Li Zhu
Applied mathematics; mathematical modeling; partial differential equations (PDEs); numerical methods; scientific computing; computational fluid dynamics
Background & Expertise
Li Zhu aims to develop and apply advanced numerical methods to understand complex physical and transport phenomena in natural and engineered systems. Her research focuses on constructing robust computational algorithms for partial differential equations (PDEs), bridging high-performance scientific computing with pressing environmental challenges. Building on foundational work in wave propagation and field dynamics, her current projects focus on fluid dynamics modeling in great lakes, developed through interdisciplinary collaborations within the Swenson College of Science and Engineering and the Large Lakes Observatory. These efforts integrate mathematical modeling with physical observations to improve predictions of regional water flow. Zhu is dedicated to bringing real-world environmental applications into mathematical research and training students to tackle cross-disciplinary sustainability challenges using rigorous mathematical proof and computational tools.
16 New Affiliates Join IonE's University-Wide Sustainability Network
A physician in Minneapolis who studies how climate change affects children’s health. A psychologist in Duluth who is seeking to understand the impact of new pressures, like AI data centers, on people’s well being. These two University of Minnesota scholars work in different disciplines, on campuses separated by hundreds of miles – but this fall, they'll be connected through a network that spans the entire University.