Chengyu Li

Chengyu Li is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Case School of Engineering, Case Western Reserve University. His research program focuses on developing computational models to investigate the underlying flow physics and transport phenomena associated with biological and biomedical flows.

Dr. Li received his PhD in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering from the University of Virginia in 2016, following an M.S. from the same institution in 2014. He completed his undergraduate education with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Dalian Jiaotong University, China, in 2010. Prior to joining Case Western, he served as an Assistant Professor at Villanova University from 2018 to 2024 and completed a postdoctoral position at The Ohio State University (2016-2018).

Dr. Li's research spans multiple areas of fluid dynamics with applications in both engineering and healthcare. His work integrates computational fluid dynamics, immersed boundary methods, and high-performance computing to address complex problems in biological locomotion and biomedical flows. Specific research foci include:

• Bio-inspired propulsion mechanisms, studying how biological systems like insects and ctenophores achieve efficient locomotion
• Human nasal airflow dynamics, with applications to understanding and treating conditions like empty nose syndrome
• Fluid-structure interaction in flapping flight, examining how wing flexibility affects aerodynamic performance
• Odor-guided navigation, investigating how insects balance aerodynamic performance with olfactory sensitivity

Analysis of Dr. Li's publication record reveals a strong interdisciplinary approach that bridges fundamental fluid dynamics with practical applications. His recent work shows increasing focus on the intersection of fluid dynamics and sensory biology, particularly how insects use airflow information for navigation. He has maintained a consistent research program in biomedical flows, with particular attention to nasal airflow and its clinical implications across multiple conditions including empty nose syndrome, nasal septal perforation, and olfactory sensitivity.

Dr. Li has received several prestigious awards recognizing his research excellence:

• Young Investigator Program (YIP) Award 2024 from AFOSR
• Lewis F. Moody Award 2022 from ASME
• Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Award 2021 from NSF
• Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award 2019 from ORAU
• Polak Young Investigator Award 2017 from AChemS

Dr. Li leads the Flow Simulation & Flow Physics Lab, where he mentors students in computational fluid dynamics research. His work has been supported by multiple grants including AFOSR FA9550-11-1-0058, AFOSR FA9550-12-1-007 monitored by Dr. Douglas Smith, and NSF CEBT-1313217. He collaborates extensively with researchers across disciplines, including Tyson Hedrick (UNC Chapel Hill), Kai Zhao (OSU), and Haibo Dong (UVa).

Dr. Li actively contributes to the academic community through service roles including CFDTC Vice Chair (2024-2026) and Secretary (2022-2024) for ASME, and as a member of the Division of Fluid Dynamics at APS since 2011.