Faculty Profile

Yuan Li

Title
Assistant Professor
Department
Physics
College
College of Science

    

    

      


                          

            
Curriculum Vitae

            

              Click Here to View Faculty CV
            

          

        
                          

            
Education

            



  

  


  
PhD, Columbia University, 2014. 
Major: Astronomy
Degree Specialization: Astrophysics
Dissertation Title: AGN Feedback in Cool-Core Galaxy Clusters
MPhil, Columbia University, 2011. 
Major: Astronomy
MA, Columbia University, 2010. 
Major: Astronomy





          

        
                

          
Current Scheduled Teaching*


          
PHYS 6940.763, Individual Research, Spring 2024 
PHYS 4950.754, Senior Thesis, Spring 2024 
PHYS 4955.756, Senior Thesis Capstone, Spring 2024 
PHYS 2900.750, Special Problems, Spring 2024 
PHYS 5910.756, Special Problems, Spring 2024 
PHYS 1062.100, Stars and the Universe, Spring 2024 Syllabus


          
*
  Texas Education Code 51.974 (HB 2504) requires each institution of
  higher education to make available to the public, a syllabus for
  undergraduate lecture courses offered for credit by the institution.
  

        

      

    

  


    

    

      


        


          


            
Previous Scheduled Teaching*


            
                    

                    PHYS 4750.001, Galaxies and Cosmology, Fall 2023 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    PHYS 2900.751, Special Problems, Fall 2023 
                    

                    PHYS 5900.781, Special Problems, Fall 2023 
                    

                    PHYS 5910.770, Special Problems, Fall 2023 
                    

                    PHYS 6940.763, Individual Research, Spring 2023 
                    

                    PHYS 5610.001, Selected Topics in Modern Physics, Spring 2023 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    PHYS 2900.751, Special Problems, Spring 2023 
                    

                    PHYS 5910.756, Special Problems, Spring 2023 
                    

                    PHYS 6940.768, Individual Research, Fall 2022 
                    

                    PHYS 4950.701, Senior Thesis, Fall 2022 
                    

                    PHYS 5910.770, Special Problems, Fall 2022 
                    

                    PHYS 1062.100, Stars and the Universe, Fall 2022 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    PHYS 1530.501, General Physics with Calculus Laboratory I, Spring 2022 Syllabus
                    

                    PHYS 1530.502, General Physics with Calculus Laboratory I, Spring 2022 Syllabus
                    

                    PHYS 1540.501, General Physics with Calculus Laboratory II, Spring 2022 Syllabus
                    

                    PHYS 1540.502, General Physics with Calculus Laboratory II, Spring 2022 Syllabus
                    

                    PHYS 1540.503, General Physics with Calculus Laboratory II, Spring 2022 Syllabus
                    

                    PHYS 3996.701, Honors College Mentored Research Experience, Spring 2022 
                    

                    PHYS 5910.769, Special Problems, Spring 2022 
                    

                    PHYS 4980.001, Experimental Course, Fall 2021 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    PHYS 4980.201, Experimental Course, Fall 2021  SPOT
                    

                    PHYS 5930.003, Research Problems in Lieu of Thesis, Fall 2021 
                    

                    PHYS 4950.701, Senior Thesis, Fall 2021 
                    

                    PHYS 1210.002, Conceptual Physics, Spring 2021 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    PHYS 5920.781, Research Problems in Lieu of Thesis, Spring 2021 
                    

                    PHYS 5910.758, Special Problems, Spring 2021 
                    

                    PHYS 5910.781, Special Problems, Fall 2020 

          


          
*
  Texas Education Code 51.974 (HB 2504) requires each institution of
  higher education to make available to the public, a syllabus for
  undergraduate lecture courses offered for credit by the institution.
  

        

      

    

  

  
  	

	

	  

		

		   
Published Publications



  

  
Published Intellectual Contributions


  
Journal Article
Voit, G. M., Bryan, G. L., Prasad, D., Frisbie, R., Li, Y., Donahue, M., O’Shea, B. W., Sun, M., Werner, N.  A Black Hole Feedback Valve in Massive Galaxies. The Astrophysical Journal. 899(1), 70. American Astronomical Society. http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aba42e
Voit, G. M., Meece, G., Li, Y., O’Shea, B. W., Bryan, G. L., Donahue, M.  A Global Model for Circumgalactic and Cluster-core Precipitation. The Astrophysical Journal. 845(1), 80. American Astronomical Society. http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aa7d04
Li, Y., Ruszkowski, M., Bryan, G. L. AGN Heating in Simulated Cool-core Clusters. The Astrophysical Journal. 847(2), 106. American Astronomical Society. http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aa88c1
Li, Y., Habouzit, M., Genel, S., Somerville, R., Terrazas, B. A., Bell, E. F., Pillepich, A., Nelson, D., Weinberger, R., Rodriguez-Gomez, V., Ma, C., Pakmor, R., Hernquist, L., Vogelsberger, M.  Correlations between Black Holes and Host Galaxies in the Illustris and IllustrisTNG Simulations. The Astrophysical Journal. 895(2), 102. American Astronomical Society. http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ab8f8d
Li, Y., Gendron-Marsolais, M., Zhuravleva, I., Xu, S., Simionescu, A., Tremblay, G. R., Lochhaas, C., Bryan, G. L., Quataert, E., Murray, N. W., Boselli, A., Hlavacek-Larrondo, J., Zheng, Y., Fossati, M., Li, M., Emsellem, E., Sarzi, M., Arzamasskiy, L., Vishniac, E. T. Direct Detection of Black Hole-driven Turbulence in the Centers of Galaxy Clusters. The Astrophysical Journal. 889(1), L1. American Astronomical Society. http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ab65c7
Ha, T., Li, Y., Xu, S., Kounkel, M., Li, H.  Measuring Turbulence with Young Stars in the Orion Complex. The Astrophysical Journal. 907(2), L40. American Astronomical Society. http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/abd8c9
Ha, T., Li, Y., Xu, S., Kounkel, M., Li, H.  Measuring Turbulence with Young Stars in the Orion Complex. The Astrophysical Journal. 907(2), L40. American Astronomical Society. http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/abd8c9
Frisbie, R. L., Donahue, M., Voit, G. M., Connor, T., Li, Y., Sun, M., Lakhchaura, K., Werner, N., Grossova, R.  Properties of the Hot Ambient Medium of Early-type Galaxies Hosting Powerful Radio Sources. The Astrophysical Journal. 899(2), 159. American Astronomical Society. http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aba8a8
Fogarty, K., Postman, M., Li, Y., Dannerbauer, H., Liu, H. B., Donahue, M., Ziegler, B., Koekemoer, A., Frye, B.  The Dust and Molecular Gas in the Brightest Cluster Galaxy in MACS 1931.8-2635. The Astrophysical Journal. 879(2), 103. American Astronomical Society. http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ab22a4
Li, Y., Ruszkowski, M., Tremblay, G.  The Effects of Ram Pressure on the Cold Clouds in the Centers of Galaxy Clusters. The Astrophysical Journal. 854(2), 91. American Astronomical Society. http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aaa843
Li, Y., Bryan, G. L., Quataert, E.  The Fate of Asymptotic Giant Branch Winds in Massive Galaxies and the Intracluster Medium. The Astrophysical Journal. 887(1), 41. American Astronomical Society. http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ab4bca
Li, M., Li, Y., Bryan, G. L., Ostriker, E. C., Quataert, E.  The Impact of Type Ia Supernovae in Quiescent Galaxies. I. Formation of the Multiphase Interstellar Medium. The Astrophysical Journal. 894(1), 44. American Astronomical Society. http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ab86b4
Li, M., Li, Y., Bryan, G. L., Ostriker, E. C., Quataert, E.  The Impact of Type Ia Supernovae in Quiescent Galaxies. II. Energetics and Turbulence. The Astrophysical Journal. 898(1), 23. American Astronomical Society. http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ab9c22
Qiu, Y., Bogdanović, T., Li, Y., Park, K., Wise, J. H. The Interplay of Kinetic and Radiative Feedback in Galaxy Clusters. The Astrophysical Journal. 877(1), 47. American Astronomical Society. http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ab18fd
Donahue, M., Connor, T., Fogarty, K., Li, Y., Voit, G. M., Postman, M., Koekemoer, A., Moustakas, J., Bradley, L., Ford, H.  ULTRAVIOLET MORPHOLOGY AND UNOBSCURED UV STAR FORMATION RATES OF CLASH BRIGHTEST CLUSTER GALAXIES. The Astrophysical Journal. 805(2), 177. American Astronomical Society. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0004-637x/805/2/177
Qiu, Y., Bogdanović, T., Li, Y., McDonald, M.  Using H
                    α
                    Filaments to Probe Active Galactic Nuclei Feedback in Galaxy Clusters. The Astrophysical Journal. 872(1), L11. American Astronomical Society. http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ab0375
Mandal, S., Duffell, P. C., Li, Y.  (2022). Numerical Investigation of Dynamical and Morphological Trends in Relativistic Jets. The Astrophysical Journal. 935(1), 42. American Astronomical Society. http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac7e42
Ha, T., Li, Y., Kounkel, M., Xu, S., Li, H., Zheng, Y.  (2022). Turbulence in Milky Way Star-forming Regions Traced by Young Stars and Gas. The Astrophysical Journal. 934(1), 7. American Astronomical Society. http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac76bf
Habouzit, M., Somerville, R. S., Li, Y., Genel, S., Aird, J., Anglés-Alcázar, D., Davé, R., Georgiev, I. Y., McAlpine, S., Rosas-Guevara, Y., Dubois, Y., Nelson, D., Banados, E., Hernquist, L., Peirani, S., Vogelsberger, M.  (2021). Supermassive black holes in cosmological simulations – II: the AGN population and predictions for upcoming X-ray missions. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 509(2), 3015-3042. Oxford University Press (OUP). http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stab3147
Jennings, R. M., Li, Y.  (2021). Thermal Instability and Multiphase Gas in the Simulated Interstellar Medium with Conduction, Viscosity and Magnetic Fields. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 
Jennings, R. M., Li, Y.  (2021). Thermal instability and multiphase gas in the simulated interstellar medium with conduction, viscosity, and magnetic fields. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 505(4), 5238-5252. Oxford University Press (OUP). http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stab1607
Jennings, R. M., Li, Y.  (2021). Thermal instability and multiphase gas in the simulated interstellar medium with conduction, viscosity, and magnetic fields. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 505(4), 5238-5252. Oxford University Press (OUP). http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stab1607
Qiu, Y., Bogdanović, T., Li, Y., McDonald, M., McNamara, B. R. (2020). The formation of dusty cold gas filaments from galaxy cluster simulations. Other. 4(9), 900-906. Springer Science and Business Media LLC. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41550-020-1090-7
Li, Y.  (2020). Probing Magnetic Field Morphology in Galaxy Clusters with the Gradient Technique. The Astrophysical Journal. 
Wang, C., Li, Y., Ruszkowski, M.  (2019). AGN feedback and multiphase gas in giant elliptical galaxies. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 482(3), 3576-3590. Oxford University Press (OUP). http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnras/sty2906



	
		
		
	  

	

	

  
    
	

	

	  

		

		   
Awarded Grants



  
  
  	  
          
Contracts, Grants and Sponsored Research  

 	 
	 	 
  
Grant - Research   
Li, Y. (Principal), "Connecting Galaxies and Supermassive Black Holes: Meso-scale Simulations of Multiphase Accretion Flows," Sponsored by National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Federal, $326875 Funded. (August 2022 – July 2025).
Li, Y. (Principal), Shemmer, O. (Co-Principal), "Building a Team for EXtragalactic AStrophysics (TEXAS) in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex," Sponsored by National Science Foundation, Federal, $214457 Funded. (September 2022 – August 2024).
Li, Y. (Principal), "Collaborative Research: A Systematic and Comprehensive Study of Black Hole-Driven Turbulence in Massive Galactic Systems," Sponsored by National Science Foundation, Federal, $282654 Funded. (September 1, 2021 – August 31, 2024).
Li, Y. (Principal), "Probing Cluster Plasma Physics with Simulations of Jellyfish Tails," Sponsored by Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Federal, $55000 Funded. (February 1, 2023 – January 31, 2024).
Li, Y. (Co-Principal), Albert, M. V. (Co-Principal), "Characterising the Warm Envelop Surrounding the Milky Way Disk With Machine Learning," Sponsored by COS-CENG, University of North Texas, $10000 Funded. (August 2021 – December 2021).
Li, Y. (Principal), "Turbulence in Star Forming Clouds," Sponsored by COS, University of North Texas, $9000 Funded. (2021 – 2021).



	
		
		
	  

	

	

	
	

  
  
  

  	

		

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Summative Rating		
					Challenge and
Engagement Index		
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out of 5		
					
out of 7		
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 of 
students responded		
					
					
				

			
		


		
    
			
  • Overall Summative Rating (median):
    
			This rating represents the combined responses of students to the four global summative items and is presented to provide an overall index of the class’s quality. Overall summative statements include the following (response options include a Likert scale ranging from 5 = Excellent, 3 = Good, and 1= Very poor):
				
      
					
    • The course as a whole was
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    • The course content was
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    • The instructor’s contribution to the course was
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    • The instructor’s effectiveness in teaching the subject matter was
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  • Challenge and Engagement Index:
    
			This rating combines student responses to several SPOT items relating to how academically challenging students found the course to be and how engaged they were. Challenge and Engagement Index items include the following (response options include a Likert scale ranging from 7 = Much higher, 4 = Average, and 1 = Much lower):
				
      
					
    • Do you expect your grade in this course to be
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    • The intellectual challenge presented was
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    • The amount of effort you put into this course was
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    • The amount of effort to succeed in this course was
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    • Your involvement in course (doing assignments, attending classes, etc.) was
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