Biography

Yanfei Gao graduated with the highest honor from Tsinghua University (Beijing) in 1999 with a BS in Engineering Mechanics and a Dual BS in Computer Science. He then obtained his MA and PhD degrees in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University in 2001 and 2003, respectively. From March 2003 to July 2005, Gao worked as a post-doctoral research associate in the solid mechanics group at Brown University. Since joining UT in 2005, Gao has built up his research group on theoretical and computational studies of small scale mechanical behavior, failure of advanced structural materials, thin film heterostructures, and contact and friction. He was also a joint faculty member with Oak Ridge National Laboratory from 2005 to 2018.

As of December 2025, Gao has authored or co-authored about 200 journal papers, including 24 in Acta Materialia and 20 in Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids. His papers have more than 15,000 Google Scholar citations. He has also made about 100 invited presentations at national/international conferences and academic institutions, including two invited talks at Gordon Research Conferences.

Education

• PhD, Princeton University
  Small Scale Mechanical Behavior, Defects and Friction, Nanoscale Thin Film Heterostructures, Computational Materials Science

Professional Service

• The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS)
• The ASM International

Awards & Recognitions

• Associate Editors of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics Letters, Mechanics of Materials, and Materials Futures; Editorial Board Member on Materials Today, Canadian Metallurgy Quarterly, MGE Advances, and others.
• 2022-2023 Faculty Fellow, Tickle College of Engineering
• 2022 Graduate Director of the Year, UT Graduate School
• 2015 University of Tennessee, College of Engineering, Professional Promise in Research Award
• 2013, 2010 University of Tennessee, College of Engineering, Research Fellow Award
• 2010 University of Tennessee, Chancellor’s Award for Professional Promise in Research and Creative Achievement
• 2010 Co-winner, R&D 100 award on High-Performance, High-Tc Superconducting Wires Enabled via Self-Assembly of Non-Superconducting Columnar Defects(with A. Goyal et al. at ORNL)
• 1999 Gold Medal in Hammer Throw, the 1999 John Ma Campus Games, Tsinghua University

Research Publications

1. D. Xie, L. Huang^*, H.C. Shih, H. Tran, H.B. Chew, Z. Lyu, P.K. Liaw, Y. Ren, A.F. Bower, Y.F. Gao^*, “In situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction and crystal plasticity studies of the deformation and fatigue crack growth behavior in a TRIP-assisted advanced high strength steel.” Acta Materialia, 293, 121122, 2025 [DOI]
2. H. Tran, D. Xie, P.K. Liaw, H.B. Chew^*, Y.F. Gao^*, “Mechanistic cohesive zone laws for fatigue cracks: Nonlinear field projection and in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction (S-XRD) measurements.” Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 196, 106010, 2025 [DOI]
3. D. Xie, Z.H. Li, T.T. Sasaki^*, Y.F. Gao^*, Z.Y. Lyu, R. Feng, Y. Chen, K. An, H.B. Chew, T. Nakata, K. Kamado, K. Hono, P.K. Liaw, “Identifying the effect of coherent precipitates on the deformation mechanisms by in situ neutron diffraction in an extruded magnesium alloy under low-cycle fatigue conditions.” Acta Materialia, vol. 251, article no. 118903, June 2023 [DOI] (Acta Student Award)
4. S.Y. Chen^*, J. Qiao, H. Diao, T. Yang, J. Poplawsky, W. Li, F. Meng, Y. Tong, L. Jiang, P.K. Liaw^*, Y.F. Gao^*, “Extraordinary creep resistance in a non-equiatomic high-entropy alloy from the optimum solid-solution strengthening and stress-assisted precipitation process.” Acta Materialia, 244, 118600, 2023 [DOI]
5. Y. F. Gao^*, “A cavity-based micromechanical model for the shear band failure in metallic glasses under arbitrary stress states.” Journal of Applied Mechanics(invited), 90, 121007, 2023 [DOI]
6. D. Xie, W. Zhang, Z. Lyu, P.K. Liaw, H. Tran, H.B. Chew, Y.J. Wei, Y. Ren, Y.F. Gao^*, “Plastic anisotropy and twin distributions near the fatigue crack tip of textured Mg alloys from in situ synchrotron x-ray diffraction measurements and multiscale mechanics modeling.” Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 165, 104936, 2022 [DOI]
7. X. Wang, Y.F. Gao^*, X. Liu, M. McDonnell, Z.L. Feng^*, “Tool-workpiece stick-slip conditions and their effects on torque and heat generation rate in the friction stir welding.” Acta Materialia, 213, 116969, 2021 [DOI] (Acta Student Award)
8. W. Niu, Y.F. Gao^*, “Concomitant oxidation-diffusion-creep processes for stress generation and suppression of oxide-alloy interfacial instabilities.” Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 146, 104218, 2021 [DOI]
9. W. Zhang, Y.F. Gao^*, Z.L. Feng^*, X. Wang, S. Zhang, L. Huang, Z.W. Huang^*, L. Jiang^*, “Ductility limit diagrams for superplasticity and forging of high temperature polycrystalline materials.” Acta Materialia, 194, 378-386, 2020 [DOI].
10. J. X. Wen, R. Cao^*, Y.F. Gao^*, “Mysterious failure in load-free superalloys under repeated thermal shocks,” Acta Materialia, 194, 276-282, 2020 [DOI]