well as the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE). Dr Qi received the prestigious ISSMGE Bright Spark Lecture Award in Cairo in 2018, for her outstanding contributions with industry impact.  She was also awarded the Best Paper Award at the 9th Asian Young Geotechnical Engineers Conference in Lahore (Pakistan) in 2019. Dr Qi also received the prestigious Sir M. Visvesvaraya Award-2023 by the ICE (UK) for the best overseas contribution that embraced circular economy perspectives applied to transportation infrastructure. In Nov 2024, Dr Qi received the John Carter Young Professional Award for her great contribution to the sustainability of Transportation Geotechnics.

Awards

- 2025 Donald Stanley Award (Canadian Society for Civil Engineering)

- Award for Excellent Contributions (Regional) (IACMAG 2025)

- John Carter Young Professional Award, 2024
-Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya Award (ICE publishing award), 2023
- Best Paper Award for 9th Asian Young Geotechnical Engineers Conference (9AYGEC), 2019
- Major Equipment Grant (MEG) 2019 funded by University of Wollongong, 2019
- Bright Spark Lecture Award for Young Professionals received at the 2018 GeoMEast International Congress and Exhibition founded by ISSMGE, 2018
- Examiners’ Commendation for Outstanding Thesis, 2018
- Award for Industry Engagement Impact (UOW), 2017
- The National scholarship for graduate students (China), 2014
- The Excellent Graduate of Henan province China, 2014
- The Excellent Graduate of Zhengzhou University, 2014
- The First-class University Graduate Scholarship of Zhengzhou University, 2013
- The Excellent Scientific Research Scholarship of Zhengzhou University, 2013
- The First-class University Graduate Scholarship of Zhengzhou University, 2012
- The Best Academic Innovation in 2012 Academic-Communication Conference of Engineering Safety Innovation Team in Henan Province, 2012