Dr. Yaoyu Li is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), affiliated with the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. He holds a PhD from Purdue University (2004), an MSc from the University of Saskatchewan (1997), and a BSc from Tsinghua University (1992). His research focuses on energy efficiency, renewable energy systems, and advanced control strategies for building HVAC, wind energy, and electric vehicles. He has held academic positions at UTD since 2011, including Associate Professor (2011–2018) and Professor (2018–present), and previously at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (2004–2011). Research Interests: Dr. Li specializes in model-free control for HVAC systems, wind turbine control, and energy management for electric vehicles. His work emphasizes dynamic modeling, self-optimizing control, and fault diagnosis. Key areas include: - Building-to-grid integration and demand response - Offshore floating wind turbine stabilization - Battery diagnostics and worthiness assessment - Photovoltaic system optimization Publications: Over 70 peer-reviewed articles, including work on extremum seeking control, wind farm optimization, and electric vehicle thermal management. Recent trends focus on smart community energy systems, artificial muscle-based control for offshore turbines, and data-driven optimization methods. Awards: Recipient of the ASME DSCC 2020 Best Paper Award, Honda Initiation Grant (2007), and multiple research expenditure recognitions. He has advised numerous graduate students and collaborated with industry partners like Johnson Controls and Eaton Corporation. Teaching and Service: Taught courses including Systems and Controls, Wind Energy, and Heat Transfer at UTD. Served as Associate Editor for MecharAtronics and IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics . Active in professional organizations including ASME, IEEE, and AIAA.


