Research Interests
My research interests are material characterization, physical and mechanical properties testing, fracture mechanics, failure analysis, and material modeling. I have demonstrated my ability in researching, product developing, public speaking, tutoring, technical writing, and client interaction. I am an inquisitive individual whose passion lies in identifying complex problems and finding solutions with my cross-disciplinary skills and creative thinking.
Experience
Sr. Research Scientist
Fracture Mechanics & Materials Durability Lab, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2017 ~
- Testing, modeling and simulating hydraulic fracture of rock and sand for enhancement of oil and natural gas production.
- Providing failure analysis for metals, alloys, polymers and composites.
- Offering advice for industry materials ranking and lifetime prediction. Successful examples included Dow, BASF, Avery Dennison, Shell, Total, etc.
Research Scientist
Fracture Mechanics & Materials Durability Lab, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2007 ~ 2017
- Taught Fracture Mechanics and Failure Analysis I and II.
- Supervised undergraduate and graduate students and preparing publications and research proposals.
- Developed accelerated creep and fatigue testing for polymers.
- Preformed finite element analysis for mechanical structures and systems.
Research Scientist (Internship)
Materials Interface, Inc., Sussex, WI, 2004 ~ 2005
- Conducted intensive sample preparation, nanoparticle synthesis, coating application and characterization, oxidation testing, and data analysis.
- Developed and economical nanocrystalline coating to reduce the oxidation of stainless steel components at elevated temperatures without costly alloy additions.
- Provided insights into mechanisms involved during oxidation scale growth in the presence or absence of nanocoatings by atomistic calculation.
Research Assistant
Center for Intelligent Maintenance Systems, NSF 2002 ~ 2004
- Implemented a collaborative NSF project with University of Toronto. Integrated Watchdog AgentTM with EXAKTTM to develop a robust prognostics and maintenance platform.
- Applied the platform to gas turbine prognostics and health management.
- Organized and coordinated Manufacturing Leadership training course supported by the Shien-Ming Wu Foundation.
Lecturer & Researcher
Beijing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics, Beijing, 2000 ~ 2002
- Taught Mechanical Analysis Methods for Deformation and Fracture of Solids.
- Facilitated implementation of National Standard Safety Assessment for Pressure Vessels Containing Defects.
- Served as Graduate Class advisor. Organized and coordinated activities. Completed all required administrative tasks. Responsible for all teaching aspects of the courses including lesson plans, materials, grading of assignments and exams, etc.
Education
Ph.D. in Materials Engineering
University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee
- Dissertation: Role of Nanocrystalline Coatings on Fe-Cr-Ni Based Alloys
M.Sc.Eng. in Materials Science and Engineering
Beijing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics
- Best Master’s Thesis
B.Sc. in Materials Science and Engineering
Beijing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics
- summa cum laude
Awards
- Best Technical Paper Award, ANTEC, SPE, 2010
- First Prize, Science and Technology Progress Prize, China Ministry of Education, 2001
Professional Service
Ad Hoc Reviewer
- Applied mathematical Modelling
- Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering
- International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences
- Colloid and Polymer Science
Affiliations
- Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE)
- American Rock Mechanics Association (ARMA)
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
- Materials Research Society (MRS)
Skills
- Programming: C/C++, MATLAB, GNU Octave, R, LaTeX, SQL
- Software: Abaqus, ANSYS, Tableau, Origin, RStudio, Autodesk
- Instrument: SEM, TEM, AFM, XRD, Acoustic Microscopes
- Testing: Tensile, Impact, Creep, Fatigue, etc.
- Certificate:Google Data Analytics by Google & Coursera, Andrew Ng’s Machine Learning by Coursera