Zhichen Liu

Zhichen Liu

University of Michigan

We are building a collaborative and interdisciplinary research lab and are actively looking for motivated students to join us in advancing next-generation mobility systems.

Ph.D. Students

We are currently recruiting 2–3 Ph.D. students for Spring or Fall 2026 to join and grow the lab.

Stony Brook University is a flagship R1 institution in the State University of New York (SUNY) system, located near New York City. It is home to a distinguished faculty that includes four Nobel Prize winners.

🗓️ Next Priority Deadline: October 1, 2025
💰 Funding: 4–5 years of funding (includes a competitive stipend and full tuition waiver)

Qualifications

  • Hold or pursue a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Civil Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, or a related field.
  • Proficiency in programming and computational tools is preferred.
  • Strong background and interest in operations research (convex/nonconvex/stochastic optimization), machine learning (deep/reinforcement learning), game theory, or mechanism design is preferred.

PhD positions include 4–5 years of research funding (a very competitive stipend plus tuition waiver).

Application Process

For the best use of your time and mine, please follow the steps below when applying:

  1. If you are interested, please send an email to Zhichen.Liu@stonybrook.edu with the subject line “Prospective Student - YOURNAME” including your CV and transcript. Depending on your visa status, you may begin in Spring 2026 or Fall 2026.

  2. If you appear to be a potential fit, I will reach out to schedule a 30-minute screening interview. This will be an informal conversation for us to get to know each other and discuss your interests and goals.

  3. If we both feel there is strong alignment, I will invite you for a formal one-hour interview focused on research design and behavioral questions

Please Note:

  • For students who have reached out, I carefully read every application and truly appreciate the time and effort you put into preparing your materials. Due to the large number of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the next steps. I apologize for not being able to reply to everyone individually.

  • Admission is on a rolling basis. If this information is still posted here, the application is still open.

  • Our department has openings for the GAANN fellowship program. The prospective student can choose any Civil Engineering faculty member to be their academic advisor. Contact me if you are interested and eligible to apply.

🔗 More Info
More Info:

M.S. Students

While my lab currently does not offer funded positions for M.S. students, I welcome those interested in completing their M.S. projects under my supervision. If you’re seeking a project advisor, feel free to reach out to discuss potential research topics.

Undergraduate / High School Students

I am happy to host:

  • In-person undergraduate and high school students
  • Remote research interns interested in pursuing a Ph.D.

Feel free to contact me to discuss potential research projects suited to your background and interests.