Yu Zhong

Dr. Yu Zhong is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). He holds an affiliated appointment in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering. He earned his Ph.D. in Materials Science from Pennsylvania State University (2005) and an M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Sichuan University (2000). Before joining WPI, he worked at Saint-Gobain's High Performance Research Center (2005–2013) and served as an Assistant Professor at Florida International University (2013–2016).

• Affiliations: Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Current), Florida International University (2013–2016), Saint-Gobain Research Center (2005–2013)
• Research Interests: Advanced Sustainable Materials & Manufacturing, Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, Light Alloys (Magnesium/Aluminum), Lithium-Ion Batteries, High-Performance Ceramics, Computational Thermodynamics, and Machine Learning in Materials Science.

His research focuses on integrating computational methods (first-principles calculations, CALPHAD modeling) with experimental validation to design novel materials. Notable contributions include high-entropy alloys, oxygen transport membranes, and lithium-ion battery materials.

Dr. Zhong has authored over 70 peer-reviewed articles, 2 book chapters, and 2 patents. His work is funded by agencies such as DOE, NSF, and the Nuclear Energy University Program. He has received awards including the James Nichols Heald Research Award (2021) and TMS FMD Young Leaders Professional Development Award (2016).

Labs/Teams: Integrated Materials and Processes Design (IMPD) Group at WPI, focusing on computational thermodynamics, machine learning, and experimental validation for advanced materials.