Yanliang Zhang

Yanliang Zhang is a Professor and the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Collegiate Chair in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Notre Dame's College of Engineering. He directs the Advanced Manufacturing for Energy and Health (AMEH) Lab, where he leads cutting-edge research at the intersection of advanced manufacturing, energy conversion, and healthcare sensing technologies.

His educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic University (2011)
• M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Southeast University, China (2008)
• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Southeast University, China (2005)

Professor Zhang's research spans multiple domains with a focus on thermal science and energy conversion. His work centers on developing innovative manufacturing techniques for functional materials and devices, particularly in the areas of thermoelectrics, flexible electronics, and advanced sensing systems. The lab employs an "Atomic to System Engineering" approach to bridge fundamental research with practical applications. Key research thrusts include:

• Additive manufacturing and scalable nanomanufacturing of functional materials
• Thermal and thermoelectric energy conversion, harvesting, and storage
• Advanced sensors for extreme environments and healthcare monitoring
• Autonomous materials discovery through high-throughput combinatorial methods

Analysis of Professor Zhang's recent publications (2024-2025) reveals a strong emphasis on aerosol jet printing, thermoelectric devices, and machine learning-assisted manufacturing. His work demonstrates a progression from fundamental materials research toward integrated systems for energy conversion and healthcare applications. A notable trend is the increasing integration of AI/ML techniques with advanced manufacturing processes to optimize device performance and enable autonomous fabrication.

Professor Zhang has received significant recognition for his work, including:

• International Thermoelectric Society 2020 Young Investigator Award

His research program is supported by prestigious funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, and industry partners. Professor Zhang actively mentors the next generation of engineers through his laboratory, which includes postdoctoral researchers, PhD students, and undergraduate researchers working on diverse projects spanning from fundamental materials science to applied device engineering.

The Advanced Manufacturing for Energy and Health Lab maintains strong collaborative ties with industry and national laboratories, facilitating the translation of research discoveries into practical applications. Current research directions include bioprinting, autonomous manufacturing systems, and next-generation thermoelectric technologies for energy harvesting and cooling applications.