University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The Grainger College of Engineering
Mechanical Science & Engineering

X. Shelly Zhang

X. Shelly Zhang

X. Shelly Zhang

(217) 300-1815
3108 Newmark Civil Engineering Bldg

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Education

  • Ph.D., Structural Engineering, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2018
  • M.S., Structural Engineering, Computational Science and Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2014
  • B.S., Civil Engineering (with honors), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2012

Biography

Dr. Xiaojia Shelly Zhang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She also holds an affiliate appointment at the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering. Dr. Zhang holds a B.S. (Honors) degree in Civil Engineering (University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign), an M.S. degree in Structural Engineering (University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign) with Computational Science and Engineering Diploma, and a Ph.D. degree in Structural Engineering (Georgia Tech). She received the faculty fellowship from the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) in 2019, and both the department-level (2018) and institution-level (2019) Best Ph.D. Thesis Awards. She is also a Review Editor for the Journal of Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization. Dr. Zhang receives the NSF CAREER award in 2021, and wins the 2022 Journal of Applied Mechanics Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

Her research interests are in the general areas of topology optimization, additive manufacturing, data-driven models, multi-scale materials and structures, 3D/4D printing, and uncertainty quantification. Her research group focuses on exploring topology optimization, stochastic and machine learning algorithms, and additive manufacturing to develop multi-functional, sustainable, and innovative civil structures, robots, and metamaterials for applications at different scales, from as large as high-rise buildings to as small as material microstructures.

Academic Positions

  • Assistant Professor (100%), Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign, 2019 - present
  • Faculty Fellow (0%), National Center of Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign, 2019 - present
  • Faculty Affiliate (0%), Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign, 2019 - present

Short Courses

  • A Primer on Michell’s Optimality Conditions. Online lecture series collaborating with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM). 2021.

Research Statement

Topology optimization is a technique for generating optimal shapes of structures. My research focuses on exploring multi-physics topology optimization, stochastic and machine learning algorithms, additive manufacturing to create multi-functional, sustainable, resilient, and optimal civil structures, robots, and metamaterials for applications at different scales, from as large as high-rise buildings to as small as material microstructures.

Research Interests

  • Design, simulate, and fabrication of multifunctional, resilient, and intelligent engineering structures and materials
  • Programmable multifunctional metamaterials
  • Topology optimization informed civil structures innovations
  • Multi-scale lattice design for resilient and lightweight metamaterials and structures
  • Bridging topology optimization and additive manufacturing
  • Robust design optimization under uncertainty through stochastic programming
  • Theoretical and algorithmic development of topology optimization to handle multi-objective and multi-constraints

Selected Articles in Journals

Articles in Conference Proceedings

  • Invited: X. S. Zhang. “Leveraging Materials in Topology Optimization” 2020 TMS (The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society) Congress, San Diego, CA, 2020.
  • X. S. Zhang, W. Li, Y. Ouyang. “Pedestrian Guideway Design under Continuous Traffic Equilibrium: A Topology Optimization Approach.” 99th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington DC, 2020.
  • X. S. Zhang, H. Chi, G. H. Paulino. “Adaptive Multi-Material Topology Optimization with Material and Geometric Nonlinearities.” Society of Engineering Science, St. Louis, MO, 2019.
  • X. S. Zhang, H. Chi, G. H. Paulino. “Adaptive multi-material topology optimization with material and geometric nonlinearities.” ASCE Engineering Mechanics Institute Conference, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, LA, 2019.
  • X. S. Zhang, E. de Sturler, G. H. Paulino. “Stochastic Methods for Topology Optimization with Many Load Cases.” ASCE Engineering Mechanics Institute Conference, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, LA, 2019.
  • X. S. Zhang, H. Chi, G. H. Paulino. “Virtual elements-based multi-material topology optimization with material and geometric nonlinearities.” 13th World Congress of Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, Beijing, China, 2019.
  • X. S. Zhang, E. de Sturler, G.H. Paulino. “Stochastic Methods for Topology Optimization with Many Load Cases.” Sandia National Laboratories Topology Optimization Roundtable, Albuquerque, NM, March 2019.
  • X. S. Zhang, A. Ramos Jr., G. H. Paulino. “Multi-Material Topology Optimization with Multiple Constraints: A General Approach with Material Nonlinearity.” Engineering Mechanics Institute Conference 2018, M.I.T., Cambridge, MA, May 2018.
  • X. S. Zhang, E. de Sturler, G. H. Paulino. “A Randomized Approach Based on Stochastic Sampling for Deterministic Topology Optimization with Many Right-Hand Sides.” 10th World Congress on Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, Brunswig, Germany, June 2017.

Journal Editorships

  • Review Editor, Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization (Impact factor: 4.542), 2021-present
  • Guest Editor, Journal of Engineering Structures (Impact factor: 4.471) Special Issue: Additively manufactured structures. 2022 - present
  • Early Career Editorial Board Member, Frontiers of Structural and Civil Engineering (Impact factor: 2.370), 2021-present
  • Guest Editor, Extreme Mechanics Letter (Impact factor: 4.806), 2021-present
  • Editor, ISSMO Newsletter, International Society for Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization (ISSMO), 2020

Conferences Organized or Chaired

  • Symposium organizer: "1310 Fast Solution Approaches for Complex Structural Optimization", 15th World Congress on Computational Mechanics (WCCM-XV), July 31-August 5, 2022.
  • Symposium organizer: "Optimization of Materials and Structures, Including Shape and Topology: Direct and Inverse Problems", 16th U.S. National Congress for Computational Mechanics (USNCCM), Chicago, IL, 2021.
  • Organizer: ISSMO (International Society for Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization) Women Networking Event series, 14th World Congress of Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization. Created and organized a series of public female mentoring and networking workshops to promote diversity and enable a healthy and supportive environment in the STEM fields. Six successful female panelists were invited by PI to share their success stories, career paths, career development advice, and work-life balance during 14th World Congress of Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, July 2021.
  • Co-Organizer: TOP Webinar (Topology Optimization Webinar) on Data-driven Approaches in Topology Optimization (DATO), January 26, 2021.
  • Local Organizing Committee: 16th U.S. National Congress for Computational Mechanics (USNCCM), Chicago, IL, 2021.
  • Symposium organizer: "Daniel C. Drucker Medal Symposium", 2020 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition (IMECE), ASME, November 16-19, 2020.
  • Symposium organizer: "New Trends in Topology Optimization", 15th U.S. National Congress for Computational Mechanics (USNCCM), Austin, TX, July 28-August 1, 2019.

Professional Societies

  • Vice-Chair, USACM (U. S. Association for Computational Mechanics), Technical Thrust Area (TTA) on Large Scale Structural Systems and Optimal Design, 2021-2023
  • Honor Member, Chi Epsilon – National Civil Engineering Honor Society, 2021-present
  • Event Officer, Female Researchers Group (FRG) of U.S. Association for Computational Mechanics (USACM), 2020-present

Service on University Committees

  • Team lead, UIUC-Carle Health Covid PPE project – led the design team for the N95 mask and face shield PPE project

Teaching Honors

  • UIUC Center for Teaching Excellence List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent (Spring 2022)
  • UIUC Center for Teaching Excellence List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent (Fall 2021)
  • UIUC Center for Teaching Excellence List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent (Spring 2021)
  • UIUC Center for Teaching Excellence List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent (Summer 2020)
  • UIUC Center for Teaching Excellence List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent (Spring 2020)
  • ASCE Excellence in Civil Engineering Education (ExCEEd) Fellowship (2019)

Research Honors

  • Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Young Investigator Research Program (YIP) Award (2023)
  • Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Young Faculty Award (YFA) (2022)
  • Journal of Applied Mechanics Award, ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) (2022)
  • Faculty Scholar, Office of Risk Management & Insurance Research (ORMIR) (2022)
  • National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award (2021)
  • Fellow, National Science Foundation (NSF) CMMI’s Game Changer Academies (2021)
  • Elected to be an Honor Member, Chi Epsilon – National Civil Engineering Honor Society (2021)
  • National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) Faculty Fellowship (2019)
  • Institution-wide Best Ph.D. Thesis of entire Georgia Tech, Sigma Xi Honor Society, Georgia Tech Chapter (2019)
  • Department-wide Best Ph.D. Thesis, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Tech (2018)
  • Third Place in Siemens FutureMakers Challenge, Siemens Corporation (2018)
  • The Most Downloaded Journal Article in Springer (2017)

Recent Courses Taught

  • CEE 470 - Structural Analysis
  • CEE 498 SO3 (CEE 498 SO4, CEE 498 ST3, CEE 498 ST4) - Theory & Creation of Structure
  • CEE 578 - Structural Design Optimization
  • CEE 595 S (CEE 595 SO) - Structural Engr Seminar
  • CEE 598 SDO - Structural Design Optimization

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