Mingda Li named 2025 American Physical Society Fellow

Mingda Li, an Associate Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering, has been named a 2025 fellow of the American Physical Society (APS). Nominated by the Topical Group on Data Science (GDS), Li was cited, “[f]or pioneering the integration of artificial intelligence with scattering and spectroscopy, enabling breakthroughs in phonons, topological states, optical and time-resolved spectra, and data-driven discovery for quantum and energy applications.”

Li’s research unites quantum theory, advanced characterization, and artificial intelligence to tackle open problems in complex materials. His group develops new conceptual and computational frameworks to understand how order, defects, and excitations emerge in matter, with implications ranging from quantum information science to sustainable energy and next-generation electronics.

Li graduated with a PhD from the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering (NSE) at MIT in 2015. He was a postdoctoral associate in MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, before joining NSE in 2018 as an Assistant Professor. In addition to recognition for his research contributions, Li was honored with the Junior Bose Award by MIT’s School of Engineering in 2023 for his “outstanding contributions as an educator”.

The APS fellowship is a distinct honor signifying recognition by one’s professional peers for exceptional contributions to the physics enterprise. Election to Fellowship in the APS is limited to no more than half a percent of the membership (excluding student membership). Li is one of four MIT faculty members elected this year. A list of the 2025 APS Fellows and citations can be found on the APS website.