Zhen Li

Dr. Zhen Li is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Clemson University's College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences. He joined Clemson in August 2019 after serving as a research associate professor at Brown University and a postdoctoral research associate at University of California, Merced.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Fluid Mechanics, Shanghai University, 2012
• MS in Fluid Mechanics, Shanghai University, 2008
• BS in Engineering Mechanics, Wuhan University, 2005

Dr. Li's research focuses on multiscale modeling of soft matter, complex fluids, biophysics, and collective dynamics using both bottom-up (coarse-grained molecular modeling) and top-down (from continuum descriptions to fluctuating hydrodynamics) approaches, along with high-performance computing. His work spans mathematical theory for coarse-graining and model reduction, statistical methods and machine-learning approaches applied to multiscale modeling, memory effects in complex fluids, and concurrent coupling of heterogeneous solvers for scale-bridging.

Analysis of Dr. Li's recent publications reveals a strong trend toward integrating machine learning with traditional computational methods, particularly neural operators for multiscale problems. His work spans diverse applications from bubble dynamics and blood flow to materials science and bioprinting, demonstrating the versatility of his computational approaches across multiple disciplines in engineering and physics.

Awards and Recognition:

• CECAS Dean's Professor Award (2024)
• Award of Excellence - Junior Faculty (2021-2022)
• Best Research Poster Award at SC19 (2019)
• 2nd Place Award of Best Poster Presentation at DOE/EFRC AIM for Composites meeting (2024)

Dr. Li actively mentors PhD students including Miles Lu, Ryan Wan, Haizhou Wen, and Ali Mohammadi, who have published significant research in computational mechanics. His research is supported by multiple grants including an NSF Elements grant as PI for 'SciMem: Enabling High Performance Multi-Scale Simulation on Big Memory Platforms', an NSF CDS&E grant as co-PI for 'HAM3R: Heterogeneous Automated Management of Multiscale Methods and Resources', a DOE/EFRC grant as Thrust lead co-PI for 'AIM for Composites', and a NASA EPSCoR grant as Science-PI.

Dr. Li leads the MuthComp (Multiscale theory and Computation) research group, which focuses on developing interfaces between Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Physics-based Machine Learning, and High Performance Scientific Computing. The group has active collaborations with institutions including Idaho National Laboratory, University of Tokyo, and Brown University, and has developed open-source software including USERMESO for GPU-accelerated DPD simulations.