Rate My Professor Lin Liu

Lin Liu is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Kansas, joining the faculty in 2013. He earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University of Science and Technology, developing theoretical models to predict the electrochemical performance and reliability of solid oxide fuel cells. At Iowa State, he received the University Graduate Student Teaching Excellence Award and the Iowa State Graduate Student Research Excellence Award, and in 2011 was named one of seven graduate student Wakonse Fellows for exemplifying models for the national community of teachers and scholars. Prior to KU, Dr. Liu was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, investigating degradation mechanisms leading to lithium-ion battery failure. He also gained industrial experience at General Motors and The Stanley Works.

Dr. Liu's research specializes in energy storage and energy conversion, with emphasis on lithium-ion batteries, fuel cells, multi-scale and multi-physics modeling, mechanics of manufacturing processes, and advanced manufacturing. His approaches combine physics-based predictive models, simulations, and experimental prototyping to analyze performance degradation, optimize power and longevity, and enhance safety and affordability. Funded by the National Science Foundation, NASA, local industry, and the Kansas Soybean Commission, his projects include soybean-based battery materials from Kansas farm byproducts and protonic ceramic electrolysis cells for efficient hydrogen production via his 2023-24 Big XII Faculty Fellowship collaboration with Kansas State University, involving partnerships with Idaho National Lab and Pacific Northwest National Lab. Notable publications include "Phase-Field Modeling of Solid Electrolyte Interphase Growth: Its Application to Lithium-ion Batteries Failure Detection" (Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 2023) and "Comparative study of various cathodes for lithium ion batteries" (Journal of Power Sources, 2018). With 2,927 citations on Google Scholar, his work advances sustainable energy systems to support renewable integration and net-zero goals. Dr. Liu received promotion to associate professor with tenure in 2019 and serves as a 2024-25 Senior Administrative Fellow.