He obtained his B.S. in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics with highest distinction from Beijing University in 2003, and then attended Brown University where he received a M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a Ph.D. in Engineering (Solid Mechanics) in 2008. He joined the faculty of Georgia Tech in 2011 after completing postdoctoral studies at the California Institute of Technology. His research interests include mechanics of energy storage materials, experimental nano- and micro-mechanics, fracture and failure of heterogeneous media, and mechanics of active materials. He is the recipient of the 2012 Orr Early Career Award from the Materials Division of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the 2017 James W. Dally Young Investigator Award from the Society for Experimental Mechanics (SEM), and the NSF CAREER Award.