RESEARCH INTEREST
My past and current research efforts focus on condensed matter and statistical physics, especially non-equilibrium and hysteresis phenomena in different physical systems.  In pursuing my M.S. degree in physics, I have been working on flux creep and vortex dynamics simulations in type-II superconductors. Currently, I am working on disordered magnets. My research projects encompass both theoretical and applied areas. My theoretical work focuses on the zero-temperature random-field Ising model both in equilibrium and out of equilibrium. My applied work has focused on the determination of the intrinsic switching field distribution for perpendicular recording media. In the future, I would like to continue the research on statistical physics and other related areas, using both analytical methods and numerical simulations.

EDUACTION
Ph.D. in Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, anticipated graduation date: December 2008
Dissertation Title: Random-field Ising Model: In and Out of Equilibrium
Dissertation Adviser: Professor Karin A. Dahmen

M.S. in Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, 2003
Thesis Title: History, Memory and Peak Effects of Vortex Matter
Thesis Adviser: Professor S. Y. Ding

B.S. in Physics, summa cum laude, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, 2000

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
1. Research Assistant. Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2004-Present

• Measuring functional renormalization group fixed-point functions for disordered systems.

• Scaling theory of hysteresis with crackling noise.

• Thermal effects on crackling noise.

• Sequence memory effect in interacting random hysteron model.

• Determination of intrinsic switching field distribution in perpendicular recording media. (Collaborating with Dr. Andreas Berger, CIC nanoGUNE Consolider, Spain)

• Disorder-induced phase transition in random-field Ising model.

• Communicating walkers model for the growth of bacterial colonies.

2. Research Assistant. Department of Physics, Nanjing University, 2000-2003

• Vortex dynamics simulation of type-II superconductors. (Collaborated with Dr. Hans Fangohr, University of Southampton, U.K.)

• History effect in polycrystalline superconductors.

• Geometric factor effect on the electronic transport character of superconducting films.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
1. Teaching Assistant. Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2003-Present

• PHYS211: University Physics: Mechanics. Leading Laboratories. (Spring08, Fall08)

• PHYS101: College Physics: Mechanics & Heat. Leading Laboratories. (Fall06)

• PHYS213: University Physics: Thermal & Quantum. Leading Laboratories. (Fall04, Summer05, Fall05)

• PHYS435: Electromagnetic Fields I. Grading. (Spring04)

• PHYS436: Electromagnetic Fields II. Grading. (Fall03)

2. Teaching Assistant. Department of Physics, Nanjing University, 2001

• Modern Optics. Leading laboratories. (Spring01)

HONORS, AWARDS, FELLOWSHIPS, AND SCHOLARSHIPS

• Harry G. Drickamer Graduate Fellowship for excellence in Physics Research, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007

• Student Travel Award, 52nd Conference on Magnetism and Magnetic Materials, 2007

• Second place in Student Poster Competition, 6^th Symposium of Understanding Complex Systems, 2006

• Outstanding Graduate of the Class of 2003, Nanjing University, 2003

• Motorola Fellowship for excellence in Physics Research, Nanjing University, 2002

• Guanghua Scholarship for graduate students, Guanghua Education Fund, China, 2002

• National Graduate School Entrance Examination Waiver, Nanjing University, 2000

• Guanghua Scholarship for undergraduates, Guanghua Education Fund, China, 1999

• Renmin Scholarship for undergraduates, Nanjing University. Awarded 4 times, 1997-2000

PUBLICATIONS
Under Review & To be submitted

1. Y. Liu and Karin A. Dahmen
   Unexpected similarity in static and dynamic avalanches
   resubmitted to Phys. Rev. Lett.

2. Ondrej Hovorka, Y. Liu, Karin A. Dahmen, Andreas Berger
   On the ability to determine intrinsic switching field distributions from hysteresis loops in the partially correlated magnetization reversal regime submitted to J. Magn. Magn. Mater.

3. Y. Liu, Karin A. Dahmen, Yann Chemla, and Taekjip Ha
   Multivariate Hidden Markov Modeling in analysis of Single-molecule FRET
   to be submitted to J. Phys. Chem.

Refereed Publications

1. Y. Liu, Karin A. Dahmen, Ondrej Hovorka, Andreas Berger
   Effects of non-uniform exchange and magnetostatic coupling constants on the determination of intrinsic switching field distributions
   to be accepted by J. Appl. Phys.

2. Y. Liu and Karin A. Dahmen
   Random field Ising model in and out of equilibrium
   arXiv:cond-mat/0609609v2, to be accepted by Europhys. Lett

3. Robert A. White, Y. Liu and Karin A. Dahmen
   Thermal Effects on Crackling Noise
   to be accepted by Europhys. Lett.

4. Y. Liu, Karin A. Dahmen, and A. Berger
   The role of dipolar interactions for the determination of intrinsic switching field distributions
   Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 222503 (2008).

5. Y. Liu, Karin A. Dahmen, and A. Berger
   Intrinsic switching field distribution in perpendicular recording media: numerical study of the ΔH(M, ΔM) method
   Phys. Rev. B 77, 054422 (2008).

6. Y. Liu and Karin A. Dahmen
   No-passing rule in the ground state evolution of the random-field Ising model
   Phys. Rev. E 76, 031106 (2007).

7. X.B. Xu, Y. Liu, H. Fangohr, L. Zhang, S.Y. Ding, Z.H. Wang, S.L. Liu, G.J. Wu, and H.M. Shao
   Metastable behavior of vortex matter in the electronic transport processes of homogenous superconductors
   Phys. Rev. B 73, 214521 (2006).

8. H. Luo, Y. Liu, X. Leng, Z.H. Wang, S.Y. Ding, X.L. Wang, S.X. Dou
   Flux motion in new superconductor MgB2
   Physica C, 387, 307 (2003).

9. X. Leng, S.Y. Ding, Y. Liu, Z.H. Wang, H.K. Liu and S.X. Dou
   Dip effect in ac susceptibility due to surface barrier with flux creep
   Phys. Rev. B 68, 214511 (2003).

10. Y. Liu, H. Luo, X. Leng, Z.H. Wang, L. Qiu, S.Y. Ding and L.Z. Lin
    History effect in inhomogeneous superconductors
    Phys. Rev. B 66, 144510 (2002).

11. S.Y. Ding, Y. Liu, X.F. Wu, F.Y. Lin, Z.H. Wang and L. Qiu
    The effect of the geometric factor on the V-I curve of Tl2212 film
    J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 13, 6509 (2001).

Conference Proceedings

1. Y. Liu, Karin A. Dahmen, and A. Berger
   Comparative Study of the ΔH(M, ΔM) method reliability for square and triangular lattices
   J. Appl. Phys. 103, 07F504 (2008).

2. Y. Liu, S.Y. Ding, H. Luo, X. Leng, J.W. Lin
   Study on the limiting factor of critical current in Ag-Bi2223 tapes
   Physica C 386, 190 (2003).

3. Y. Liu, S.Y. Ding, H. Luo, X. Leng, L. Xiao, H.T. Reng, Y.L Jiao, M.H. Zheng, J.W. Lin
   Field sweeping rate dependent tail of magnetization curve
   Physica C 386, 77 (2003).

4. Y. Liu, H. Luo, T. Yang, X. Leng, X.F. Wu, J.W. Lin, Z.H. Wang, H.M. Luo and S.Y. Ding
   Transport properties in Tl-2212 film
   Supercond. Sci. Technol. 15, 375 (2002).

5. Y. Liu, S.Y. Ding, H. Luo, X. Leng, Z.H. Wang, L. Qiu, and L.Z. Lin
   Historical critical current in inhomogeneous system
   Chinese J. Low Temp. Phys. 24, 241(2002).

6. S.Y. Ding, Y. Liu, Z.H. Wang, H.M. Luo
   Study of V-I curve of Tl-2212 film
   Physica C 364, 504 (2001).

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

• 100th Statistical Mechanics Conference, Rutger, NJ, Dec 13-18, 2008. Random-field Ising model in and out of equilibrium.(oral)

• 2008 International Magnetic Conference, Madrid, Spain, May 04-08, 2008. Effects of exchange and dipolar interactions on the determination of intrinsic switching field distributions in perpendicular recording media. (poster)

• 2008 March Meeting of the American Physical Society, New Orleans, LA, Mar. 03-14, 2008. Role of dipolar interactions for the determination of intrinsic switching field distributions. (oral)

• 52nd Magnetism and Magnetic Materials Conference, Tampa, FL, Nov. 05-09, 2007. Comparative Study of the ΔH(M, ΔM) method reliability for square and triangular lattices. (oral)

• 2007 March Meeting of the American Physical Society, Denver, CO, Mar. 04-09, 2007. Intrinsic switching field distribution in perpendicular recording media: numerical study of the ΔH(M, ΔM) method. (oral) Surprisingly similar scaling in and out of equilibrium: random-field Ising model. (oral)

• 6th Symposium of Understanding Complex Systems, Urbana, IL, May 15-18, 2006. Spatial structure of avalanches in random-field Ising model. (poster)

• 7th National Conference of Superconductivity, Hefei, China, Apr. 8-12, 2003. History, memory and peak effects of vortex matter. (oral)

• 8th National Conference of Low Temperature Physics, Hangzhou, China, Oct. 11-15, 2001. Historical critical current in inhomogeneous system. (oral)