男衣簸

Dr. Qihan Liu will start his research group at University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering in Janurary 2020. He is looking for students starting in either 2020 Spring or 2020 Fall. Tuition and Stipend will be covered for both master and doctor student. Interested student for Spring admission must directly contact Dr. Liu (qihanliu@fas.harvard.edu). Background in solid mechanics, polymer synthesis, and building experimental devices are appreciated but not required. Research Direction Dr. Qihan Liu's research focuses on the mechanics and the manufacturing of soft materials/structures. From aeroplane to cellphones, machines made of hard materials have revolutionized human life throughout the history. However, as most biological tissues are soft, hard machines are intrinsically unable to mimic the performance of biological tissues, thus facing great limitation in biomedical applications, in human-machine-interface, and in biomimetics. As a result, more and more research are devoted into the development of soft machines. By advancing our understanding of  the mechanics and the manufacturing of soft materials/structures, Dr. Liu aims to elevate soft machines beyond the simple proof-of-concept stage. As the research is highly interdisciplinary, students from various backgrounds are welcome to apply as long as the connection between the background and the future research can be justified. Advisor Biography Dr. Liu received his PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences in 2016 under the supervision of Dr. Zhigang Suo. He worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard afterwards, under the supervision of Dr. Kevin Kit Parker. His research spans multiple aspects of the mechanics and manufacturing of soft materials. School Profile University of Pittsburgh locates in a convenient urban setting with rich cultural activities and intern opportunities. The Swanson School of Engineering is one of the oldest engineering school in the United States. In fields related to Dr. Liu's research (Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering), the school is consistently ranked among top 50 in US News graduate school ranking.