Dr. Yong Huang is a professor in the departments of mechanical and aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, materials science and engineering, chemical engineering, and electrical and computer Engineering at the University of Florida. A passionate researcher and mentor, Huang focuses on advanced manufacturing, particularly how materials behave during processing and how innovative manufacturing methods can be used to tackle real-world problems in health care and energy.
At the core of his work is a deep curiosity about how materials, both solid and liquid, respond to manufacturing-induced deformation. He’s especially known for his contributions to additive manufacturing, including inkjet- and laser-based bioprinting, where his team explores how to precisely and reliably dispense inks and print complex structures at the microscale. It’s work that blends the rigor of physical and biological sciences with a creative, problem-solving engineering mindset.
As director of UF’s Advanced Manufacturing and System Integration Lab within the Center for Manufacturing Innovation, Huang leads a diverse and dynamic team. Together, they’ve developed techniques for scaffold-free bioprinting of tissue constructs, room-temperature metal printing, and even additive manufacturing in space, to name a few. The group also designs and prints microphysiological systems, such as human respiratory models and brain simulants—for use in disease research and medical education.
Over the past five years, Huang has authored papers in top-tier journals such as Nature Communications, Nature Reviews Methods Primers, Advanced Materials, and Advanced Science. He holds 15 additive manufacturing-related patents (with one licensed technology) and has secured various research funding as principal investigator, with major support from the U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, and National Institutes of Health.
In addition to his Research Foundation Professorship recognition at UF, his contributions have earned national recognition, including the 2024 Society of Manufacturing Engineers Sargent Progress Award and the 2025 American Society of Mechanical Engineers Milton C. Shaw Manufacturing Research Medal. He has served in leadership roles with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and provided expert service as a reviewer and editor for top journals in the field.
Huang is equally committed to education and mentorship. He was recently honored with the college-level Faculty Doctoral Mentoring Award. Many of his Ph.D. students have earned departmental research and teaching honors, a reflection of his hands-on, student-centered approach to training the next generation of researchers.
Huang earned his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech and is a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Through his work, he continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in manufacturing—and inspire numerous young minds who will carry that work forward together.
“I focus on nurturing curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity by offering personalized mentorship and encouraging students to take ownership of their projects.” – Yong Huang Ph.D.