I am a computational physicist and materials scientist. I am also broadly interested in plasma physics, climate science, applied math, and machine learning.
I have been an Assistant Professor in Physics at Boston College since August 2025. Previously, I was a Stanford Science Fellow, working with Prof. Thomas P. Devereaux. I obtained my Ph.D. in physics at Harvard with Prof. Efthimios Kaxiras.
Contact: ziyanzhu@stanford.edu / ziyan.zhu@bc.edu.
Bio
Boston College
Assistant Professor of Physics
Stanford University / SLAC
Stanford Science Fellow
Harvard University
Ph.D. in Physics with a secondary field in Computational Science and Engineering
M.A. in Physics
University of California, Los Angeles
B.Sc. in Physics and Applied Mathematics, Minor in Art History
Members
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Cole WolframPh.D. Student Cole is a first-year Ph.D. student at Boston College, primarily interested in using computation to probe beyond the boundaries of traditional physics in macroscopic condensed matter systems. His current research leverages continuum models to simulate electronic behavior in twisted bilayer materials, with plans to extend this work to more robust multi-scale models. He earned his B.S. in Physics from the University of Washington in 2025, conducting ion trapping research with Professors Boris Blinov and Max Parsons. A lover of the arts, at home Cole can often be found making or enjoying music, reading, or on a nice day, fishing the Chestnut Hill Reservoir. |
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Qirui RenPh.D. Student Qirui is a second-year Ph.D. student. His research focuses on exploring the phase diagrams of moiré TMD bilayers. He earned his B.S. from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC). Outside of research, Qirui enjoys music and novels, and looks forward to further developing his work and collaborating with the group. |
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Keyu ZengPh.D. Student Currently a Ph.D. candidate at Boston College, Keyu is co-advised by Prof. Ziqiang Wang and Prof. Ziyan Zhu. Her research with Prof. Wang explores complex electronic correlations within Kagome materials and charge density waves, while her work with Prof. Zhu utilizes machine learning to model the electronic band structures of 2D materials. Keyu holds a Bachelor’s from Nanjing University and a Master’s from UW-Madison in Physical Chemistry, where she specialized in DFT-based Madelung energy calculations for alloys. When she isn't uncovering the secrets of quantum materials, Keyu is an enthusiast of art, sports, and books, and a self-proclaimed professional cat-petter. |
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April LiPh.D. Student April is a first-year graduate student at Boston College. She earned her B.S. in physics from the University of Washington in 2025, and wrote her senior thesis on quantum sensing using CdSe quantum dots. At Boston College, she works with Professor Zhu on modeling two-dimensional layered materials with density functional theory, and with Professor Burch on studying altermagnet and quantum Raman systems. In her free time, she can be found birding or playing the newest Pokemon games. |
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Kai GowersUndergraduate Student Kai is an undergraduate student at Boston College majoring in Mathematics and Computer Science. His research focuses on computational materials science and machine learning methods for predicting phonon properties of two-dimensional materials. In his free time, he enjoys playing and watching soccer. |
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Devin LimUndergraduate Student Devin is a first-year undergraduate at Boston College, pursuing a B.S. in Applied Physics and Computer Science. Currently, he's broadly exploring solid-state physics and twistronics with Prof. Zhu, but outside of the group, he also enjoys game development, competitive programming, and watching anime and movies. |
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MiniIT Support Specialist When you are stuck on your code and scratching your head, Mini is ready to jump in and type for youzvcxzofiodgfjidofg. |
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Melancholy (Melon)Speech Coach Before your big presentation, Melon is always here to help. Just follow his singing and relax your vocal cords. |