Li He

Li He serves as an Assistant Scientist in the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics within the University of Wisconsin-Madison's College of Engineering. Her research expertise centers on advanced electron microscopy characterization of radiation-damaged nuclear materials, with emphasis on defect dynamics in silicon carbide and metallic glasses under ion irradiation.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Material Science and Engineering, University of Virginia, School of Engineering and Applied Science (December 2009)
• M.S. in Microelectronics and Solid-State Electronics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (June 2000)
• B.S. in Electronic Materials and Components, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (July 1997)

Research Focus: Dr. He specializes in transmission electron microscopy (TEM/STEM) techniques for analyzing ion and neutron irradiation damage in nuclear structural materials. Her work bridges fundamental defect physics with practical applications in reactor materials, particularly investigating swelling mechanisms in stainless steels, atomic-scale defect evolution in silicon carbide, and medium-range order in metallic/molecular glasses. Key innovations include electron correlation microscopy for supercooled liquid dynamics and quantitative temperature mapping in TEM.

Publication Trends: Her 2013-2017 publications reveal consistent focus on radiation effects in nuclear materials, with methodological emphasis on advanced electron microscopy. Dominant themes include defect cluster kinetics in covalent materials, in-situ characterization of glassy systems, and quantitative analysis of irradiation-induced swelling. The work demonstrates strong interdisciplinary connections between nuclear engineering, materials physics, and microscopy technique development.

Scientific Recognition:

• Best paper award in the Microscopy and Microanalysis Journal (2015)

Research Infrastructure: As technical contact for UW-Madison's Ion Beam Laboratory, she directs ion irradiation and surface analysis projects supporting nuclear materials research. Her experimental work integrates aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy with in-situ irradiation and heating capabilities to probe dynamic structural changes at atomic resolution.