Y. Cheng
Assistant Professor[javascript protected email address]
3917 2594
HW 8-11
Biography
Dr. Yao Cheng is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Data and Systems Engineering at The University of Hong Kong (HKU). Her research focuses on assessing and optimizing the performance of complex systems by addressing their inherent failures and external hazards. To achieve this, she specializes in two interconnected areas: reliability engineering and resilience engineering. Her work encompasses reliability modelling, testing, maintenance policy design, as well as resilience modelling and optimization.
Since joining HKU, Dr. Cheng has been awarded three General Research Fund (GRF) grants and one Early Career Scheme (ECS) grant from the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong. She has also successfully translated her research into industry through contract-based projects. Her scholarly contributions are published in leading journals in reliability and industrial engineering, including IISE Transactions, Technometrics, Naval Research Logistics, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics, IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering, IEEE Transactions on Reliability, Transportation Science, and the International Journal of Production Research.
Dr. Cheng serves as an editorial board member of the International Journal of Reliability, Quality and Safety Engineering. She is also a guest editor and reviewer for several esteemed peer-reviewed journals, including IISE Transactions, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics, IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering, IEEE Transactions on Reliability, and the International Journal of Production Research.
Beyond her research, Dr. Cheng is passionate about teaching. Her innovative teaching approaches have earned her an HKU Teaching Development Grant (TDG) and a Faculty Outstanding Teaching Award (team award). Her Ph.D. graduates have secured faculty positions at leading academic institutions.
Research Interests
- Reliability modelling and testing
- Maintenance policy design
- Resilience modelling and optimization
Teaching
- ENGG1320 Engineers in the Modern World (2019-2023)
- IMSE3109 Quality Management (2024-)
- IMSE4137/7337 Operational Risk Management (2020-)
- IMSE4174 Project (2020-), coordinator
Ten Most Recent Publications (#: Dr. Cheng’s Ph.D. student; *: Corresponding Author)
- R. Li#, Y. Li, and Y. Cheng*, “A Periodic Fractional Wiener Process for Remaining Useful Life Prediction of Photovoltaic Systems with Long-Range Dependence”, Technometrics, in press.
- Y. Wei#, H. Liao, Y. Cheng*, “Making an Optimal Inspection-Free Maintenance Decision for a Coherent System Subject to Hidden Malfunctions”, IISE Transactions, in press.
- S. Zhao#, Y. Wei#, Y. Li, and Y. Cheng*, “A Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning (MARL) Framework for Designing an Optimal State-Specific Hybrid Maintenance Policy for a Series k-out-of-n Load-Sharing System”, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 265(A), p. 111587, 2026.
- Y. Wei#, A. Li#, and Y. Cheng*, “An Optimal Predictive Inspection and Maintenance Policy for a Multi-State System Subject to Self-Announcing Failures: A Belief-based SMDP Approach”, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 265(B), p.111497, 2026.
- Z. Huang#, Y. Wei#, and Y. Cheng*, “A Quantitative Framework for Performance-based Reliability Prediction for a Multi-Component System Subject to Dynamic Self-Reconfiguration”, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 262, p. 111188, 2025.
- T. Wu, L. Ma, Y. Cheng, K. Zhang, K. Li, Y. Yang, H. Liu, C. Wang*, “Stochastic Modeling of Human Lumbar Functional Spinal Units System Degeneration”, IISE Transactions, vol.57, 2025.
- Y. Wei#, Y. Cheng*, and H. Liao, “A Quantitative Maintenance Policy Development Framework for a Fleet of Self-Service Systems”, Naval Research Logistics, vol.52, no. 5, 750-767, 2025.
- S. Zhao#, Y. Wei#, Y. Cheng* and Y. Li, “A State-Specific Joint Size, Maintenance, and Inventory Policy for a k-out-of-n Load-Sharing System Subject to Self-Announcing Failures”, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 257(B), p. 110855, 2025.
- Y. Wei#, A. Li#, Y. Cheng*, “An Optimal Multi-Level Inspection and Maintenance Policy for a Multi-Component System with a Protection Component”, Computers & Industrial Engineering, vol. 201, p. 110898, 2025.
- Y. Wei# and Y. Cheng*, “An Optimal Two-Dimensional Maintenance Policy for Self-Service Systems with Multi-Task Demands and Subject to Competing Sudden and Deterioration-Induced Failures”, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 255, p. 110628, 2025.
Grants
- PI, “An O2O Flipped Classroom for Students’ Collaboration and Innovation Development”, Teaching Development Grant, HKU, 2020.09-2022.02
- PI, “Operational-Use Reliability Prediction and Optimal Inspection and Maintenance Plan Design for Heterogeneous Charging Piles for Electric Vehicles”, Early Career Scheme, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, 2022.01-2025.02
- PI, “A Performance-based Reliability Modelling and Optimization Framework for Photovoltaic Fleets”, General Research Fund, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, 2024.01-2026.12
- PI, “A Service Reliability Modelling and Profit Optimization Framework for Battery Swapping Stations”, General Research Fund, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, 2025.01-2027.12
- PI, “A Framework for Self-Service System Profit Maximization: From Service Reliability Modeling to Maintenance Policy Design”, General Research Fund, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, 2026.01-2028.12
- PI, “Design and Development of a Smart AHU Management System”, funded by Green Energy Engineering Consultancy Limited, 2025.02 - 2027.07
- Deputy Program Coordinator, "nD Blockchain for ESG Reporting", Innovation and Technology Support Program, Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF), 2021 - 2024,