Welcome! I am currently a Professor of CIAT, the Co-director of the Big Data Computing and Intelligence Institute, and Executive Vice Director of the Intelligent Transportation Joint Lab, at Guangzhou University. I was a research associate at the University of New South Wales and a visiting fellow at East China Normal University, advised by Prof. Xuemin Lin. I got my Ph.D. from the Center for AI at the University of Technology Sydney in 2018, advised by Prof. Ying Zhang and Prof. Lu Qin. I received my Bachelor’s degree from Zhejiang University in 2014.

My research interests focus on large-scale graph management and analysis, including cohesive subgraphs, graph decomposition, network stability, information cascade, graph summarization, and outlier detection.

Postgraduate Positions Available: I am looking for self-motivated students to join my group. You may refer to the status of my former/current students. You can send an email to me with your CV.

Tenure-track/Tenured Positions Available: Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in joining our institute. Multiple positions with different directions are available and we provide highly competitive offers.

Selected Publications

* indicates I am the corresponding author.

2024

Deming Chu, Fan Zhang*, Wenjie Zhang, Ying Zhang, Xuemin Lin: Graph Summarization: Compactness Meets Efficiency. Accepted by SIGMOD 2024

Jiadong Xie, Zehua Chen, Deming Chu, Fan Zhang*, Xuemin Lin, Zhihong Tian: Influence Maximization via Vertex Countering. Accepted by VLDB 2024. [paper]

Siyi Teng, Jiadong Xie, Fan Zhang*, Can Lu, Juntao Fang, Kai Wang: Optimizing Network Resilience via Vertex Anchoring. Accepted by The Web Conference 2024 (oral). [paper, code, video]

Qi Liang, Dian Ouyang, Fan Zhang, Jianye Yang, Xuemin Lin, Zhihong Tian: Efficient Regular Simple Path Queries under Transitive Restricted Expressions. Accepted by VLDB 2024.

Shuhao Li, Yue Cui, Libin Li, Weidong Yang,Fan Zhang, Xiaofang Zhou: ST-ABC: Spatio-Temporal Attention-Based Convolutional Network for Multi-Scale Lane-Level Traffic Prediction. Accepted by ICDE 2024.

2023

Fan Zhang, Qingyuan Linghu, Jiadong Xie, Kai Wang, Xuemin Lin, Wenjie Zhang: Quantifying Node Importance over Network Structural Stability. KDD 2023: 3217-3228 [paper, code]

Fan Zhang, Haicheng Guo, Dian Ouyang, Shiyu Yang, Xuemin Lin, Zhihong Tian: Size-constrained Community Search on Large Networks: An Effective and Efficient Solution. Accepted by IEEE Trans. Knowl. Data Eng. [paper, code]

Jiadong Xie, Fan Zhang*, Kai Wang, Xuemin Lin, Wenjie Zhang: Minimizing the Influence of Misinformation via Vertex Blocking. ICDE 2023: 789-801 [paper]

Jiujing Zhang, Shiyu Yang, Dian Ouyang, Fan Zhang, Xuemin Lin, Long Yuan: Hop-Constrained s-t Simple Path Enumeration on Large Dynamic Graphs. ICDE 2023: 762-775 [paper, code]

Wancheng Long, Xiaowen Li, Liping Wang, Fan Zhang, Zhe Lin, Xuemin Lin: Efficient m-Closest Entity Matching over Heterogeneous Information Networks. Knowl. Based Syst. 263: 110299 (2023)

Siyi Teng, Jiadong Xie, Mingkai Zhang, Kai Wang, Fan Zhang: IMinimize: A System for Negative Influence Minimization via Vertex Blocking. CIKM 2023: 5101-5105 (Demo) [paper, code]

Yihong Huang, Liping Wang, Fan Zhang, Xuemin Lin: Unsupervised Graph Outlier Detection: Problem Revisit, New Insight, and Superior Method. ICDE 2023: 2565-2578 [paper, code]

2022

Qingyuan Linghu, Fan Zhang*, Xuemin Lin, Wenjie Zhang, Ying Zhang: Anchored Coreness: Efficient Reinforcement of Social Networks. VLDB J. 31(2): 227-252 (2022) [paper]

Deming Chu, Fan Zhang*, Wenjie Zhang, Xuemin Lin, Ying Zhang: Hierarchical Core Decomposition in Parallel: From Construction to Subgraph Search. ICDE 2022: 1138-1151 [paper]

Fan Zhang, Jiadong Xie, Kai Wang, Shiyu Yang, Yu Jiang: Discovering Key Users for Defending Network Structural Stability. World Wide Web 25(2): 679-701 (2022)

Zhongxin Zhou, Wenchao Zhang, Fan Zhang*, Deming Chu, Binghao Li: VEK: a vertex-oriented approach for edge k-core problem. World Wide Web 25(2): 723-740 (2022)

2021

Conggai Li, Fan Zhang*, Ying Zhang, Lu Qin, Wenjie Zhang, Xuemin Lin: Discovering Fortress-like Cohesive Subgraphs. Knowl. Inf. Syst. 63(12): 3217-3250 (2021) [paper]

Cheng Qiao, Kenneth N. Brown, Fan Zhang, Zhihong Tian: Adaptive Asynchronous Clustering Algorithms for Wireless Mesh Networks. IEEE Trans. Knowl. Data Eng. 35(3): 2610-2627 (2023)

Zhe Lin, Fan Zhang, Xuemin Lin, Wenjie Zhang, Zhihong Tian: Hierarchical Core Maintenance on Large Dynamic Graphs. Proc. VLDB Endow. 14(5): 757-770 (2021) [paper]

Boge Liu, Fan Zhang*, Wenjie Zhang, Xuemin Lin, Ying Zhang: Efficient Community Search with Size Constraint. ICDE 2021: 97-108 [paper]

2020

Qingyuan Linghu, Fan Zhang*, Xuemin Lin, Wenjie Zhang, Ying Zhang: Global Reinforcement of Social Networks: The Anchored Coreness Problem. SIGMOD Conference 2020: 2211-2226 [paper]

Deming Chu, Fan Zhang*, Xuemin Lin, Wenjie Zhang, Ying Zhang, Yinglong Xia, Chenyi Zhang: Finding the Best k in Core Decomposition: A Time and Space Optimal Solution. ICDE 2020: 685-696 [paper]

Chen Zhang, Fan Zhang*, Wenjie Zhang, Boge Liu, Ying Zhang, Lu Qin, Xuemin Lin: Exploring Finer Granularity within the Cores: Efficient (k, p)-Core Computation. ICDE 2020: 181-192 [paper]

Fan Zhang*, Conggai Li, Ying Zhang, Lu Qin, Wenjie Zhang: Finding Critical Users in Social Communities: The Collapsed Core and Truss Problems. IEEE Trans. Knowl. Data Eng. 32(1): 78-91 (2020) [paper]

Maryam Ghafouri, Kai Wang, Fan Zhang, Ying Zhang, Xuemin Lin: Efficient Graph Hierarchical Decomposition with User Engagement and Tie Strength. DASFAA (2) 2020: 448-465

2019

Conggai Li, Fan Zhang*, Ying Zhang, Lu Qin, Wenjie Zhang, Xuemin Lin: Efficient Progressive Minimum k-core Search. Proc. VLDB Endow. 13(3): 362-375 (2019) [paper]

Fan Zhang*, Xuemin Lin, Ying Zhang, Lu Qin, Wenjie Zhang: Efficient community discovery with user engagement and similarity. VLDB J. 28(6): 987-1012 (2019) [paper]

Zhongxin Zhou, Fan Zhang*, Xuemin Lin, Wenjie Zhang, Chen Chen: K-Core Maximization: An Edge Addition Approach. IJCAI 2019: 4867-4873 [paper]

Weijie Zhu, Mengqi Zhang, Chen Chen, Xiaoyang Wang, Fan Zhang, Xuemin Lin: Pivotal Relationship Identification: The K-Truss Minimization Problem. IJCAI 2019: 4874-4880

Boge Liu, Fan Zhang, Chen Zhang, Wenjie Zhang, Xuemin Lin: CoreCube: Core Decomposition in Multilayer Graphs. WISE 2019: 694-710

Chen Zhang, Wenjie Zhang, Ying Zhang, Lu Qin, Fan Zhang, Xuemin Lin: Selecting the Optimal Groups: Efficiently Computing Skyline k-Cliques. CIKM 2019: 1211-1220

Deming Chu, Fan Zhang*, Jingjing Lin: Similarity Evaluation on Labeled Graphs via Hierarchical Core Decomposition, CCF Big Data 2019

Wanqi Liu, Dong Wen, Hanchen Wang, Fan Zhang, Xubo Wang: Skyline Nearest Neighbor Search on Multi-layer Graphs, ICDE Workshops 2019

2018

Fan Zhang, Ying Zhang, Lu Qin, Wenjie Zhang, Xuemin Lin: Efficiently Reinforcing Social Networks over User Engagement and Tie Strength. ICDE 2018: 557-568 [paper]

Fan Zhang, Long Yuan, Ying Zhang, Lu Qin, Xuemin Lin, Alexander Zhou: Discovering Strong Communities with User Engagement and Tie Strength. DASFAA (1) 2018: 425-441 [paper]

Zhu Qing, Long Yuan, Fan Zhang, Lu Qin, Xuemin Lin, Wenjie Zhang: External Topological Sorting in Large Graphs. DASFAA (1) 2018: 203-220

Dian Ouyang, Long Yuan, Fan Zhang, Lu Qin, Xuemin Lin: Towards Efficient Path Skyline Computation in Bicriteria Networks. DASFAA (1) 2018: 239-254

Alexander Zhou, Fan Zhang, Long Yuan, Ying Zhang, Xuemin Lin: Finding Maximal Stable Cores in Social Networks. ADC 2018: 224-235

2017

Fan Zhang, Wenjie Zhang, Ying Zhang, Lu Qin, Xuemin Lin: OLAK: An Efficient Algorithm to Prevent Unraveling in Social Networks. Proc. VLDB Endow. 10(6): 649-660 (2017) [paper]

Fan Zhang, Ying Zhang, Lu Qin, Wenjie Zhang, Xuemin Lin: When Engagement Meets Similarity: Efficient (k, r)-Core Computation on Social Networks. Proc. VLDB Endow. 10(10): 998-1009 (2017) [paper]

Fan Zhang, Ying Zhang, Lu Qin, Wenjie Zhang, Xuemin Lin: Finding Critical Users for Social Network Engagement: The Collapsed k-Core Problem. AAAI 2017: 245-251 [paper]

Invited Talks

Fan Zhang. Efficient Graph Computation: Cohesive Subgraph, Graph Decomposition, Graph Stability, and Others. Huawei Algorithm Forum 2023.

Fan Zhang. The Stability of Social Networks: Models and Computations. CAAI Big Data and Social Computing Conference 2023.

Fan Zhang. Efficient Graph Computation: Cohesive Subgraph, Graph Decomposition, and More. UNIST CSE×AI Seminar 2023.

Fan Zhang, Kai Wang. Cohesive Subgraph Search: Models, Algorithms, and Applications. APWeb-WAIM 2022.

Fan Zhang. The Progress of Network Structural Stability. WISA 2022.

Ying Zhang, Lu Qin, Fan Zhang, Wenjie Zhang: Hierarchical Decomposition of Big Graphs. ICDE 2019: 2064-2067

Wenjie Zhang, Fan Zhang, Ying Zhang, Lu Qin: Cohesive Subgraphs with Hierarchical Decomposition on Big Graphs. DASFAA 2019

Academic Services

• Program Committee Member
  • KDD 2024, VLDB 2024, ICDE 2024, TheWebConf 2024, SDM 2024
  • KDD 2023, VLDB 2023, TheWebConf 2023, CIKM 2023
  • KDD 2022, VLDB 2022, TheWebConf 2022, AAAI 2022, CIKM 2022, DASFAA 2022
  • CIKM 2021, DASFAA 2021
  • VLDB 2020 (demo), CIKM 2019, ICDE 2019 (poster)
• Invited Journal Reviewer
  • TKDE, VLDB Journal, World Wide Web, Complexity, etc.
• External Reviewer
  • SIGMOD, ICDE, EDBT, et

Teaching

• Course Instructor
  • Guidance of Research Paper Writing - 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
  • Large-scale Graph Computation and Mining - 2022, 2024
• Lecturer
  • Discrete Mathematics - 2023, 2024
  • Big Data Technologies - 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024
• Head TA
  • Social and Information Network Analysis (UTS) - 2017, 2018

Recent Awards

• ACM SIGMOD China Rising Star Award, 2023

• CAAI BDSC Social Computing Young Scholar Rising Star, 2023

• Outstanding Paper Award, Computer Academy of Guangdong, 2022

• CCF Technology Achievement Award, Second Prize in Natural Science (5/5), 2022

• Excellence in Research Award, CIAT, GZHU, 2021

Our Students

• Co-supervised by me:
  • Conggai Li, since PhD study at UTS, now a Postdoc in CSIRO.
  • Qingyuan Linghu, since PhD study at UNSW, now an Engineer at TikTok AU.
  • Zhe Lin, since PhD study at ECNU, now an Engineer at Xiaohongshu.
  • Deming Chu, since master study at ECNU, now pursue PhD at UNSW.
  • Jiujing Zhang, since master study at GZU, now pursue PhD at UNSW.
  • Zhongxin Zhou, since master study at ECNU, now an Engineer at Meituan.
  • Jiadong Xie, since bachelor study at ECNU, now pursue PhD at CUHK.
  • Siyi Teng, since bachelor study at ECNU, to pursue PhD at CUHK.
• Supervised by me:
  • Zhuoran Wang, since master study at GZU, now pursue PhD at UNSW.
  • Haicheng Guo, since master study at GZU, to pursue PhD study in Australia.
  • Xintong Wang, since master study at GZU, now pursue PhD at ZJU.
  • Xu Lei, since master study at GZU, now an Engineer at Xiangsu Software.