Dr. Dong Qian

Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Associate Department Head of Graduate Studies at the Department of Mechanical Engineering

Past Honors

College of Engineering, University of Cincinnati Distinguished Researcher Award, 2010 and 2012

International Conference on Advanced Composite Materials (ICACM) Young Investigator award at 3rd International Symposium on Computational Mechanics, 2011

Air Force Summer Faculty Fellowship, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012

Summer Visiting Faculty Scholar, Peking University, 2010

Research Interests

Nonlinear finite element and mesh-free methods and applications to stress and failure analysis

Fatigue and life prediction

Surface engineering and residual stress analysis

Modeling and simulation of nano-structured materials

Multi-scale methods that seek to bridge gaps in spatial or temporal scales

Education

BS Bridge Engineering, Tongji University, China

MS Civil Engineering, University of Missouri-Columbia

PhD Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University

Top Publications (by citation)

Mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes: theoretical predictions and experimental measurements

Handbook of nanoscience, engineering, and technology

Mechanical properties of atomically thin boron nitride and the role of interlayer interactions

Hierarchically buckled sheath-core for superelastic electronics, sensors and muscles

Mechanical Engineering Associate Department Head Named ASME Fellow

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) recently named Dr. Dong Qian a fellow, an honor attained by just over 3% of the organization’s more than 90,000 members worldwide.

Qian is a professor of mechanical engineering and an associate department head over the mechanical engineering graduate program who researches the mechanics of materials over time. He has been an active member of ASME for more than 10 years and enjoys mentoring students through the organization. His interdisciplinary work now encompasses mechanical engineering, physics and nanotechnology.

“I feel like I made one of the best choices of my career to grow within a department at UT Dallas,” Qian said. “This award is a huge honor, and people throughout my career supported me in the nomination process. The Department of Mechanical Engineering has attracted a number of early career faculty, so as a fellow, I am most excited that I am now in a position to nominate others.”

Other current ASME fellows in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at The University of Texas at Dallas include Dr. Dani FaddaDr. Hongbing LuDr. Joshua Summers and Dr. Seung M. You.

Qian’s research interests include nonlinear finite element and mesh-free methods for stress and failure analysis; fatigue and life prediction; surface engineering and residual stress analysis; modeling and simulation of nanoscale materials; and multi-scale methods to bridge gaps in spatial or temporal scales. One journal article on the mechanics of carbon nanotubes published in Applied Mechanics Review has attracted more than 1,400 citations. The technology has numerous applications, including electronics, sensors and artificial muscles. His collaboration with Dr. Ray L. Baughman, professor of chemistry, Robert A. Welch Distinguished Chair of Chemistry and Director of the Alan G. MacDiarmid NanoTech Institute, on creating powerful new artificial muscles with the carbon nanotube technology has garnered significant attention.

Dr. Joshua Summers, head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, nominated Qian for the honor shortly after joining the University.

“Professor Qian is an incredible colleague,” Summers said. “He seeks to ensure that all others are recognized and supported before thinking inwards. Beyond his professional and service contributions, he has made fundamental contributions to the mechanics of nanostructured materials, particularly low-dimensional nanostructures such as fullerene, carbon nanotubes, graphene and MXenes, as well as nanostructured materials such as artificial muscles and composites.”

Qian said that Summers took the initiative in the nomination.

“I was surprised, but even though I have been heavily involved in ASME through the University, I did not immediately consider it,” Qian said.“I am grateful for his support and for other ASME members and fellows, some of whom I have known through the past 20 years.”

Qian received nominations from several individuals who have collaborated with him in the past at a variety of institutions including Dr. J.S. Chen, the William Prager Chair Professor and Distinguished Professor at the University of California at San Diego, Dr. Wing Kam Liu, the Walter P. Murphy Professor and past president of the International Association for Computational Mechanics, Northwestern University, and Dr. Donglu Shi, chair and graduate director at the University of Cincinnati.

“I tend to collaborate with experimentalists since I work on modeling,” Qian said.

As an undergraduate in China, Qian studied bridge engineering, an area of civil engineering critical to China’s infrastructure, and he has ultimately focused his research on the mechanics of materials over time. He holds a BS in bridge engineering from Tongji University in China, an MS in civil engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a PhD in mechanical engineering from Northwestern University.





Fellow Qualifications (ASME)

“A Fellow, one who has attained a membership grade of distinction, at the time of advancement shall be a corporate member of the Society, shall have been responsible for significant engineering achievements, and shall not have less than 10 years of active practice and 10 years of corporate membership in ASME.”