معرفی
Dr. Qunfen Qi is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Bristol's School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering, where she leads groundbreaking research at the intersection of mathematics, informatics, and manufacturing. With over 13 years of experience, she specializes in developing smart decision-making tools for product design and inspection using category theory as a foundational mathematical language. Her work bridges multiple disciplines to create more intelligent and transparent manufacturing systems that can 'think' like human experts.
Dr. Qi's research focuses on knowledge modeling for manufacturing, with particular emphasis on smart information systems, abstract mathematical theory (category theory), Geometrical Product Specifications and Verification (GPS), Additive Manufacturing, surface design, and metrology. Her unique approach applies category theory to simplify complex relationships in manufacturing data, enabling better decision-making in digital manufacturing environments. This work has become increasingly relevant as manufacturing embraces advanced digital technologies like cyber-physical systems, IoT, and AI, where managing multiple levels of abstraction is critical.
Her publication record shows a clear trajectory toward more sophisticated applications of mathematical frameworks in manufacturing, with growing integration of category theory with AI approaches, particularly in explainable AI for manufacturing contexts. Recent work demonstrates increasing practical applications in additive manufacturing, quality control, and digital twin development, with strong emphasis on how these systems can explain their decisions at multiple levels of detail.
Scientific Awards and Recognition
- UKRI EPSRC Innovation Fellow (2018-2022)
- EPSRC Peer Review College Member (ranked top 4% for participation in 2020/21)
- Project lead for ISO/TR 24331-2 Geometrical Product Specification development
- ISO Technical Committee Expert (TC 213, TC 184 WG26, JWG 21)
- BSI Technical Committee Member (AMT_4, TPR1/1, TPR1/8, TPR1/9)
- Co-Chair of CIRP CAT 2024 (18th International Conference on Computer-Aided Tolerancing)
Dr. Qi actively recruits PhD students interested in explainable machine learning, mathematical AI foundations, and smart manufacturing applications. Her research portfolio includes four major projects totaling significant funding, including an EPSRC Innovation Fellowship for 'A semantic infrastructure for advanced manufacturing' and a Royal Society International Exchanges project on mathematical foundations for digital manufacturing systems. She maintains strong international collaborations, particularly with Italian institutions like Politecnico di Milano and CNR-STIIMA, reflecting her global impact in advancing the mathematical foundations needed for next-generation intelligent manufacturing systems.
