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Andy Feng

Faculty Photo

Assistant Professor
Mechanical Engineering

Biography

Tianli (Andy) Feng is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Washington. His research focuses on thermal science and engineering, with particular emphasis on thermal transport under extreme conditions and predictive, physics-based modeling. He earned his Ph.D. from Purdue University and subsequently worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and R&D Associate Staff Scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Prior to joining the University of Washington, he was a tenured Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Utah. Dr. Feng has received several honors and awards, including the Brillouin Medal, the Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award, the NSF CAREER Award, the ASME Rising Star of Mechanical Engineering Award, an R&D 100 Award, the ASME Bergles-Rohsenow Young Investigator Award in Heat Transfer, and the Purdue Engineering 38 by 38 Award. He was also named Assistant Professor of the Year in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Utah in both 2024 and 2025. Dr. Feng currently serves as the Heat Transfer Division Chair for ASME IMECE 2026.

Education

  • Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, 2017
  • M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, 2013
  • B.S., Physics, USTC, 2011

Previous appointments

  • Associate Professor, University of Utah, 2026
  • Assistant Professor, University of Utah, 2021-2026
  • R&D Staff Scientist, Oak Ridge National Lab, 2020-2021
  • Postdoc, Oak Ridge National Lab, 2017-2020

Research Statement

Our lab aims to uncover the fundamental physics governing thermal transport in materials under extreme conditions, resolve long-standing challenges in thermal science and engineering, and translate these insights into next-generation, high-performance technologies.

Our research currently addresses fundamental thermal-transport problems across three major domains: extreme-temperature environments, semiconductor devices, and clean-energy systems. Across these areas, we seek to push thermal transport to its physical limits by developing a deep, physics-based understanding of heat carriers and their interactions. To achieve this goal, we develop novel theoretical frameworks and multiscale simulation tools, and tightly integrate them with materials synthesis, microstructural control, and advanced thermal property characterization. This combined approach enables predictive understanding and design of thermal transport under conditions far beyond conventional operating regimes.

Research areas include:

  • Ultrahigh-temperature materials and thermal transport: thermal barrier coatings, thermal protection, high-temperature energy harvesting, heat transfer in Earth mantle
  • Thermal management of semiconductors: heat and charge transport with impurities and defects, interfacial thermal transport, thermal interface materials, ultra-high thermal conductivity materials
  • Building energy efficiency: thermal insulation materials, building envelope air leakage detection, thermal energy storage, passive cooling, ultra-low thermal conductivity materials
  • Thermal transport with irradiation: thermal properties of materials after radiation
  • Thermal radiative properties: emissivity of materials, photon transport inside materials
  • Cryogenic thermal and materials: Quantum computing materials