Wentao Tang

Wentao Tang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at North Carolina State University. His research focuses on data-driven control algorithms integrating nonlinear control theory with machine learning, optimization of complex systems, and network topology-based decomposition for distributed control. He received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering and Mathematics from Tsinghua University (2015) and his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota (2020), followed by work as a process control engineer at Shell Global Solutions.

His research group, DISCO (Data-Informed Systems Control & Optimization), explores topics such as distributed optimization, dissipativity learning control, and network structure analysis for industrial processes. Notable contributions include methods for optimal decomposition of large-scale systems and development of Lyapunov envelope algorithms for distributed MPC. Recent group additions include Ph.D. student Jarod Morris and postdoctoral researcher Dr. Xiuzhen Ye.

His work emphasizes bridging theoretical control advancements with practical applications, particularly in plantwide control systems and resilient industrial automation. The group actively collaborates on projects funded by startup grants and industry partnerships, with publications spanning control theory, optimization, and machine learning.