Longji Cui

Dr. Longji Cui is an Assistant Professor in the Thermo Fluid Sciences, Materials, and Micro/Nanoscale disciplines at the University of Colorado Boulder, affiliated with the Department of Mechanical Engineering within the College of Engineering and Applied Science. His laboratory focuses on high-precision instrumentation and computational techniques to explore energy transport, conversion, and dissipation at extreme scales, including scanning thermal microscopy, picowatt-resolution sensors, and nanophotonics.

• Lab Location: ECME 1B66F / ECME 108
• Office Location: ECME 267B

Research Interests: Dr. Cui's work spans thermal energy sciences, ultrahigh-resolution sensing, scanning probe microscopy, nano-optics, and quantum engineering. His interdisciplinary projects address critical challenges in sustainable energy systems, next-generation microelectronics, and advanced sensor technologies for high-performance applications. Notable contributions include innovations in thermophotovoltaic systems, molecular-scale thermal transport, and plasmonic light emission mechanisms.

Recent publications emphasize near-field thermal radiation, quantized thermal transport in single-atom junctions, and enhanced energy conversion through nanoscale engineering. These studies bridge fundamental physics with practical applications in renewable energy and nanotechnology.

• Awards:
  • 2025 CEAS Innovation & Entrepreneurship Fellow
  • 2024 ASME Rising Star Award
  • 2023 NSF CAREER Award
  • 2023 CU Boulder Lab Venture Challenge Award

His research group collaborates across disciplines to advance instrumentation for atomic-scale thermal measurements and develop novel materials for energy applications. Ongoing efforts include optimizing thermophotovoltaic devices and exploring hot-carrier dynamics in plasmonic systems.