Chair Professor of City University of Hong Kong (Dongguan)

Professor Liu Zishun obtained his B.Eng. degree in Applied Mechanics and M.Eng. degree in Solid Mechanics from Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), in addition to earning M.Eng. and Ph.D. degrees in Solid Mechanics from the National University of Singapore (NUS). Before his appointment at the City University of Hong Kong (Dongguan), Professor Liu held the prestigious position of Sanqin Chair Professor in Shaanxi Province from 2012 to 2024, was the Executive Director of the International Centre for Applied Mechanics and Chairman of the Academic Committee of the School of Aerospace Engineering at XJTU and served as an Adjunct Professor at NUS.

From March 1986 to August 1994, Professor Liu was a part of XJTU’s faculty, progressing from an Assistant Teaching Fellow to a Lecturer and then Associate Professor. He joined NUS as a Research Fellow and Research Assistant from August 1994 to March 1997, during which time he also became a Chartered Engineer of Singapore. Following this period, he contributed significantly to the Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC-A*STAR), Singapore, as a Senior Research Engineer, Research Scientist, and Senior Scientist between May 1999 and July 2012. His roles at IHPC included Deputy Department Director of Solid Mechanics, Department Director of Engineering Mechanics, and Department Director of Soft Matter. Additionally, Professor Liu was a visiting scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Iron Research (now MPI for Sustainable Materials) in Germany in 2005, and at the University of Glasgow, UK, in 2006 and 2008.

Professor Liu Zishun's research primarily focuses on soft matter mechanics, computational solid mechanics, and nanomechanics. He has published over 220 papers in international journals and magazines, including a highly cited paper in the International Journal of Solids and Structures that earned him the IJSS 2005-2008 Highest Cited Author Award. His recent work includes several ESI papers and hot papers in prominent mechanics journals. As principal investigator, Professor Liu has led over 100 research projects to success, receiving numerous accolades such as the Best Project Award from the Institute of High Performance Computing in Singapore in 2010, the Tin Ka Ping Foundation Award in 2013, the Newton Mobility Grant award by the Royal Society, UK in 2018, the 17th Feng Xinde Polymer Prize in 2023, and the First Prize for Excellent Achievements in Scientific and Technological Research at Higher Educational Institutions in Shaanxi Province in 2024. Recognized globally, he is listed among the world’s Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University. Professor Liu has authored nine monographs and one postgraduate textbook, with one monograph supported by the national publication fund in 2023 and the textbook featured on Xi'an Jiaotong University's Postgraduate ‘14th Five-Year Plan’ Outstanding Textbook List. He has been awarded nine patents and has been instrumental in setting two international standards.

In addition to his research accomplishments, Professor Liu Zishun holds several influential positions within editorial boards and professional communities. He is the editor-in-chief of both the International Journal of Applied Mechanics and the International Journal of Computational Materials Science and Engineering; an editor for the Journal of Mechanics of Materials and Structures (JOMMS); an associate editor for the Journal of Applied and Computational Mechanics; and a member of several SCI journal editorial boards (IJCM, IJSSD, AMS, AMSS, MSE, CSM, CJAM, JMMP, etc.). Moreover, he serves as General Secretary (and registered president) of the International Association of Applied Mechanics (IAAM) and Honorary President of the Singapore Association of Computational Mechanics. Professor Liu holds fellowships with multiple esteemed organizations including being a Fellow of the International Association of Applied Mechanics, Fellow of the International Association of Advanced Materials, and Fellow of Singapore Association of Computational Mechanics. He is also a member of the International Association for Computational Mechanics (IACM), and general council member of the Asian Pacific Association for Computational Mechanics (SCMAPR).

Professor Liu Zishun has played a pivotal role in organizing numerous international conferences. His notable positions include serving as the Chair of the Organising Committee for the 5th Asia Pacific Congress on Computational Mechanics in 2013 and leading the organization of the international conferences on frontiers in applied mechanics for several years (ISFAM 2014, ISFAM 2015, ISFAM 2016, ISFAM 2018, ICFAM 2020, ICFAM 2022). Additionally, Professor Liu has made significant contributions as the chairman of sub-committees, orchestrating many symposiums at major international conferences (ASME 2009, WCCM 2016, WCCM 2018, WCCM 2020, WCCM 2022, WCCM 2024, ICMAT 2007, ICMAT 2009, IUMRS-ICA 2009, ICMAT 2011). Beyond his organizational roles, Professor Liu Zishun has been an esteemed guest lecturer at universities and research institutes across a broad spectrum of countries including the USA, the UK, Japan, Canada, Singapore, China, Czechia, Russia, and France, sharing his profound knowledge and insights into mechanics and material science.

For more information on his published work: https://www.zsliu-group.com/news