Ann Arbor Times

Three faculty members from the University of Michigan have been named fellows of the American Physical Society (APS), a distinction that highlights notable achievements in physics and service to the scientific community. The APS limits this honor to no more than one-half of 1% of its membership each year, excluding student members. For 2025, a total of 151 fellows were selected for their research contributions, applications in physics, educational efforts, or leadership within the society.

Karthik Duraisamy, professor of aerospace engineering, was recognized for “pioneering contributions and intellectual leadership in the development and application of machine learning methods to complex engineering flows.” Duraisamy is known internationally for his work in computational science and engineering. He integrates physics-based modeling with data-driven approaches and statistical learning to improve predictive modeling for complex fluid systems. Duraisamy also leads the Michigan Institute for Computational Discovery and Engineering as the Samir and Puja Kaul Director.

“It is a great honor to be recognized by APS as a fellow, but it is an outcome of the work of my exceptional students,” Duraisamy said.

Xiaoming Mao, professor of physics, received recognition for her “fundamental contributions in understanding marginal stability, disorder, fluctuations, and self-assembly in complex soft matter, as well as fundamental theories and experimental realizations of topological mechanical metamaterials.” Mao’s research focuses on how order emerges in complex materials. She has contributed to fields such as topological mechanics and adaptive materials that respond to their environment.

“We are living in a transformative time for science—where discoveries emerge faster than ever, artificial intelligence is reshaping how we learn, and the social landscape of scientific research is rapidly evolving,” Mao said. “Earning this recognition reminds me of the responsibility we share to guide and inspire the next generation of scientists as they navigate this changing world.”

Liuyan Zhao, associate professor of physics, was honored for “outstanding experimental contributions in detecting multipolar orders with nonlinear optics and designing two-dimensional magnetic multipolar phases with twisted moiré magnets.” Zhao’s group studies quantum materials by investigating how electrons interact within them. Her team develops advanced techniques to uncover hidden states in materials and fabricates nanostructures with unique properties.

“I am deeply honored to be recognized as an APS Fellow for my contributions to quantum materials research,” Zhao said. “This recognition reflects the collective efforts of my group members and collaborators. Together, we have undertaken a rewarding journey to uncover long-standing puzzles and reveal new phenomena in the rich landscape of complex magnetic materials.”