Zhun Fan
Professor
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Educational Background (in reverse chronological order):
- 1991–1995: Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Bachelor of Engineering in Automatic Control (Full-time)
- 1995–2000: Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Master of Engineering in Control Theory and Control Engineering (Full-time)
- 2000–2004: Michigan State University, Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (Full-time)
Work Experience (in reverse chronological order):
- 2025–present: Shenzhen Loop Area Institute, Professor
- 2023–present: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Professor
- 2023–present: Shenzhen Institute for Advanced Study, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Professor
- 2014–2022: Shantou University, Director of the Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digital Signal and Image Processing Technology
- 2012–2023: Shantou University, Department of Electronic Engineering, School of Engineering, Professor
- 2011–2012: Michigan State University, USA, BEACON National Science and Technology Center, Researcher
- 2008–2011: Technical University of Denmark, Department of Management Engineering, Engineering Design Center, Associate Professor
- 2007–2007: Technical University of Denmark, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Design Center, Associate Professor
- 2004–2007: Technical University of Denmark, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Design Center, Assistant Professor
Fan Zhun, Ph.D., is a professor and doctoral advisor at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China. He is a Foreign Member of the Russian Academy of Engineering and a National High-Level Talent in China. Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation and Complex & Intelligent Systems; selected for Stanford University’s list of the world’s top 2% scientists (2021–2025) and its Lifetime Influence list. Research areas include artificial intelligence and robotics, design automation, and intelligent optimization algorithms. He welcomes research collaborations in artificial intelligence, embodied intelligence, and smart healthcare, as well as applications from outstanding students.
Hosted Projects (in order of priority, reverse chronological order):
2022-2025: Research on Causal Inference and Decision Theory Models, Major Project “New Generation Artificial Intelligence” under the Science and Technology Innovation 2030 Initiative, 2021ZD0111502, Principal Investigator
2022-2025: Research on Intelligent Design Methods for Mobile Robotic Arms Integrating Knowledge Automation and Constrained Multi-Objective Optimization, National Natural Science Foundation of China General Project, 62176147, Principal Investigator
2026-2026: Research on a Knowledge- and Data-Driven Automatic Strabismus Diagnosis System Based on the Shengteng Platform, Guangdong Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy (Shenzhen), GML-ST-2026-02, Principal Investigator
2025-2027: Embodied Massage Robot, Shenzhen UBTech Robotics Co., Ltd., GYY2025080401, Principal Investigator
2024-2027: Development of an AI-Based Off-Line NVH Testing System for Electric Motors, Shenzhen Meigexin Measurement & Control Technology Co., Ltd., GYY2024122502, Principal Investigator
2020-2022: Research and Application of Intelligent Robot Design Automation Integrating Deep Learning and Multi-Objective Evolutionary Computation, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area International Science and Technology Innovation Center Construction Project, 2021A0505030072, Principal Investigator
2019-2022: International Industrial Technology Innovation Alliance for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Manufacturing, Guangdong Provincial Strategic Special Fund for Science and Technology Innovation Project, 2019A050520001, Principal Investigator
2019-2022: Automated Robot Design Platform Integrating Multi-Objective Evolutionary Computation and Deep Neural Networks, 2019 Guangdong Provincial International Science and Technology Cooperation Base Project, 2019A050519008, Principal Investigator
2019-2021: Construction of the Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digital Signal and Image Processing Technology, 2019 Guangdong Provincial Science and Technology Special Fund Project, 190827105585418, Principal Investigator
2018-2020: Intelligent Design of a Hybrid Robotic System for Road and Bridge Inspection, Guangdong Provincial Major Scientific Research Project for Universities, 2017KZDXM032, Principal Investigator
Representative Publications (past 5-10 years, in order of impact):
Z. Fan*, W. Li, X. Cai, H. Li, C. Wei, Q. Zhang, K. Deb, and E. Goodman. “Push and pull search for solving constrained multi-objective optimization problems,” Swarm and Evolutionary Computation, 2019, 44(2): 665–679. (SCI Q1, DOI:10.1016/j.swevo.2018.08.017) (ESI Highly Cited)
Z. Fan, W. Li, X. Cai*, H. Huang, Y. Fang, Y. You, J. Mo, C. Wei, and E. Goodman. An improved epsilon constraint-handling method in MOEA/D for CMOPs with large infeasible regions[J], Soft Computing, 2019, 23: 12491–12510. (SCI Q2, DOI:10.1007/s00500-019-03794-x) (ESI Highly Cited)
G. Zhu, J. Liu, Z. Fan, D. Yuan, P. Ma, M. Wang, W. Sheng, K. Wang. A lightweight encoder–decoder network for automatic pavement crack detection[J], Computer-Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, 2024, 39(12): 1743–1765. (SCI Q1, DOI: 10.1111/mice.13103) (Cover Article)
G. Zhu, S. Shen, J. Yao, M. Wang, J. Zhuang, Z. Fan*. Automatic lightweight networks for real-time road crack detection with DPSO [J]. Advanced Engineering Informatics, 2025, 68: 103610. (SCI Q1, DOI: 10.1016/j.aei.2025.103610)
W. Li, R. Mai, Z. Wang, Y. Qiu, B. Xu, Z. Hao, Z. Fan*. Surrogate-assisted push and pull search for expensive constrained multi-objective optimization problems[J], Swarm and Evolutionary Computation, 2024, 92: 101728.(SCI Q1, DOI:10.1016/j.swevo.2024.101728)
S. Huang, G. Zhu, J. Tang, W. Li, Z. Fan*. Multi-Perspective Semantic Segmentation of Ground Penetrating Radar Images for Pavement Subsurface Objects[J], IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems, 2025 (SCI Q1, DOI:10.1109/TITS.2025.3559498)
C. Li, Z. Fan*, Y. Chen, H. Lin, Laura Moretti, Giuseppe Loprencipe. CrackCLF: Automatic Pavement Crack Detection Based on Closed-Loop Feedback [J], IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems, 2024, Vol. 25, No. 6, pp. 5965–5980 (SCI Q1, DOI: 10.1109/TITS.2023.3332995)
M. Wu, X. Zhu, L. Ma, W. Bao, Z. Fan*. Yaochu Jin, Multi-robot target entrapment using cooperative hierarchical gene regulatory network, Swarm and Evolutionary Computation, 2023 (SCI Q1, DOI:10.1016/j.swevo.2023.101310)
Z. Fan, Z. Wang, W. Li, X. Zhu, B. Hu, W. Bao, M. Gu; Z. Hao; Y. Jin. Automated pattern generation for swarm robots using constrained multi-objective genetic programming, Swarm and Evolutionary Computation, 2023, 81 (SCI Q1, DOI: 10.1016/j.swevo.2023.101337)
J. Zheng, L. Luo, J. Zhuang, P. Wei, L. Zhong, X. Xie, J. Guo, M. Xie, X. Kang, J. Cen, L. Dong, C. Zheng, Z. Fan . Causality-Inspired Graph Neural Network for Interpretable Strabismus Subtype Classification [C] International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention, 2025, pp. 107–116 (CCF B, Leading conferences in the field of medical AI, DOI:10.1007/978-3-032-04984-1_11)
J.Zhuang, G.Han, Z.Xia, B.Wang,C.Lin, Z.Hao, Z.Fan*. Robust Policy Learning for Multi-UAV Collision Avoidance with Causal Feature Selection [C], International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems,2025:1-10(CCF B, Leading conferences in the field of multi-agent systems)
Z. Fan, G. Han, C. Lin, W. Li, J. Zhuang. Learning Robust Policies for Multi-UAV Collision Avoidance via Compact Causal Features [C] International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems, 2026 (CCF B, Leading conferences in the field of multi-agent systems)
H. Li, Y. Cai, J. Hong, P. Xu, H. Cheng, X. Zhu, B. Hu, Z. Hao, Z. Fan*. VG-Swarm: A Vision-based Gene Regulation Network for UAV Swarm Behavior Emergence [J] IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 2023, 1175–1182 (SCI Q2, DOI:10.1109/LRA.2023.3236565)
Books/Monographs:
Modular Design Automation of Intelligent Robot Systems, John Wiley & Sons, 2026, Editor-in-Chief
Mechatronic Design Automation: An Emerging Research Area and Recent Advances, Nova Science Publishers, 2010, Sole Author
Evolutionary Computing for Intelligent Power System Optimization and Control, 2010, Contributing Author
Patents:
Intelligent Diagnostic and Treatment Assistance System Based on a Bionic Memory Evolution Mechanism, ZL202610078996.0, 2026, First Inventor
A Method for Medical Video Risk Identification and Treatment Plan Generation in Surgical Procedures, and a Hierarchical Multi-Agent System, ZL202511623797.5, 2026, First Inventor
A Method and System for Intelligent Identification and Precise Repair of Road Cracks Based on Land-Air Coordination, ZL202511110745.8, 2025, First Inventor
Road Crack Segmentation Method and System Based on a U-Shaped Neural Network Optimized by an Improved Particle Swarm Algorithm, ZL202510752281.4, 2025, First Inventor
Retinal Vessel Segmentation Method and System Based on an Automated Encoder-Decoder Network Optimized by Discrete Binary Particle Swarm Optimization, ZL202510751329.X, 2025, First Inventor
Method, System, Apparatus, and Medium for Refined Strabismus Diagnosis Using Graph Neural Networks Based on Causal Feature Selection, ZL202411944815.5, 2024, First Inventor
Method, System, Apparatus, and Medium for Workpiece Weld Seam Recognition Based on Multi-Feature Fusion, ZL202410847850.9, 2024, First Inventor
Method, System, and Apparatus for Detecting the Position of Weld Seams on Workpieces Based on Multi-Feature Fusion, ZL202410847855.1, 2024, First Inventor
Method and System for UAV Trajectory Planning Based on Gene Regulatory Networks, ZL202311143802.3, 2023, First Inventor
Method and Apparatus for Regional Coverage of a Drone Swarm Based on Gene Regulatory Networks, ZL202211068684.X, 2022, First Inventor
Method, Apparatus, Device, and Storage Medium for Target Position Localization, ZL202211068674.6, 2022, First Inventor
Method, Apparatus, and Medium for Multi-Agent Navigation Control Based on Gene Regulatory Networks, ZL202210436264.6, 2022, First Inventor
A Method, Execution Apparatus, and System for Swarm Encirclement Based on E-GRN, ZL202210433969.2, 2022, First Inventor
A Method and System for Hand-Eye Calibration of a Robotic Arm Based on an Improved SVD Algorithm, ZL202210408099.3, 2022, First Inventor
A Swarm Robot Aggregation Control Method Based on a Three-Layer Gene Regulatory Network, ZL202111571098.2, 2021, First Inventor
A Target Search Control Method and System for a Drone Swarm, ZL202111070633.6, 2021, First Inventor
A Method and System for Detecting Key Point Locations of the Hip Joint Based on Multi-Task Learning, ZL202110539363.2, 2021, First Inventor
Research Awards:
2024: Medal of the Hero of Engineering, Russian Academy of Engineering, Principal Investigator
2023: “30th Anniversary Award for Outstanding Achievements in Robotics Research,” Chinese Association for Artificial Intelligence, Principal Investigator
2022: China General Chamber of Commerce Science and Technology Award—National Commercial Science and Technology Progress Award, China General Chamber of Commerce, Principal Investigator
2022: Popular Science Award, Chinese Association of Automation, Principal Investigator
2021: Science and Technology Progress Award, China Society of Image and Graphics, Principal Investigator
2019: China Industry-University-Research Cooperation Innovation Award, China Association for Industry-University-Research Cooperation, Principal Investigator
2016: China Overseas Chinese Community Contribution (Innovative Talent) Award, All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, Principal