Professor Xiaozhou Liao

Biography

Professor Xiaozhou Liao received his PhD degree from the University of Sydney in 2000. In 2001, he relocated to the United States taking up a Director Funded Postdoctoral Fellowship in Los Alamos National Laboratory in 2001 and was a research scientist in the University of Chicago from 2004 to 2006. He is now a professor and an Australian Research Council Future Fellow in the School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, at the University of Sydney.

Research Interest

The ultimate goal of a materials scientist is to produce materials with desirable physical, chemical and mechanical properties for practical applications. Professor Xiaozhou Liao uses advanced electron microscopy techniques to examine materials at atomic resolution, laying the groundwork for the design of superior materials for applications including in the semiconductor, automobile and aviation industries. "Because the properties of materials are determined by their structure, it's essential to understand these structures and their relationships to the material's properties, as well as how processing affects the structures and therefore properties of materials. "Electron microscopy, which allows us to see the structures of materials at atomic resolution, is arguably the most powerful technique for the structural characterisation of materials. My research applies state-of-the-art electron microscopy techniques to reveal the structure and properties of advanced structural and functional materials, including nanocrystalline materials. "I also conduct property testing using in-situ electron microscopy techniques. Here at the Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis I have established the first Australian group to work on the in-situ deformation electron microscopy of advanced materials. "I enjoy exploring the unknown world, especially how atomic interactions affect the properties of materials. Although I don't work directly on the real-world applications of my research, my work provides guidance for the structural design of materials with superior properties, such as very strong and lightweight materials for use in the automobile and aviation industries. "My goal is to determine the structures that provide the best mechanical and physical properties, and to understand the atomic mechanisms responsible for those properties. "I've been working in this field since 1989. I joined the University of Sydney in 1997 as a PhD candidate, and returned as a member of staff in 2006. The state-of-the-art research facilities here at the Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis enable me to keep my research at the forefront of my field."