Yao Fu

Dr. Yao (Yolanda) Fu is an Associate Professor at the Kevin T. Crofton Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering, Virginia Tech. She holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and an M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Her research focuses on computationally guided materials design, corrosion resistance in harsh environments, and additive manufacturing processes. She leads the Materials for High-Temperature and Corrosive Environment Laboratory.

• Education:
  • Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, University of Pittsburgh
  • M.S., Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Her research interests include multiphysics simulation of materials behavior, high-temperature material performance, and innovative manufacturing techniques. Notable achievements include developing phase field models for stress corrosion cracking and studying laser powder bed fusion effects on material properties.

Dr. Fu has received prestigious awards, including the NSF CAREER Award (2021) and ONR Young Investigator Award (2021). Her work bridges computational mechanics with experimental validation, emphasizing practical applications in aerospace and marine engineering.

• Professional Memberships:
  • International Association for Computational Mechanics (IACM)
  • United States Association for Computational Mechanics (USACM)
  • Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS)

Her lab focuses on advancing material systems for extreme environments, with a particular emphasis on corrosion-resistant alloys and additive manufacturing processes. Recent studies highlight the optimization of laser-based fabrication techniques and microstructural analysis of advanced composites.