Dr. Shengqiang Cai

Professor

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Biography

Prof. Shengqiang Cai is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the Jacobs School of Engineering. He earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Harvard University in 2011, following a Master’s degree and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Science and Technology of China. Prof. Cai worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 2011 to 2012. His research primarily focuses on the mechanics of soft materials, including electro-chemo-mechanics, energy materials, bio-inspired design, and biomechanics. He investigates innovative designs to optimize structures made from soft materials for various applications, such as energy harvesting and fluid regulation. Currently, his work includes exploring mechanical instability phenomena associated with the large deformation of soft materials and their capabilities in guiding electromagnetic waves.

Research Interests

Requirements for University of California, San Diego

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
TOEFL
Total
Required:85
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
Duolingo
Overall Score
Required:120
Overall
Required:120
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in physical, biological, or earth sciences, mathematics, or engineering. Differential and integral calculus. One year of calculus-based physics with laboratory. One year of chemistry with laboratory.
Application Checklist
  • Statement of Purpose (max 2 pages)
  • Unofficial transcripts
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Application fee ($135 domestic / $155 international)
Specialization Notes

Administered by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Curricular groups include Climate-Ocean-Atmosphere (COAP), Geosciences (GEO), and Ocean Biosciences (OBP).