Curriculum Vitae
Zeyu (Alban) Li
Available for full-time roles May 2026
Education
Experience
- DNA-polymer nanoparticle tracers: fabricated via emulsion and electrospray; field-deployed across an 11 km² sector of Cayuga Lake; coordinated four disciplines; achieved qPCR detection 7 km from release with only 1 mg DNA; generated datasets now used to calibrate 3D hydrodynamic eDNA-transport models (first author, ES&T under review, 2025).
- Self-healing DNA hydrogels for ceramic composite repair: DNA–Al³⁺ hydrogels integrated into CAD-designed, 3D-printed vascular tiles; multi-cycle healing validated by tensile testing and EDS mapping (ACADIA 2024).
- Photo/thermo-reversible psoralen-clamped DNA hydrogels: enabling 3D-printable, time-programmed shape fixing and repeated repair.
- Automated high-throughput DNA-purification platform: perfluorocarbon pod system delivering ~200 mg per pod (chainable to gram scale) and ~91% cost reduction.
- Advanced characterization: tensile & rheology; SEM/DLS; UV-Vis/fluorescence; contact angle; EDS mapping.
- Leadership: mentored 3 undergrads; coordinated field team; presented at ACADIA 2024, ACS Fall 2023, Belt-and-Road Youth Forum 2023.
- Course instruction and lab support: across bio-design, molecular & cellular engineering, watershed systems, engineering professionalism, and sustainable development; created recitation slides, demonstrations, and Canvas materials.
- AI-driven teaching and curriculum: delivered guest lectures and integrated AI tools into assignments, review sessions, and data analysis.
- Superhydrophobic fluoropolymer surfaces: engineered nanopatterned Teflon films via photolithography, two-photon lithography, and chemical etching; achieved ultra-low wettability and high durability; contributed to a peer-reviewed article and a U.S. patent on hierarchical surface architectures.
- Environmental-simulation platform: designed an automated chamber controlling humidity, temperature, and airflow for wetting-behavior and coating-durability testing.
- Static-electricity anti-icing study: led an investigation of charge-mediated ice shedding, resulting in a top-rated undergraduate thesis.
- Protein–DNA interaction kinetics: characterized PU.1 transcription-factor binding to DNA using localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR).
Publications & Patents
Papers
Tracing Environmental DNA Transport in Large Lakes with Synthetic DNA Microparticles and Hydrodynamic Modeling. Environmental Science & Technology (under review), 2025.
PolyTile 4.0: Self-healing Ceramic Tiles. ACADIA, 2024.
All-perfluoropolymer, nonlinear stability-assisted monolithic surface combines topology-specific superwettability with ultradurability. The Innovation, 2023.
Patents
Crack engineering as a new route for the construction of arbitrary hierarchical architectures. US 11,839,998 (2023).
Reactor and method of spiral propulsion biomass continuous thermal cracking. CN 201711214139.6 (2017).
Conference Presentations
Skills
SEM, DLS, EDS, UV-Vis, Fluorometry, Rheometry, Electrophoresis, Tensile Testing, Contact Angle
Electrospray, DIW 3D Printing, SLA/FDM Printing, Spin Coating, Mold Casting, Solvent Precipitation, Photolithography, Two-Photon Lithography, Nanopatterning
PCR, qPCR, IVT, Electrophoresis (PAGE/Agarose), DNA/RNA Extraction & Purification, Chromatography, Enzyme Recycling, LSPR Assays, Bio-cleanroom Protocols
Python, Java, ML (TensorFlow, PyTorch), Data Analysis (Pandas, NumPy, Seaborn)
CAD, SketchUp, 3ds Max, Adobe Creative Suite, Bootstrap Studio, Scientific Figures, Video/Audio Editing
English (Fluent); Mandarin (Native); Cantonese (Proficient)