Hongyan Xia

Dr. Hongyan Xia is an Assistant Professor and Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow at Northumbria University’s Applied Sciences Department. She holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Science and Technology of China (2017) and was a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh (2021–2023). Her research focuses on stimuli-responsive molecules and polymers for applications in anti-counterfeiting, environmental pollution control, and optical sensors. She has authored over 30 peer-reviewed publications, including reviews on covalent organic frameworks and articles on photonic crystal fibers and glucose sensors. Awards include membership in the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Education:

• PhD in Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China (2017)
• Previous positions: Guangdong University of Technology (2017–2020), University of Edinburgh (2021–2023)

Research Interests: Development of smart materials for security, environmental remediation, and biomedical applications, with a focus on optical and chemical sensing technologies. Key projects include:

• Anti-counterfeiting systems using stimuli-responsive polymers
• COFs for pollution control
• Polymer-based glucose sensors
• Photonic crystal fibers for novel optical devices

Scientific Awards:

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellowship (2021–2023)
• Northumbria University Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow
• Royal Society of Chemistry Membership

Lab Activities: Dr. Xia’s lab integrates polymer chemistry, material synthesis, and optical engineering to create functional materials with tunable properties for real-world applications. Current collaborations span nanotechnology, environmental science, and biomedical engineering.