Education and Training

Feb. 2022 – present         University of California, Berkeley                                                              

Postdoc, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Advisor: Prof. Costas P.  Grigoropoulos

Aug. 2017 – Dec. 2021 The University of Texas at Austin

Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering 

Committee: Prof. Yuebing Zheng, Prof. Deji Akinwande, Prof. Brian A. Korgel, Prof. Donglei Emma Fan

Theis: Optothermal Approaches to Architected Functional Nanomaterials and Nanostructures (Link)

Sep. 2013 – Jun. 2017 University of Science and Technology of China

B.S. in Applied Physics

Undergraduate Research Assistant, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, USTC

Patents

3. Y. Zheng, J. Li, Methods of Activating C-H Bonds Using Light and 2D Materials, 2024, Provisional Patent Application

2. Y. Zheng and J. Li, Methods of Manipulating Particles on Solid Substrates via Optothermally-Gated Photon Nudging, 2022, U.S. Patent App. 11/367,539. (link)

1. Y. Zheng, L. Lin, and J. Li, Optical Patterning Systems and Methods, 2021, U.S. Patent App. 17/262,015. (link)

Services

Journal Reviewer for Nature Communications, Physical Review Letters, Nano Letters, ACS Nano, Advanced Science, Physical Review Applied, Physical Review B, Langmuir, Applied Materials Today, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Physica Status Solidi - Rapid Research Letters, PhotoniX, Optical Materials, Micromachines, Optics and Laser Technology, Next Nanotechnology, Journal of Electronic Materials, etc.

Selected Awards and Honors

2024 Rising Stars in Materials Science and Engineering (Stanford, CMU, MIT, UIUC joint)

2023 Rising Stars in Mechanical Engineering (Berkeley, MIT, Stanford joint)

2023 Funding Support by MRS Early Career Professionals Subcommittee, Materials Research Society 

2022 Berkeley Postdoctoral Association Professional Development Award, UC Berkeley

2021 Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-Financed Students Abroad (UT TMI News)

2021 Fall MRS Graduate Student Award, Materials Research Society (MRS website; UT TMI News)

2020-2021 University Graduate Continuing Fellowship, UT Austin

2019-2020 Ben Streetman Prize, UT Austin (UT TMI News)

2019-2020 George J. Heuer, Jr. Ph.D. Endowed Graduate Fellowship, Cockrell School of Engineering, UT Austin

2018 Undergraduate Student Research Paper Award, USTC

2017 Excellent Teaching Assistant Award, USTC