ANN ARBOR, Mich. (Diya TV) — Indian American researcher Karthik Duraisamy was elected as a fellow of the American Physical Society (APS) for 2025, one of the highest honors in the field of physics. The recognition celebrates scientists who have made outstanding contributions to advancing physics through original research or dedicated service to the scientific community.
The APS Fellowship is one of the most respected honors in the global physics community. Each year, less than one-half of 1% of APS members — excluding student members — are chosen by their peers for this distinction. In 2025, only 151 scientists worldwide received the fellowship.
According to the American Physical Society, fellows are selected for “independent, original research” or for providing “special service to the cause of the sciences.” The honor highlights excellence in research, education, and leadership across all branches of physics.
Three researchers from the University of Michigan were among those recognized this year. The honorees — Duraisamy, Xiaoming Mao, and Liuyan Zhao — were elected for their pioneering work in engineering, materials science, and quantum physics. Their selection reflects both the university’s strong legacy in physics and its continued leadership in scientific innovation.
Duraisamy, a professor of aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, and nuclear engineering and radiological sciences in the College of Engineering, earned recognition for his groundbreaking work in applying machine learning to complex engineering flows.
Duraisamy’s research integrates physics-inspired modeling, data-driven methods, and statistical learning to improve predictive modeling of fluid and multiphysics systems. His work bridges computational science, engineering, and artificial intelligence to create more accurate simulations of real-world systems. He also serves as the Samir and Puja Kaul Director of the Michigan Institute for Computational Discovery and Engineering (MICDE).
“It is a great honor to be recognized by APS as a fellow,” Duraisamy said. “This achievement reflects the hard work and creativity of my exceptional students.”
Xiaoming Mao, a professor of physics in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) and a professor of mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering, was recognized for her fundamental contributions to soft matter physics and topological mechanical metamaterials.
Mao studies how order and functionality emerge in complex materials. Her work explores how geometry and topology — key mathematical concepts — influence stability, motion, and self-organization in matter. She has helped pioneer the field of topological mechanics, developed theories of self-assembling materials, and examined adaptive materials that can respond intelligently to their surroundings.
“We are living in a transformative time for science,” Mao said. “Discoveries are emerging faster than ever, and artificial intelligence is reshaping how we learn. This recognition reminds me of our responsibility to inspire the next generation of scientists.”
Liuyan Zhao, an associate professor of physics in LSA, was honored for her innovative research in quantum materials. She has made outstanding contributions in detecting multipolar orders with nonlinear optics and designing two-dimensional magnetic multipolar phases with twisted moiré magnets.
Zhao’s research focuses on understanding how strongly interacting electrons create new physical behaviors in materials. Her team has developed advanced optical methods to detect hidden states in materials, fabricated artificial nanostructures, and explored the transitions between three-dimensional and two-dimensional systems.
“I am deeply honored to be recognized as an APS Fellow,” Zhao said. “This recognition reflects the collective efforts of my group members and collaborators. Together, we continue to explore the fascinating world of quantum materials.”
The election of Indian-origin scientists among this year’s APS Fellows highlights the growing impact of the Indian scientific community worldwide. It also underscores the value of global collaboration in advancing physics research.
The American Physical Society, founded in 1899, is one of the world’s leading organizations for physicists, with more than 55,000 members across academia, government, and industry. Its mission is to advance and share knowledge of physics through research, education, and public engagement.
