Jin Yang

Dr. Jin Yang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering & Engineering Mechanics at the University of Texas at Austin. He joined the faculty in Fall 2022 after completing a postdoctoral position at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a PhD from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). His research focuses on developing experimental techniques and analytical tools to study viscoelastic materials under extreme loading conditions, particularly leveraging machine learning and advanced imaging methods like digital image correlation (DIC) and laser-induced cavitation. Key areas include material characterization of hydrogels, biological tissues, and foams at ultra-high strain rates (10^-4 to 10⁷ s^-1).

Education:

• B.En. in Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University (2013)
• Ph.D. in Engineering Mechanics, California Institute of Technology (2019)

Research Interests:

• Dynamic instability and failure mechanisms in viscoelastic materials
• Machine learning-driven material characterization
• Laser-induced microcavitation for rheometry
• Development of high-speed full-field deformation measurement techniques (DIC, DVC)

Notable Awards:

• National Science Foundation CAREER Award (2025)
• Haythornthwaite Initiation Grant (ASME, 2022)
• ICTAM Fellowship (International Congress of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics)

Grants and Initiatives:

• Academic Development Funds for enhancing aerospace materials labs (2024-25)
• Funding for high-speed imaging equipment (Shimadzu HPV-X2 camera)

Labs & Teams: Active in the Yang Research Group at UT-Austin, focusing on cutting-edge mechanics of solids and biomaterials.