Biography

Dr. Cunming Liu (刘存明): 

Dr. Cunming Liu is a physicist in the Time-Resolved Research (TRR) group of X-ray Science Division (XSD) at Advanced Photon Source (APS), Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). He is currently leading the ultrafast laser-initiated time-resolved X-ray characterization program at APS 25-ID-E, including time-resolved X-ray diffraction (TR-XRD), absorption spectroscopy (TR-XAS) and florescence spectroscopy (TR-XRF). Prior to this role, he served as a lead X-ray scientist at Thermo Fisher Scientific, where he contributed to the development of XRD and XRF instruments. Between 2016 and 2020, Dr. Liu underwent training as a beamline postdoc in TR-XRD and TR-XAS with a focus on laser-pumped/X-ray probed techniques at Argonne APS. He earned his Ph.D. degree in 2015 from the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY, with a dissertation on applying ultrafast laser spectroscopy to study photophysics of quantum dots.

Dr. Liu's current research is centered on investigating the photoinduced ultrafast structural and electronic dynamics of materials for applications in solar energy conversion, catalysis, and quantum information, by employing time-resolved ultrafast laser and X-ray spectroscopy techniques. Dr. Liu's interest lies in unraveling the intricated photoexcited processes of materials at the atomic level on the time scales from femtoseconds to microseconds, therefore providing crucial knowledge for the design and advancement of innovative materials.   

Experience:

2025-now, Physicist, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory

2022-2025, Assistant Physicist, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory

2020-2022, Lead X-ray Scientist, Advanced Technology (Spectroscopy) Group, Thermo Fisher Scientific 

2016-2020, Postdoctoral Scientist, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory 

2009-2015, Research Assistant, Materials Science Program in Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester 

Education:

Ph.D, Materials Science, University of Rochester (Rochester, New York, USA) (Advisor: Prof. Todd D. Krauss) (2015)

Master, Materials Science, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Shanghai, China) & Department of materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China (Hefei, China)

Bachelor, Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University (Shanghai, China)

Awards:

Impact Argonne Award (2023)

Argonne Outstanding Postdoctoral Performance Award (2019)

University of Rochester Graduate Scholarships (2012-2015) 

Sproull Fellowship at University of Rochester (The Most Prestigious Fellowship at University, 2009-2011)

Excellent Master Graduate of Chinese Academy of Sciences (2009)

Grade A Graduate Scholarships

National Scholarship of China

Excellent Undergraduate Scholarships