About Me
Chenghai Li (李成海)
Ph.D. Candidate of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
University of California, San Diego
Ph.D. Candidate of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
University of California, San Diego
I'm currently pursuing my Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at UC San Diego under the guidance of Prof. Shengqiang Cai. My research interests encompass fundamental solid mechanics, manufacturing strategies, and engineering applications of synthetic and living soft materials. Throughout my doctoral studies, I have focused on exploring the fracture of polymeric materials and the adhesion of metamaterial structural adhesives. Meanwhile, I have also explored the creation of mechanoluminescent materials and structures by utilizing bioinspired bistable metamaterials and biohybrid/living approaches.
Education:
Sep 2019 - Sep 2024, Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, U.S.
Sep 2016 - Jun 2019, M.S. in Solid Mechanics, Xi’an Jiaotong University, China
Sep 2012 - Jun 2016, B.S. in Engineering Mechanics and Finance, Xi’an Jiaotong University, China
Awards and Honors:
Oct 2023, The Travel Award for the Inaugural Future Faculty Symposium, SES 2023, Minnesota
Jul 2023, The Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-Financed Students Abroad, Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles
Jun 2023, The MAE Department Travel Grant, University of California, San Diego
May 2022, The 10th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Awards (1/4), University of California, San Diego
Sep 2019, The MAE Department Fellowship, University of California, San Diego
Jun 2019, The Outstanding Graduate, Xi’an Jiaotong University
2016-2018, The Academic Scholarship, Xi’an Jiaotong University
Jun 2016, The Outstanding Graduate, Xi’an Jiaotong University
Dec 2015, The National Encouragement Scholarship, The Ministry of Education, China
2012-2014, The Outstanding Student, Xi’an Jiaotong University
Conference Talks and Posters:
Apr 2024, “Ultrasensitive and Robust Mechanoluminescent Living Composites”, RoboSoft Conference Campus Tour, UC San Diego, California
Oct 2023 “Ultrasensitive and Robust Mechanoluminescent Living Composites”, SES 2023, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Apr 2023 “Bioluminescence for Living Materials and Devices”, Research Expo 2023, UC San Diego, California
Jun 2022 “Effects of Network Structures on the Fracture of Hydrogel”, 19th U.S. National Congress on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Austin, Texas
Jun 2022 “Highly Robust and Power-free Soft Biohybrid Mechanoluminescence”, 19th U.S. National Congress on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Austin, Texas