Hangjian Ling

Dr. Hangjian Ling is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (UMassD), affiliated with the College of Engineering. He holds a PhD from Johns Hopkins University (2017), where he studied drag reduction mechanisms in super-hydrophobic surfaces. Before joining UMassD, he conducted postdoctoral research at Stanford University (2017–2019) on collective behavior in bird flocks.

Education:

• PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 2017
• MS in Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 2013
• BS in Mechanical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, 2011

Research Interests: Dr. Ling’s work bridges fluid dynamics, materials science, and biology. His lab develops novel imaging technologies (e.g., digital holography) and studies:

• Super-hydrophobic surfaces for anti-biofouling and energy efficiency
• Collective motion in animal groups (e.g., jackdaws, fish schools)
• Turbulent boundary layer dynamics and drag reduction
• 3D cell tracking for biomedical applications

Recent Research Trends: His publications focus on super-hydrophobic surface longevity in turbulent flows, gas diffusion mechanisms, and bacterial adhesion. He also explores imaging techniques for cell morphology and flocking behavior analysis.

Awards:

• NSF CAREER Award ($400,928)
• ONR Grant ($197,813)
• UMassD MUST I Grant

Grants & Advising: Active grants include NSF-funded studies on gas dissolution mechanisms. His lab collaborates on anti-biofouling surface development and marine engineering applications. Students and teams under his guidance have won awards in innovation competitions.

Labs & Facilities: Director of the Flow Imaging and Technologies (FITs) Lab at UMassD, which develops optical techniques for fluid and particle motion analysis. The lab focuses on solving energy and environmental challenges through interdisciplinary research.