Researcher

Dr Liya Zhao

Keywords

electromechanical behavior

Fields of Research (FoR)

Mechanical engineering, Solid mechanics, Numerical modelling and mechanical characterisation, Structural dynamics, Dynamics, vibration and vibration control, Structural engineering

Biography

Research website: liyazhao-lab.com

Dr Liya Zhao is currently a Senior Lecturer in the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney). She is the recipient of the ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) for 2021-2024.

She received her BEng in Civil Engineering from Tongji University in 2009, and her PhD in Structures and Mechanics from Nanyang Technological University Singapore...view more

Research website: liyazhao-lab.com

Dr Liya Zhao is currently a Senior Lecturer in the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney). She is the recipient of the ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) for 2021-2024.

She received her BEng in Civil Engineering from Tongji University in 2009, and her PhD in Structures and Mechanics from Nanyang Technological University Singapore in Dec 2015. After that, she worked as a Research Fellow at Nanyang Technological University Singapore. She moved to the University of Technology Sydney in 2017 as a Lecturer and became a Senior Lecturer in 2021. She joined UNSW Sydney as a Senior Lecturer in 2022. Dr Liya Zhao was featured among the World's Top 2% Scientists list for single year 2020 in the subject field of Materials, Energy, and Enabling & Strategic Technologies, published by Stanford University in Aug 2021.

Her research interests include energy harvesting, nonlinear dynamics, smart materials and structures, electromechanical modelling, vibration control, aerodynamics, and piezoelectric devices. More details on my research website: Dynamic Smart Structures and Energy Harvesting Lab

- Nonlinear Dynamics, Vibration Suppression

Structural/material/geometric/aerodynamic nonlinearity
Multifunctional systems for energy harvesting and vibration suppression

- Kinetic Energy Harvesting

Nonlinear adaptive structures for 1) small-scale wind energy harvesting with aeroelastic instabilities 2) broadband vibration energy harvesting
Advanced power extraction interfaces for energy conversion enhancement
Human motion energy harvesting; biosensing
Wave energy harvesting

- Smart Materials and Structures

Adaptive devices for energy harvesting, vibration suppression, actuating and sensing
Electromechanically coupled adaptive structures with smart materials (piezoelectric / flexoelectric / triboelectric / electret mechanisms)

- Integrated Self-Powered Wireless Sensor Networks/Active Tags

Sustainable physiological monitoring with self-powered body sensor networks
Sustainable smart environmental/structural health monitoring
Sustainable object tracking

My Qualifications

Dec. 2015 Ph.D. in Structures & Mechanics, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

PhD supervisor: Prof Yaowen Yang

Jun. 2009 B.Eng. in Civil Engineering, Tongji University, China

My Research Supervision

Supervision keywords

electromechanical behavior

Areas of supervision

Energy harvesting, vibration energy, nonlinear dynamics, smart materials and structures, vibration control, aerodynamics, piezoelectric devices

Currently supervising

We are always seeking highly-motivated research students to join our lab. Applicants are expected to have a solid background in mechanics, vibration, nonlinear dynamics, and engineering programming (e.g., Matlab). If you are interested in doing a PhD with me, please send your transcripts (requirement: Bachelor GPA > 80/100), CV, and your intended research (an abstract within 200 words) to liya.zhao2@unsw.edu.au.

PhD scholarships are available for top students who achieved UNSW High Distinction (H1) or equivalent in their undergraduate program and/or have completed a Master by Research. In general, admission and scholarship applications are highly competitive.

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