William Wei

Interdisciplinary Researcher

Driven by materials, sensing, and policy to design scalable solutions for environmental sustainability.

Shanghai Youth Academy of Sciences Member

Materials | Robotics | Biosensors | Ecosystems | Policies

Research & Projects

Flexible Self-healing Polyurethane Elastomer

Can a flexible polymer heal itself at room temperature, combining strength and toughness?

Synthesized via two-step solution polymerization (IPDI + PTMEG + IPDA)
Tensile strength: 6.98 MPa; Elongation at break: 1579% ; Toughness: 70.28 MJ/m³
91.7% toughness recovery after 6h at 25°C; healed specimen withstands 1kg static load

Abstract

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Mobile Air Quality Monitoring Robot

Can a low-cost, legged robot navigate narrow terrain to monitor air pollution?extending to where human patrols are limited, such as forest fire early warning?

Designed 3 generations of legged single-wheel self-righting robot over 2 years
Equipped with PM2.5, CO₂, NO₂, temperature and humidity sensors
Tested at 3 sites in Shanghai community: highway side had 2.3× higher NO₂ than riverside; weekday > weekend; morning > afternoon

Aquatic Plant Density & Nitrogen Cycling

Inspired by 5 years of fish-keeping: can the right density of aquatic plants naturally balance water quality in a closed ecosystem?

Designed 4-group controlled experiment: 0 / 3 / 6 / 9 strands of hornwort
Measured ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and dissolved oxygen every 2 days over 8 weeks
6 strands achieved best water quality; 9 strands caused nighttime oxygen depletion and nitrite buildup

Renewable Subsidies vs. Carbon Pricing

Which policy instrument better addresses climate change — government subsidies or market-based carbon pricing ?

Compared the two policies across four macroeconomic dimensions: economic growth, fiscal sustainability, inflation, and balance of payments
Dual case study: China's shift subsidies to a national carbon market + the EU's Emissions Trading System (EU ETS)
Proposed a mixed policy: carbon pricing as the core, supplemented by R&D subsidies and transition funds — especially relevant in today's low-growth, high-debt, inflation-divergent global economy

Renewable energy subsidies and_08_edited

Renewable energy subsidies and_10_edited

Renewable energy subsidies and_11_edited

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Biosensors for Environmental Pollutant Detection

Can living cells be used as low-cost detection tools for environmental contaminants?

Completed pGLO plasmid transformation: inserted GFP gene into E. coli, induced fluorescence with arabinose
Purified fluorescent protein using hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC)
Explored biosensor design: replacing GFP with a heavy-metal-sensitive promoter turns bacteria into living detectors for water pollution

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AI Automation Anxiety & High School Major Choices

How does fear of AI-driven unemployment shape what students choose to study — and does parental guidance help?

Surveyed 80 Chinese high school students; analyzed with quadratic regression, group comparisons, and moderation tests
Found an inverted U-shaped relationship
Low-risk majors peak earlier (23.45 vs 24.79) — students evaluate "safe options" before "riskier options"; females show linear pattern, males show stronger inverted U-shape
Parental guidance had no significant effect

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Community Impact & Science Communication

Stepping Stones — Volunteer Tutor & Course Coordinator(3 years)

Taught English and coding to children of rural migrant workers; served ~100 students
Redesigned course materials; coordinated volunteers with pre-class reminders and post-class feedback

Science Popularization Club — President

Led club of 30 to 70+members; operated official WeChat account publishing articles on materials, biology, and environmental science
Organized monthly research-sharing sessions, encouraging classmates to present their own projects