The College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) welcomes Changmin Shi to the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE). Shi joins ECS in the Fall 2025 semester as an Assistant Professor.
Shi earned his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park. Prior to his faculty appointment at Syracuse University, he spent two years in the School of Engineering at Brown University, where he completed postdoctoral research in energy materials mechanics, thermal energy management, and artificial intelligence.
“Changmin brings a unique expertise to ECS, including both fundamental material sciences and engineering applications,” says Professor Jianshun “Jensen” Zhang, MAE Interim Department Chair and Executive Director of Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE). “His cutting-edge research includes novel electrochemical material systems for batteries and optically tunable materials for thermal energy regulations. I am excited to welcome him to MAE and SyracuseCoE, and look forward to his many significant contributions.”
Shi has worked on multiple groundbreaking innovations in battery and thermal management technologies, including the development of high-energy-density battery designs, novel strategies to suppress lithium dendrite growth and prevent cell failure, sustainable electricity-free cooling systems for buildings, and passive water harvesting and desalination solutions.
Recently, he was selected to serve as a lead symposium organizer for the 250th Meeting of the Electrochemical Society, the leading professional association focused on electrochemistry solid-state science and related technologies. Titled “AI-Driven Battery Materials Design and Manufacturing,” his symposium session will focus on technologies like autonomous manufacturing, predictive modeling of electrochemical properties, and other AI-assisted tools that can help accelerate battery commercialization. The conference will take place in Calgary, Canada in October 2026.
Shi is a Principal Editor of the Journal of Materials Research and a member of Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society. He has published extensively on next-generation energy storage batteries and battery technology. In the Spring 2026 semester, Shi will teach a graduate-level course on fundamentals and properties of materials.
Dr. Shi is currently recruiting postdoctoral researchers, graduate, and undergraduate students to his research group. For more information and instructions on how to apply, please visit the Openings page on the Shi Research Group website.