Timothy Liao
Research Fellow Center for Computational Materials
Centers and Groups
Biography
Dr. Liao earned a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Texas at Austin, where he worked under the supervision of Prof. James R. Chelikowsky. His dissertation focused on the discovery of rare-earth-free magnetic materials through a combination of first-principles calculations and machine learning. His work contributed to the development of an adaptive computational framework that led to the rapid prediction and experimental synthesis of promising compounds, including Fe₃CoB₂.
Dr. Liao is broadly interested in computational materials science, with a focus on accelerating the design of functional materials through the integration of quantum mechanical simulations and data-driven approaches. He is particularly drawn to problems in magnetism, energy applications, and sustainable technologies, and aims to develop predictive tools that bridge theoretical modeling and experimental realization.