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About

Maoyuan Li is a rising leader in the mechanics of smart materials, with a focused expertise in hard-magnetic soft materials (HMSMs) and electroactive polymers. His work bridges advanced computational modeling and experimental characterization to enable programmable, shape-shifting structures. Li has developed a suite of pioneering numerical frameworks—including meshfree, co-rotational rod, and solid-shell models—that accurately capture the large-deformation behavior of HMSMs under magnetic fields. His 2023 meshfree model (34 citations) and 2022 rod model (29 citations) are foundational, providing tools for designing morphing soft robots and metamaterials. More recently, his 2025 inverse design framework (12 citations) enables the automated programming of complex HMSM structures, a significant step toward practical, functional devices. Beyond magnetics, Li has made notable contributions to PVC gel actuators, characterizing their dynamic electromechanical properties (13 citations) and investigating microstructure-performance relationships. His work on reversible electroadhesion, integrating electrostatic and electrochemical mechanisms, addresses key challenges in gripper and wearable technologies. With a rapidly growing citation record and a portfolio of high-impact, methodologically rigorous papers, Maoyuan Li is establishing himself as a key architect of the next generation of soft, programmable materials.