Dr. Likun Zhang

Office: 1032 NCPA
Email: zhang@olemiss.edu
Phone: (662) 915-5656

Degrees Earned

Ph.D., Physics, 2012, Washington State University
M.S., Physics/Acoustics, 2008/07, Washington State University/Nanjing University
B.S., Acoustics, 2003, Nanjing University

Experience

2022- : Associate Professor, The University of Mississippi
2016-2022: Assistant Professor, The University of Mississippi
2015-2016: Research Associate, The University of Texas at Austin
2012-2015: Postdoctoral Fellow, The University of Texas at Austin

Research Interests

My research interests are centered on physical fluid dynamics and acoustics, focusing on how physical phenomena interact with the environment and how these interactions can be harnessed for practical applications in oceans, climate, space, and biotechnologies. My work is categorized into three main areas:

Ocean physics — Investigating surface/internal wave dynamics, underwater acoustics, and the application of data science to enhance our understanding of ocean mixing, climate processes, and underwater acoustics applications.
Fluid physics — Examining fluid dynamics and transport phenomena at small scales, emphasizing fluid containment and control strategies on the earth and in microgravity conditions.
Acoustofluidics physics — Developing theories and applications of sound waves for the transport and manipulation of fluids or suspended particles without physical contact, with particular interest in cell manipulations, bioprinting techniques, and tissue engineering.

Our research group has a well-established background in theoretical analyses and modeling, and also conduct numerical simulations, laboratory experiments, and data analysis. This multidisciplinary approach involves fluid dynamics, acoustics, physics, oceanography, engineering design and manufacturing, and data science. We collaborate with oceanographers, geophysicists, engineers, computer scientists, and others, providing a rich environment for students with diverse backgrounds and interests. We welcome motivated students, postdoctoral researchers, and visiting scholars to join our group, which is based in the National Center for Physical Acoustics building on campus. Feel free to contact us or visit us in person.

Our current research spans a variety of topics, including wave dynamics in oceans for climate modeling, fluid behavior in microgravity for space processing, underwater acoustics for environmental monitoring, and acoustic methods for non-contact manipulation in biotechnology development. Our work is widely supported by external agencies, including NOAA, the Gulf Research Program, NASA, NSF, and ONR. For a detailed view of our contributions, please check our publications on Google Scholar.

Teaching

Graduate level:

Phys 710 Advanced Mechanics II (Spring 2020)
Phys 709 Advanced Mechanics I (Fall 2019; Fall 2020)
Phys 652 Mathematical Methods of Physics II (Spring 2018; Spring 2019; Spring 2022)
Phys 651 Mathematical Methods of Physics I (Fall 2017; Fall 2018; Fall 2021)
Phys 637 Fluid Dynamics (Fall 2024)
Phys 605 Advanced Acoustics (Spring 2021, Spring 2024)
Phys 510 Physics and Astronomy Colloquium (Spring 2018; Fall 2018; Spring 2020; Fall 2020)

Undergraduate level:

Phys 308 Mathematical Physics (Spring 2022)
Phys 212 Physics for Science and Engineering II (Spring 2017)
Phys 211 Physics for Science and Engineering I (Fall 2016, Fall 2023)

Services

Editorial Boards:
Associate and Coordinating Editor in Physical Acoustics for The Journal of Acoustical Society of America
Associate Editor for Ultrasonics

Honors and Awards

Invited international speaker, University of Lille, France, 2023
R. Bruce Lindsay Award from the Acoustical Society of America (ASA), 2021
Frederick V. Hunt Postdoctoral Research Fellowship from ASA, 2013-14
Keynote speaker, Acoustofluidics meeting, Villeneuve d’Ascq, France, 2018
Outstanding Teaching Assistant of the Year, American Association of Physics Teachers, 2009

Memberships

American Physical Society (APS)
Acoustical Society of America (ASA)
American Geophysical Union (AGU)

Research Group

Current members:
Madusanka Abeykoon, PhD Student; B. S in Physics, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Xinyue Gong, PhD Student; M.S. in Physics, Jilin University, China
Guoqin Liu, PhD Student; B.S. in Physics, University of Science and Technology, China
Zhengwu “Jack” Wang, PhD Student; M.S. in Chemical Engineering, Loughborough University, UK
Joao Luis Ealo Cuello, Fulbright Scholar; Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering, Universidad del Valle, Colombia

Alumni:
Robert “Bobby” Lirette (Postdoctoral Researcher, 2018-2021)
Zheguang Zou (Postdoctoral Researcher, 2018-2021)
Xudong Fan (PhD, Fall 2021)
Cheng Chen (M.S., Summer 2019)
Mukunda Acharya (M.S., Spring 2019)
Maryam Landi (M.S., Fall 2017)
Bibek Gupta (Undergraduate, BASS, Summer 2019)
Shaila Collins (Undergraduate, REU, Summer 2018)
Jonathan Pittman (Undergraduate, Physics, Spring 2018)
Elizabeth Mcqueney (Undergraduate, BASS, Summer 2017)
Feiyan Cai (Visitor, Summer 2019- Fall 2020)
Zhixiong Gong (Visitor, Summer 2018)
Xue Jiang (Visitor, Fall 2016)
Jiajun Zhao (Visitor, Fall 2016)
Bin Dao (Oxford High School, ARISE, Summer 2021)

Selected Publications

Xudong Fan, and Likun Zhang, Born approximation of trapping by acoustical Bessel and vortex fields, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 154 (5), 3354-3363 (2023) . [PDF]
Xudong Fan, and Likun Zhang, Phase shift approach for engineering desired radiation force: Acoustic pulling force example, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 150 (1), 102-110 (2021). [PDF]
Zheguang Zou, Parsa Bakhtiari Rad, Leo Macelloni, and Likun Zhang, Temporal and spatial variations in three-dimensional seismic oceanography, Ocean Science 17 (4), 1053-1066 (2021). [PDF]
Zheguang Zou, and Likun Zhang, Enhancing low-frequency water-column acoustic reflections in marine multichannel seismic data for seismic oceanography, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 150, 3852 – 3860 (2021). [PDF]
Zheguang Zou, Robert Lirette, and Likun Zhang, Orbital Angular Momentum Reversal and Asymmetry in Acoustic Vortex Beam Reflection, Physical Review Letters 125 (7), 074301, 2020. [PDF]
Robert Lirette, Joel Mobley, and Likun Zhang, Ultrasonic extraction and near-field manipulation of droplets from a liquid-liquid interface, Phys. Rev. Applied 12, 061001 (2019). [PDF; Supplemental Materials]
Maryam Landi, Jiajun Zhao, W. E. Prather, Ying Wu, and Likun Zhang, Acoustic Purcell effect for enhanced emission, Physical Review Letters 120, 114301 (2018). [PDF]
Xue Jiang, Y. Li, and Likun Zhang, Thermoviscous effects on sound transmission through a metasurface of hybrid resonances, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 141(4), EL363-EL368 (2017). [PDF]
Xue Jiang, Y. Li, B. Liang, J.-C. Cheng, and Likun Zhang, Convert acoustic resonances to orbital angular momentum, Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 034301 (2016). [PDF]
Likun Zhang, Generalized optical theorem for an arbitrary incident field, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 145, EL185-EL189 (2019). [PDF]
Likun Zhang, Reversals of orbital angular momentum transfer and radiation torque, Phys. Rev. Applied 10, 034039 (2018)}. [PDF]
Likun Zhang, M. C. Buijsman, E. Comino, and H. L. Swinney, Internal wave generation by tidal flow over periodically and randomly distributed seamounts, J. Geophys. Res. Oceans 122, 5063-5074 (2017). [PDF]
Likun Zhang, and H. L. Swinney, Virtual seafloor reduces internal wave generation by tidal flow, Physical Review Letters 112, 104502 (2014). [PDF]
Likun Zhang, and P. L. Marston, Acoustic radiation force expressed using complex phase shifts and momentum-transfer cross sections, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 140, EL178-EL183 (2016). [PDF]
Likun Zhang, and P. L. Marston, Angular momentum flux of nonparaxial acoustic vortex beams and torques on axisymmetric objects, Physical Review E 84, 065601(Rapid Communication) (2011). [PDF]
Likun Zhang, and D. B. Thiessen, Capillary wave scattering from an infinitesimal barrier and dissipation at dynamic contact lines, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 719, 295 – 313 (2013). [PDF]
Likun Zhang, X. L. Wang, and Z. Y. Tao, Spatiotemporal bifurcation of a parametrically excited solitary wave, Physical Review E 75, 036602 (2007). [PDF]