Kathy Lu

Dr. Kathy Lu is a Professor and Department Chair of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), holding the Engineering Leadership Endowed Scholar position. She joined UAB in 2023 after serving as a Professor at Virginia Tech from 2004 to 2023. She holds a B.S. in Ceramics from Tianjin University, and M.S. and Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Ohio State University, with postdoctoral work at Penn State University. Her research focuses on polymer-derived ceramics, high-temperature materials, and nanomaterials, with emphasis on applications in energy and harsh environments. Current projects include additive manufacturing of ceramic composites and machine learning for materials design.

Research Interests: Dr. Lu's work spans polymer-derived ceramics, materials in extreme environments, and computational modeling. Key areas include nanocomposite design, coatings, and high-temperature stability. She has pioneered studies on SiOC-based materials and ion irradiation effects on ceramics.

Grants & Advising: She mentors students in graduate, undergraduate, and postdoctoral programs. Openings exist for researchers with expertise in preceramic polymers, additive processing, and simulation (MD/machine learning). Her lab emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration and industry partnerships.

Labs & Facilities: Her group operates advanced facilities for materials synthesis, characterization (TEM/SEM), and computational modeling. The lab is part of UAB's Engineering Complex, fostering innovation in sustainable and high-performance materials.