IML secured new funding (also Zheng as single PI)

Mar 27, 2026 · 1 min read

IML is happy to share that Zheng secured his second funding (also as single PI): Physics-Informed Machine Learning for Data Center Cooling Systems Control Co-Design Optimization.

IML will be diving deep into the world of data center cooling to push the boundaries of next generation AI infrastructure.

As Zheng grows IML, he is also looking to collaborate with academic and industry partners regarding AI applications in manufacturing, data centers, and energy storage. If you’re in these spaces, let’s chat!

Huge thanks to the University of Michigan-Dearborn Office of Research for the support!

Zheng Liu
Authors
Zheng Liu
Assistant Professor
Zheng Liu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. He obtained his Ph.D. from the Department of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2025. He received his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University in 2019. His research bridges theoretical and applied aspects of AI in manufacturing and energy systems. He focused on physics-based modeling, physics-informed machine learning, and generative design for manufacturing and energy storage applications. He also evaluated the manufacturing processes through life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis, helping the team win $1M Department of Energy’s (DOE) inaugural American-Made Geothermal Lithium Extraction Prize. He has collaborated on multiple projects funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) through the Future Manufacturing Research Grant (FMRG) program, as well as the Office of Naval Research (ONR). In addition, he served as a graduate fellow and STEM outreach coordinator at the NSF Engineering Research Center for Power Optimization for Electro-Thermal Systems (POETS). Zheng has received the Sharp Outstanding Graduate Student Award and the Tau Beta Pi Outstanding Graduate Student Award in recognition of his research contributions. He has published more than 20 peer-reviewed journal articles and 20 conference proceedings, and has served as the publication co-chair for the IEEE Transportation Electrification Conference. Through his work, he continues to push the frontiers of AI-driven innovation in manufacturing and energy systems.