Mr. Zhiming Zhu | Ocean Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Zhiming Zhu, currently serving as a Graduate Researcher and Master’s Candidate in Marine Engineering at the College of Marine Engineering, Jiangsu Ocean University, China, is an emerging researcher specializing in underwater robotics and intelligent marine systems. His research integrates mechanical design, control theory, and marine engineering applications to advance the development of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) for use in challenging ocean environments. Zhu’s expertise spans trajectory tracking, adaptive and robust control of underactuated systems, and real-time hydrodynamic modeling—critical areas in modern marine robotics. He has designed a modular AUV platform with innovative bionic propulsion and sensing architecture, enabling high-precision inspection and monitoring of aquaculture net-cages. His notable work, High-precision spiral trajectory tracking for aquaculture net-cage inspection under uncertain hydrodynamics and disturbances, introduces a learning-aided adaptive robust control (LARC) framework that combines iterative learning, line-of-sight guidance, and adaptive control for superior path-tracking performance in complex marine conditions. Beyond theoretical development, Zhu actively contributes to the practical implementation of robotic systems in aquaculture and marine ranching, focusing on system reliability, fault-tolerant operation, and environmental adaptability. He has also been involved in national innovation projects and marine robotics competitions, receiving recognition for his innovative AUV/ROV system designs tailored to sustainable marine engineering applications. Zhu’s ongoing work aims to bridge advanced control algorithms with real-world marine operations, contributing to the next generation of intelligent, autonomous, and energy-efficient underwater inspection and maintenance technologies that support sustainable ocean resource utilization.