IMAGE OF Yanfen Li

Yanfen Li, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

College
Francis College of Engineering
Department
Biomedical Engineering, Center for Pathogen Research and Training (CPRT)
Phone
978-934-3299
Office
Falmouth Hall 302G

Expertise

Tissue Engineering; Biomaterials; Engineering Education; Workforce Development; Recruitment and Retention of Underrepresented Minorities; First Year Experience; Program Evaluation

Research Interests

Engineering Education, Tissue Engineering, Biomaterials

Education

  • Ph.D.: Bioengineering, (2018), University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign - Champaign, IL
    Dissertation/Thesis Title: Engineered hydrogels for tracking cell signaling from the outside-in

  • BS: Bioengineering, (2012), University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign - Champaign, IL

Selected Awards and Honors

  • Award for Excellence in Innovative Teaching (2021), University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Biomedical Engineering Teaching Award (2021), American Society for Engineering Education/li>
  • Teaching Excellence Award (2021), Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Teaching Excellence Award (2019), Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Biomedical Engineering Division Best Poster Award (2017), American Society for Engineering Education
  • Biomedical Engineering Division Travel Award (2017), American Society for Engineering Education
  • Department of Bioengineering Student Leadership Award (2017), Leadership - University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
  • List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent, Outstanding (5 times) (2017) - University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
  • Department of Bioengineering Teaching Excellence Fellowship (2016), Teaching - University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
  • Mavis Future Faculty Fellowship Program (2016), Scholarship/Research - University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Selected Publications

  • Hsu H, Li Y. Psychometric Properties of the Faculty Encouragement Scale with First-year Engineering Undergraduate Students. Research & Practice in Assessment, 2021, 16(1), 63-75.
  • Li Y, St Jean A. Facilitating Engaging Journal Clubs in Online Upper-level Undergraduate Courses. Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education, 2021, 22(1), DOI: 10.1128/jmbe.v22i1.2637
  • Hsu H, Li Y, Dugger S, Jones J. Exploring the relationship between student-perceived faculty encouragement, self-efficacy, and intent to persist in engineering programs. European Journal of Engineering Education, 2021, DOI: 10.1080/03043797.2021.1889469
  • Dewilde A, Li Y. Using Arduinos to Transition a Bioinstrumentation Lab to Remote Learning. Biomedical Engineering Education, 2020, DOI: 10.1007/s43683-020-00042-9
  • Li, Y., Li, Y., Kandel, M.E., Abdeen, A.A., Kilian, K.A., Popescu, G. (2019). Effects of substrate patterning on cellular spheroid growth and dynamics measured by gradient light interference microscopy (GLIM).
  • Li, Y., Fanous, M.J., Kilian, K.A., Popescu, G. (2019). Quantitative phase imaging reveals matrix stiffness-dependent growth and migration of cancer cells. Scientific reports,9(1) 1-8.
  • Weaver, S.S. (University of California, Davis), Li, Y., Foucard, L. (niversity of California, Los Angeles), Majeed, H. (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), Bhaduri, B., Levine, A.J., Kilian, K.A., Popescu, G. (2018). Simultaneous cell traction and growth measurements using light. Journal of Biophotonics,12(3) e201800182.
  • Li, Y., Tang, C.B., Kilian, K. . (2017). Matrix mechanics influence fibroblast–myofibroblast transition by directing the localization of histone deacetylase 4. Cellular and molecular bioengineering,10(5) 405-415.
  • Li, Y., Jensen, P.A., Jensen, P.A., Jensen, K. (2017). ”Blinded” Grading Rubrics for Bioengineering Lab Reports (Work in Progress). 2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.
  • Li, Y., Kilian, K.A. (2015). Bridging the gap: from 2D cell culture to 3D microengineered extracellular matrices. Advanced healthcare materials,4(18) 2780-2796.
  • Li, Y., Mai, D.J., Horstman, E., Bhargava, R. (2015). Preparing female engineering doctoral students for the Academic Job Market through a training program inspired by peer review. 2015 122nd ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition.

Selected Presentations

  • The Impact of Upperclassmen Project Managers on Team Based learning of First-Year Engineering College Students - 2020 BMES Annual Meeting , October 2020 - Virtual
  • Introducing Upper-level Students to Primary Literature: A Comparative Assessment of Two Methods - 2019 BMES Annual Meeting , October 2019 - Philadelphia, Penn.

Selected Contracts, Fellowships, Grants and Sponsored Research

  • Fostering Future Engineering Faculty Diversity by Building a Pipeline to Graduate Programs (2021), Grant - National Science Foundation, Li, Y. (Principal), Sherwood J (Co-Principal), Chandra K (Co-Principal), Hsu H (Co-Principal), Uy P (Co-Principal)
  • Graduate Research Fellowship (2013), Fellowship - National Science FoundationLi, Y.