People

Principal Investigator

Chaoqun Dong

Dr. Chaoqun Dong (pronounced Chow-choon DONG) joined Columbia University as a Tenure-Track Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering in Summer 2025. Prior to this, she was a Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow and SNSF Early Postdoc Mobility Fellow at the University of Cambridge. She received her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from EPFL.

Email: [email protected]

Postdocs

Yichao Shi

Yichao is a postdoctoral researcher in the Dong Lab at Columbia University. His research focuses on flexible and reconfigurable neural interfaces, soft bioelectronics, electrochemical actuators, and energy systems for robotics. He earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics from the University of Pennsylvania, and subsequently conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

PhD Students

Yibo Zhou

Yibo is a Ph.D. student in the Dong Lab at Columbia University working on flexible, bio-integrated electronics for neural interfaces, and implantable devices. 

Email: [email protected]

Junting Huang

Junting is a Ph.D. student in the Dong Lab at Columbia University. His research interests mainly align in hydrogel electronics, and neural interfaces. 

Email: [email protected]

Master Students

Yile Qin

Master of Chemical Engineering

BS, NENU Northeast Normal University

Yizhou Li

Master of Biomedical Engineering

BS, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications

Junchen Teng

Master of Electrical Engineering

BS, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications

Huarui Du

Master of Mechanical Engineering

BS, University of Massachusettss Amherst

Undergraduate Students

Alumni

MS

Sylvester (Siyuan) Zhang, Fall 2025

Fahim Akhter Miah, Fall 2025

Sam (Tianyu) Fan, Spring 2026

Meng Zhou, Spring 2026

Undergraduate

Miriam C Trujillo, Spring 2026