Ying Sun

Dr. Ying Sun is the Herman Schneider Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering and the Director of Research and Strategic Initiatives at the College of Engineering and Applied Science. She recently served as Head of the Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering at the University of Cincinnati, where she led the department through a period of significant growth, including the launch of the new Industrial & Systems Engineering programs, the expansion of the department's research portfolio, and the recruitment of outstanding new faculty.

Prior to joining UC, she was Hess Family Endowed Chair Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Drexel University. Dr. Sun served as Program Director of the Thermal Transport Processes Program at the National Science Foundation for three years. 

Dr. Sun is an elected Fellow of APS and ASME, and a recipient of the NSF CAREER Award, AFOSR Summer Faculty Fellowship, French CNRS Visiting Professorship, and Drexel College of Engineering Research Achievement Award. She serves as an Associate Editor for Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer and Journal of Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage,  Chair of Mechanical Engineering Department Heads Committee (MEDHC), and ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition (IMECE) Steering Committee. Dr. Sun was an Executive Leadership in Academic Technology and Engineering (ELATE) Fellow and a visiting professor at Princeton University, Ecole Polytechnique, and Tsinghua University. 

Dr. Sun directs the Complex Fluids & Multiphase Transport Laboratory that focuses on advancing fundamental thermal-fluid, interfacial, and data sciences, and applying them to enable efficient energy conversion and storage systems, sustainable manufacturing, and effective thermal management solutions. Her publications can be found at Google Scholar. She leads an NSF REU Site on Decarbonization and an NSF IRES Site on Semiconductor Manufacturing.

Ph.D: University of Iowa 2006 (Mechanical Engineering)

M.S.: University of Iowa 2001 (Mechanical Engineering)

B.Eng.: Tsinghua University 1998 (Thermal Engineering)

• Multiphase flows and heat/mass transport
• Machine learning and data-driven methods
• Transport phenomena in additive manufacturing
• Multi-scale modeling in energy systems
• Thermal management with phase change
• Complex fluids and interfacial phenomena

Grant: #CBET-2300317 Investigators:Sun, Ying 10-01-2022 -09-30-2023 National Science Foundation The Role of Interstitial Air Layer in Drop Impact on Liquid-infused Surfaces(1705745) Role:PI $34,403.00 Type:Grant Level:National

Grant: #NASA-80NSSC23K0233 Investigators:Sun, Ying 01-17-2023 -01-16-2026 National Aeronautics and Space Administration High-Temperature Lightweight Radiator Panels with 3D-Printed Titanium Loop Heat Pipes Role:PI $649,077.00 Active Type:Grant Level:National

Grant: #CBET-2310530 Investigators:Sun, Ying 12-01-2022 -06-30-2024 National Science Foundation Effects of electrode microstructure and Li2O2 growth on Li-air battery performance (Transfer Grant) Role:PI $275,968.00 Level:National

Grant: #80NSSC23K0233 Investigators:Erdeniz, Dinc; Paz y Puente, Ashley; Sun, Ying 01-17-2023 -01-16-2026 NASA Headquarters High-Temperature Lightweight Radiator Panels with 3D-Printed Titanium Loop Heat Pipes Role:PI $232,545.00 Level:National

Grant: #CBET-2323023 Investigators:Bellur, Kishan; Sun, Ying; Xu, Yongfeng 08-01-2023 -07-31-2026 National Science Foundation Collaborative Research: ISS: Probing Interfacial Instabilities in Flow Boiling and Condensation via Acoustic Signatures Role:PI $274,086.00 Level:National

Investigators:Marc Cahay, Ying Sun, Justin Zhan, Janet Dong, Zach Fuchs, Vesna Novak 01-2024 -06-2025 Ohio Department of Higher Education Accelerating Southwest Ohio Workforce Development in Advanced Manufacturing and Healthcare Role:Co-PI $696,217.00

Grant: #EEC-2349580 Investigators:Sun, Ying and Payton, Eric 04-01-2024 -03-31-2027 National Science Foundation REU Site: Research Experiences for American Leadership of Industry with Zero Emissions by 2050 (REALIZE-2050) Role:PI $445,485.00 Type:Grant

Investigators:Bellur, Kishan; Sun, Ying; Xu, Yongfeng 08-01-2024 -07-31-2027 Center for the Advancement of Science in Space Collaborative Research: ISS: Probing Interfacial Instabilities in Flow Boiling and Condensation via Acoustic Signatures Role:PI Type:Grant

Grant: #EEC-2349580 Investigators:Bellur, Kishan; Payton, Eric; Reeping, David; Rowe, Annette; Steiner, Matthew; Sun, Ying; Watzman, Sarah; Webb, Amanda 04-01-2024 -03-31-2027 National Science Foundation REU Site: Research Experiences for American Leadership of Industry with Zero Emissions by 2050 (REALIZE-2050) Role:PI $445,485.00 Active

Grant: #OISE-2505422 Investigators:Sun, Ying; Shi, Jing; Kim, Yeongin; Cahay, Marc 07-01-2025 -06-30-2030 National Science Foundation IRES: Pathway for Research and Innovation in Semiconductor Manufacturing (IRES-PRISM) Role:PI $749,539 Active Type:Grant Level:National

Grant: #CBET-2431261 Investigators:Ying Sun and Patricia Weisensee 10-01-2024 -03-31-2025 National Science Foundation Conference: 2025 Micro and Nanoscale Phase Change Phenomena Gordon Research Conference and Seminar Role:PI $25,000 Active Type:Grant Level:National

Grant: #ONR-WS01279725 Investigators:Nenad Miljkovic and Ying Sun 10-12-2024 -02-17-2025 Office of Naval Research 2025 Micro and Nanoscale Phase Change Phenomena GRC Role:Co-PI $10,000 Active Type:Grant Level:National

Grant: #OISE-2505422 Investigators:Cahay, Marc; Kim, Yeongin; Shi, Jing; Sun, Ying 07-01-2025 -06-30-2030 National Science Foundation IRES: US-Taiwan Partnership in Semiconductor Devices and Manufacturing Role:PI 0.00 Awarded Level:Federal

Grant: #80NSSC24K1900 Investigators:Nancy Gray, Nenad Miljkovic, Ying Sun 10-12-2024 -02-17-2025 National Aeronautics and Space Administration 2025 Micro and Nanoscale Phase Change Phenomena Gordon Research Conference and Seminar Role:Co-PI $20,000 Type:Grant Level:National

Grant: #2427933 Investigators:Ying Sun 05-08-2024 -07-31-2026 NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION REU Supplement: Collaborative Research: ISS: Probing Interfacial Instabilities in Flow Boiling and Condensation via Acoustic Signatures in Microgravity Role:PI $8,000 Type:Grant Level:National

Grant: #80NSSC23K0233 Investigators: Sun, Ying; Erdeniz, Dinc; Paz y Puente, Ashley 01-17-2025 -01-16-2026 NASA Headquarters High-Temperature Lightweight Radiator Panels with 3D-Printed Titanium Loop Heat Pipes Role:PI $203,776 Active Type:Grant Level:National

Grant: #80NSSC23K0233 Investigators:Sun, Ying; Erdeniz, Dinc; Paz y Puente, Ashley 01-17-2024 -01-16-2026 NASA Headquarters High-Temperature Lightweight Radiator Panels with 3D-Printed Titanium Loop Heat Pipes Role:PI $212,756 Active Type:Grant Level:National

Peer Reviewed Publications

Al-Hindawi, F., Siddiquee, M., Wu, T., Hu, H., and Sun, Y.  (2024). Domain-knowledge Inspired Pseudo Supervision (DIPS) for unsupervised image-to-image translation models to support cross-domain classification. Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, 127, 107255More Information

Dunlap, C., Pandey, H., Li, C., Sun, Y., and Hu, H.  (2024). A temporal-spatial framework for efficient heat flux monitoring of transient boiling. IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, 73, 1-12More Information

Doan, V. S., Kim, D., Snoeyink, C., Sun, Y., and Shin, S,  (2023). Shape- and orientation-dependent diffusiophoresis of colloidal ellipsoids. Physical Review E, 107, L052602More Information

Wallen, D., Yan, L., Dunlap, C., Li, C., Hu, H., Sun, Y.  (2025). Unsupervised machine learning framework for non-destructive acoustic emission sensing of flow condensation. AI Thermal Fluids, 2-3, 100010More Information

Al-Hindawi, F., Soori, T., Hu, H., Siddiquee, M., Yoon, H., Wu, T., and Sun, Y.  (2023). A Generalized Framework for Critical Heat Flux Detection Using Unsupervised Image-to-Image Translation. Expert Systems with Applications, 227, 120265More Information

Zhang, L., Rokoni, A., Soori, T., and Sun, Y.  (2022). Postcontact droplet spreading and bubble entrapment on a smooth surface. Physics Review Fluids, 7, 104003More Information

Rokoni, A., Zhang, L., Soori, T., Hu, H., Al-Hindawi, F., Wu, T., and Sun, Y.  (2022). Learning new physical descriptors from reduced-order modeling of bubble dynamics in boiling heat transfer. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 186, 122501More Information

Zhang, L., Rokoni, A., Soori, T., Kaminski, A., and Sun, Y.  (2021). Air film contact modes of drop impact on lubricated surfaces under reduced pressure . Physics of Fluids , 33, 092110More Information

Rassoulinejad-Mousavi, S., Al-Hindawi, F., Soori, T. , Rokoni, A., Yoon, H., Hu, H., Wu, T., and Sun, Y.  (2021). Deep learning strategies for critical heat flux detection in pool boiling. Applied Thermal Engineering., 190, 116849More Information

Soori, T., Rassoulinejad-Mousavi, S., Zhang, L., Rokoni, A., and Sun, Y.  (2021). A machine learning approach for estimating surface tension based on pendant drop images. Fluid Phase Equilibria, 538, 113012More Information

Zhang, L., Soori, T., Rokoni, A., Kaminski, A., Sun, Y.  (2021). Thin film instability driven dimple mode of air film failure during drop impact on smooth surfaces. Physics Review Fluids, 6, 044002More Information

Rokoni, A. and Sun, Y.  (2020). Probing the temperature profile across a liquid-vapor interface upon phase change. Journal of Chemical Physics, 153, 144706More Information

Cui, C., Kim, D., Pack, M., Han, B., Sun, Y., Han, L.  (2020). 4D printing of self-folding and cell-encapsulating 3D microstructures as scaffolds for tissue-engineering applications. Biofabrication, 12, 045018More Information

Zhang, L., Spatari, S., and Sun, Y.  (2020). Life-cycle-assessment of novel heat exchanger for dry cooling of power plants based on encapsulated phase change materials. Applied Energy, 271, 115227More Information

Kim, D., Rokoni, A., Kaneelil, P., Cui, C., Han, L. and Sun, Y.  (2019). The role of surfactant on evaporation and deposition of bisolvent biopolymer droplets. Langmuir, 35, 12773-12781More Information

Rokoni, A., Kim, D., Pack, M., and Sun, Y.  (2019). Micropattern-controlled wicking enhancement in hierarchical nano/microstructures. Soft Matter, 15, 6518-6529More Information

Kim, D., Pack, M., Rokoni, A., Kaneelil, P., and Sun, Y.  (2018). The effects of particle wettability on the stick-slip motion of the contact line. Soft Matter, 14, 9599-9608More Information

Pack, M., Kaneelil, P., Kim, H., and Sun, Y.  (2018). Contact-line instability caused by air rim formation under non-splashing droplets. Langmuir, 34, 4962-4969More Information

Xu, B., Bhagwat, S., Xu, H., Rokoni, A., McCarthy, M., and Sun, Y.  (2018). System-level analysis of a novel air-cooled condenser using spray freezing of phase change materials. Applied Thermal Engineering, 131, 102-114More Information

Kapilow, D., Hsuan, G., Sun, Y., and McCarthy, M.  (2018). Convective melting and freezing of phase change materials encapsulated within small diameter polymer tubes. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 92, 259-269More Information

Vahidi, S., Schruba, E., Sun, Y., McCarthy, M., Hsuan, Y.G.  (2018). A New Test Setup for Testing Polyethylene Tubes under Constant and Cyclic Internal Pressures. Plastics Engineering, 74, 32-37More Information

Pack, M., Hu, H., Kim, D., Zheng, Z., Stone, H., Sun, Y.  (2017). Failure mechanisms of air entrainment in drop impact on lubricated surfaces. Soft Matter, 13, 2402-2409More Information

Temirel, M., Hu, H., Shabgard, H., Boettcher, P., McCarthy, M., and Sun, Y.  (2017). Solidification of Additive-Enhanced Phase Change Materials in Spherical Enclosures with Convective Cooling. Applied Thermal Engineering, 111, 134–142 More Information

Kim, D., Pack, M., Hu, H., Kim, H., and Sun, Y.  (2016). Deposition of colloidal drops containing ellipsoidal particles: Competition between capillary and hydrodynamic forces. Langmuir, 32, 11899-11906More Information

Sun, L., Hu, H., Rokoni, A.A., and Sun, Y.  (2016). Intrinsic instability of thin liquid films on nanostructure surfaces. Applied Physics Letters, 109, 111601More Information

Hu, H. and Sun, Y.  (2016). Effect of nanostructures on heat transfer coefficient of an evaporating meniscus. Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer , 101, 878-885More Information

Zong, D., Hu, H., Duan, Y., and Sun, Y.  (2016). Viscosity of water under electric field: Anisotropy induced by redistribution of hydrogen bonds. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B , 120, 4818-4827More Information

Boettcher, P.A., Hu, H., Bane, S.P.M, McCarthy, M., and Sun, Y.  (2016). Dust ignition of pure and encapsulated paraffin phase change materials. Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries., 30, 298-303More Information

Rhaman, M.M., Hu, H., Shabgard, H., Boettcher, P.A., Sun, Y., and M. McCarthy  (2016). Experimental characterization of the inward freezing and melting of additive-enhanced PCM within a Cylindrical Enclosure. Journal Heat Transfer, 138, 072301More Information

Shabgard, H., Hu, H., Boettcher, P.A., McCarthy, M., and Sun, Y.  (2016). Heat transfer analysis of PCM slurry flow between parallel plates. Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 99, 895-903More Information

Pack, M., Hu, H., Kim, D., Yang, X., and Sun, Y.  (2015). Colloidal Drop Deposition on Porous Substrates: Competition among Particle Motion, Evaporation and Infiltration. Langmuir, 31, 7953-7961More Information

Andersen, C.P., Hu, H., Qiu, G., Karla, V., and Sun, Y.  (2015). Pore-scale transport resolved model incorporating cathode microstructure and peroxide growth in lithium-air batteries. Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 162, A1135-1145More Information

Hu, H., Weinberger, C., and Sun, Y.  (2015). Model of meniscus shape and disjoining pressure of thin liquid films on nanostructured surfaces with electrostatic interactions. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C , 119, 11177-11785More Information

Rahman, M.M., Hu, H., Shabgard, H., Boettcher, P., Sun, Y., and McCarthy, M.  (2015). Dendrite growth during freezing of millimeter-Scale eicosane droplets. Journal of Heat Transfer, 137, 080905More Information

Hu, H., Weinberger, C., and Sun, Y.  (2014). Effect of nanostructures on the meniscus shape and disjoining pressure of ultrathin liquid film. Nano Letters, 14, 7131-7137More Information

Yang, X., Li, C., and Sun, Y.  (2014). From multi-ring to spider web and radial spoke: Competition between receding contact line and particle deposition in drying colloidal drop. Soft Matter, 10, 4458-4463More Information

Hu, H., and Sun, Y.  (2013). Molecular dynamics simulations of disjoining pressure effect in ultra-thin water film on a metal surface. Applied Physics Letters, 103, 263110More Information

Lu, G., Hu, H., Duan, Y., and Sun, Y.  (2013). Wetting kinetics of water nano-droplet containing non-surfactant nanoparticles: a molecular dynamics study. Applied Physics Letters, 103, 253104More Information

Hu, H., Ji, H.-F., and Sun, Y.  (2013). The effect of oxygen vacancies on water wettability of a ZnO surface. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 15, 16557-16565More Information

Yang, X., Chhasatia, V.H., and Sun, Y.  (2013). Oscillation and recoil of single and consecutively printed drops. Langmuir, 29, 2185-2192More Information

Tian, Z., Hu, H., and Sun, Y.  (2013). A molecular dynamics study of effective thermal conductivity in nanocomposites. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 61, 577-582More Information

Qiu, G., Dennison, C.R., Knehr, K.W., Kumbur, E.C., and Sun, Y.  (2012). Pore-scale analysis of effects of electrode morphology and electrolyte flow conditions on performance of vanadium redox flow batteries. Journal of Power Sources, 219, 223-234More Information

Yang, X., Chhasatia, V.H., Shah, J., and Sun, Y.  (2012). Coalescence, evaporation and particle deposition of consecutively printed colloidal drops. Soft Matter, 8, 9205-9213More Information

Hu, H. and Sun, Y.  (2012). Effect of nanopatterns on Kapitza resistance at a water-gold interface during boiling: A molecular dynamics study. Journal of Applied Physics, 112, 053508More Information

Qiu, G., Joshi, A.S., Dennison, C.R., Knehr, K.W., Kumbur, E.C., and Sun, Y.  (2012). 3-D pore-scale resolved model for coupled species/charge/fluid transport in a vanadium redox flow battery. Electrochimica Acta , 64, 46-64More Information

Fleischman, M.S., Lee, B.S., Rodriguez-Santiago, V., Chhasatia, V. H., Sun, Y., and Pappas, D.D.  (2012). Hybrid method involving atmospheric plasma treatment and inkjet deposition for the development of conductive patterns on flexible polymers. Surface and Coatings Technology, 206, 3923-3930More Information

Zhou, S. and Sun, Y.  (2012). A multiphysics model of underfill flow for flip-chip packages. IEEE Transactions on Components, Packaging, and Manufacturing Technology, 2, 893-902More Information

Chhasatia, V.H. and Sun, Y.  (2011). Interaction of bi-dispersed particles with contact line in an inkjet-printed evaporating colloidal drop. Soft Matter, 7, 10135-10143More Information

Chhasatia, V.H., Joshi, A.S., and Sun, Y.  (2010). Effect of relative humidity on contact angle and particle deposition morphology of an evaporating colloidal drop. Applied Physics Letters, 97, 231909More Information

Tian, Z., White, B., and Sun, Y.  (2010). Phonon wave-packet interference and phonon tunneling based energy transport across nanostructured thin films. Applied Physics Letters , 96, 263113More Information

Joshi, A.S. and Sun, Y.  (2010). Wetting dynamics and particle deposition for an evaporating colloidal drop: A lattice Boltzmann study. Physical Review E, 82, 041401More Information

Joshi, A.S. and Sun, Y.  (2010). Numerical simulation of colloidal drop deposition dynamics on patterned substrates for printable electronics fabrication. IEEE Journal of Display Technology, 6, 579-585More Information

Biswas, S., Gawande, S., Bromberg, V., and Sun, Y.  (2010). Effects of particle size and substrate surface properties on deposition dynamics of inkjet-printed colloidal drops for printable photovoltaics fabrication. ASME Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, 132, 021010More Information

Sun, Y. and Beckermann, C.  (2010). Phase-field modeling of bubble growth and flow in a Hele-Shaw cell. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 53, 2969-2978More Information

Zheng, L. and Sun, Y.  (2010). An examination of underfill flow in large dies with non-uniform bump patterns. IEEE Transactions on Components and Packaging Technologies, 33, 196-205More Information

Sun, Y. and Webb, E.B.  (2009). Atomistic mechanism of high temperature contact line advancement: results from molecular dynamics simulations. Journal of Physics Condensed Matter, 21, 464135More Information

Yin, L., Murray, B., Su, S., Sun, Y., Efraim, Y., Taitelbaum, H., and Singler, T.  (2009). Reactive wetting in metal-metal systems. Journal of Physics Condensed Matter, 21, 464130More Information

Joshi, A.S. and Sun, Y.  (2009). Multiphase lattice Boltzmann method for particle suspensions. Physical Review E, 79, 066703More Information

Su, S., Yin, L., Sun, Y., Murray, B., and Singler, T.  (2009). Modeling dissolution and spreading of Sn-Bi alloy drops on a Bi substrate. Acta Materialia, 57, 3110-3122More Information

Sun, Y. and Beckermann, C.  (2009). Effect of solid-liquid density change on dendrite tip velocity and shape selection. Journal of Crystal Growth, 311, 4447-4453More Information

Sun, Y. and Beckermann, C.  (2008). A two-phase diffuse-interface model for Hele-Shaw flows with large property contrasts. Physica D, 237, 3089-3098More Information

Sun, Y. and Beckermann, C.  (2007). Sharp interface tracking using the phase-field equation. Journal of Computational Physics, 220, 626-653More Information

Sun, Y. and Smith, T.F.  (2005). Air flow characteristics of a room with square cone diffusers. Building and Environment, 40, 589-600More Information

Gao, J., Sun, Y., Wen, J., and Smith, T.F.  (2005). An experimental study of energy consumption and thermal comfort for electric and hydronic reheat modes. Energy and Buildings, 37, 203-214More Information

Sun, Y. and Beckermann, C.  (2004). Diffuse interface modeling of two-phase flows based on averaging: mass and momentum equations. Physica D, 3-4, 281-308More Information

Book Chapter

Sun, Y. (2022). Deposition Control of Inkjet-printed Drops Containing Micro/nanoparticles. In Drying of Complex Fluid Drops. Royal Society of Chemistry

Sun, Y. (2017). Transport Phenomena in Printable Electronics. In Annual Review of Heat Transfer. Begell House

Hu, H. and Sun, Y (2016). Multiscale Modeling of Nanostructured-Enhanced Thin Film Evaporation. In Multiscale Thermal Transport in Energy Systems. Nova Science Publishers

Hu, H., Weinberger, C.R., and Sun, Y. (2015). , “Multiscale modeling of thin liquid films” in Multiscale Materials Modeling for Nanomechanics. In Multiscale Materials Modeling for Nanomechanics. Springer

US Patent NO. 9476648B2 Systems and Methods of Using Phase-Change Material in Power Plants Y. Sun, M. McCarthy, Y. Cho, P. Boettcher, H. Hu, B. Shi, and Q. Xie, Awarded 10-25-2016

US Patent NO. 10890383B2 Systems and Methods of Using Phase-Change Material in Power Plants Y. Sun, M. McCarthy, Y. Cho, P. Boettcher, H. Hu, B. Shi, Q. Xie, and K. Zammit, Awarded 01-12-2021