Xiaodong Yang

Dr. Xiaodong Yang is a Professor and Associate Chair of Graduate Affairs in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T). He leads the Nanoscale Optics Laboratory, focusing on interdisciplinary research at the intersection of photonics, plasmonics, and metamaterials. His work involves designing and fabricating nanostructured optical devices for applications in sensing, energy harvesting, and nanoelectromechanical systems.

Education:

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China (2000)
• M.S. in Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (2003)
• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University (2009)

Research Interests:

His research spans optical metamaterials, nonlinear optics in 2D materials, thermal radiation management, and nanoscale optomechanics. Key topics include metasurface holography, strain-tuned photoluminescence, and plasmonic force manipulation. Recent work highlights include chiral metasurface absorbers and anisotropic nonlinear optical responses in layered materials.

Publications:

Recent studies focus on upconversion photoluminescence in 2D materials, tunable chiral infrared metasurfaces, and structural color printing using plasmonic nanostructures. These works reflect a trend toward integrating nanophotonic structures with functional optical devices.

Lab & Affiliations:

His lab collaborates with Missouri S&T’s Materials Research Center and Energy Research and Development Center. Projects emphasize cross-disciplinary approaches to nanoscale optics, combining engineering, physics, and materials science.