Y Z Zhang

Y Z Zhang is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), affiliated with the Grainger College of Engineering. He holds roles including Associate Head for Graduate Programs and Donald Biggar Willett Faculty Scholar. His research spans two core areas: Matter (far-from-equilibrium physics, liquids/complex fluids under extreme conditions, neutron scattering) and Machine (soft robots, robots in extreme environments, AI-driven control systems). He earned his Ph.D. from MIT (2010) and B.S. from USTC (2004).

Research emphasizes accelerated molecular simulations, stochastic dynamics, and neutron scattering to study materials at atomic levels. His machine-focused work integrates materials expertise into soft robotics and interpretable AI. Notable honors include the JCESR Best Paper Award (2022), Landis Young Award (2017), and multiple UIUC recognitions. He leads interdisciplinary projects involving the Beckman Institute, Illinois Robotics Group, and Center for Autonomy.

Recent work includes hydrothermal liquefaction of biowaste for biofuels, anaerobic digestion optimization, and sustainable bioeconomy systems. He teaches advanced radiation-matter interaction courses (NPRE 446/447/521) and advises on student research (NPRE 595). His lab collaborates across engineering, biophysics, and computational science.