Li Yuan has successfully defended his doctoral dissertation in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM), marking the culmination of a journey that carried him from uncertainty during the COVID era to a deep, confident understanding of the mechanics and physics of ultrathin materials. His dissertation, “Exploring Self-Assembly of 2D Materials: Insights from Graphene Auto-Kirigami,” completed under the guidance of Robert W. Carpick reflects years of persistence, curiosity, and a growing mastery of experimental techniques at the nanoscale.
Yuan began his Ph.D. in 2020 while attending classes remotely from abroad. “Everything felt unfamiliar at first,” he recalls. A new field, new language, new expectations, all filtered through a computer screen. But arriving on campus changed everything. In the lab, he immersed himself in hands-on experimentation, learning to observe and interpret tiny, precise details that only slowly reveal their meaning. What initially seemed abstract and distant grew tangible and intuitive. “Over time, the confusion faded, and what once felt unfamiliar became meaningful, and my own.”
Among the many milestones of his research, one of the most memorable moments comes from working with ultrathin materials. Yuan would begin by cutting structures so small they were invisible to the naked eye. “It just feels like working in the dark,” he says. “Trusting that something is happening beneath the surface.” Only later, when scanning the region under the microscope, does the hidden structure appear, gradually revealing itself line by line on the screen. “Watching that transformation—seeing something invisible become beautifully clear—is a moment that wil always stay with me.”
As he looks ahead, Yuan plans to continue his research as a postdoctoral scholar, with the long-term goal of an academic career. He is eager to deepen his exploration of materials physics while expanding into new collaborations and research directions.
To future MEAM Ph.D. students, Yuan offers: “Research rarely gives clear answers right away. You have to try things, run experiments, read, talk to people, and be questioned. But if you stay curious and keep moving toward the unknown instead of avoiding it, you’ll grow faster than you expect. The courage to face uncertainty is what makes a Ph.D. both challenging and rewarding.”
Yuan extends his gratitude to the many people who accompanied him on this journey. “I want to thank my parents and my brother for their constant support from far away.” He also expresses deep appreciation for his advisor, groupmates, and collaborators whose guidance and patience shaped his growth as a researcher. And he warmly acknowledges the friends—inside the lab and beyond—who brought encouragement, balance, and joy to the hardest and happiest moments of his Ph.D. journey.
