Yan Chen
Profesor Chen Yan
Professor, PhD Supervisor
National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholar
PhD(Oxford, UK), CEng, FIMechE
Email: yan_chen@tju.edu.cn
Office: Room 328, Building 37
 
Academic Qualifications

2000.01-2004.01   Department of Engineering Scienc          D. Phill. (Ph.D.)
                            University of Oxford, United Kingdom
1997.08-1999.12   Department of Engineering Mechanics     M. Eng.
                            Jilin University of Technology, China
1993.08-1997.07   Department of Engineering Mechanics     B. Eng.
                            Jilin University of Technology, China
 
Working Experiences

2025.01-               Director
2014.01-2024.12   Deputy Executive Director
                            Key Laboratory of Mechanism Theory and Equipment Design, Ministry
                            of Education China
2019.01-               Chair Professor
2012.10-2018.12   Professor
                            School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, China
2005.06-2012.06   Assistant Professor
                            School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
                            Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
2004.03-2004.05   Research Assistant
                            Department Engineering Science, University of Oxford, UK
 
Professional Qualifications

2024-                   ASME Fellow
2024-2027            Chair of the Constitution Committee, International Federation for the
                            Promotion of Mechanism and Machine Science (IFToMM)
2016-2024            Vice-Chair of Chinese Committee, International Federation for the
                            Promotion of Mechanism and Machine Science (IFToMM)
2015-                   Fellow of Institute of Mechanical Engineering (FIMechE)
2012-                   Member of Technical Committee, International Federation for the Theory
                            of Mechanisms and Machines (IFToMM)
2011-2023            Member of American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
2008-                   Registered as Chartered Engineer (CEng)
2008-2015            Member of Institute of Mechanical Engineering (MIMechE)
 
Research Interests

Motion Structures, Reconfigurable Mechanism, Deployable Structures, Rigid Origami
 
 
Honor
2018.10      Member of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, China
2016.03      Youth Science and technology innovation leader, Ministry of Science and
                  Technology, China
2016.03      Tianjin Woman Pace-setter
2015.12      Tianjin Youth Science and Technology Award
2014.10      Member of the National Science Fund for Excellent Young Scholars, China
 
Service to International Academic Community

2024-         Special Issues Editor
                  Thin-walled Structures (TWST), in charge of all the special issues
2025-         Editorial Board Member
                  International Journal of Mechanical Sciences (IJMS)
2023-         Associate Editor
                  Transactions of the ASME, Journal of Mechanical Design (JMD)
2024          Conference Chairman
                  The 24th IFToMM China International Conference on Mechanism and
                  Machine, Science & Engineering (IFToMM CCMMS 2024), August 12-14,
                  2024, Tianjin, China
2023          Conference Chairman
                  International Symposium on Structures and Materials Inspired by
                  Origami 2023, 13-15 October 2023, Shaoxing, China
2018          Conference Vice Chair
                  The 7th International Meeting on Origami in Science, Mathematics and
                  Education (7OSME), 5-7 September 2018, Oxford, UK
2017          Conference Chair
                  The Second International Workshop on Origami Engineering, 2017.11.6-8,
                  Tianjin, China
 
 
Representative Works
 
Monographs
  • You Z and Chen Y, Motion Structures: Deployable Structural Assemblies of Mechanisms, Taylor and Francis, ISBN: 978-0-415-55489-3, 2011.
    •  
    Journal Papers
    1. Weiqi Liu#, Qun Ren#, Yunjie Wang, Zhuang Zhang, Xiuyu Wang, Yongshan Liang, Hao Huang, Jiayao Ma, Hanqing Jiang*, Yan Chen*. Reconfigurable modular origami for tunable 2D symmetry groups. Science Advances, 2025, 11, eady3812.
      (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.ady3812)
    2. Kaili Xi#, Xiaoyi Jiang#, Dechen Zhao, Guimin Chen, Jiayao Ma*, Yan Chen*. Design and Visualization of a Hierarchical Metamaterial with Tunable Stiffness. Research, 2025, 8:0874.
      ( https://doi.org/10.34133/research.0874)
    3. Yuanqing Gu, Guowu Wei, Chuhan Xu, Yan Chen*. Kirigami Archimedean polyhedrons with one-degree of freedom radial transformation. Small Structures. 2025: e202500343.
      ( https://doi.org/10.1002/sstr.202500343)
    4. Kaili Xi, Jingsong Wei, Xiao Zhang*, Jiayao Ma, Zhong You, Changqing Chen, Yan Chen*. A kinematically Bifurcated Metamaterial for Integrated Logic Operation and Computing. Advanced Science. 2025, e09829.
      ( https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202509829)
    5. Mengyue Li#, Jiayao Ma#, Xiao-Lei Tang, Yan-Feng Wang*, Yan Chen *. Double-Tubular Origami Metamaterials with Independently Programmable and Tunable Mechanical and Acoustic Properties. Composites Part B: Engineering. 2025, 112804.
      ( https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.112804)
    6. Chuhan Xu#, Jiayao Ma#, Lei Fu, Xinmeng Liu, Lei Zhang*, Yan Chen *. An Ultra-Fast Rolling Double-Helical Robot Driven by Constant Humidity. Advanced Science. 2025, 2500577.
      ( https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202500577)
    7. Yang X#, Zhao W#, Ma J#, Fu L, Liu M, Xu C, Hu Z, Lv J, Zhang L*, Chen Y*. Threefold Möbius Machine. Advanced Functional Materials. 2025, 202420815.
      ( https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202420815)
    8. Gu Y#, Wei Z#, Wei G, You Z, Ma J*, Chen Y*. Kirigami-inspired three-dimensional metamaterials with programmable isotropic and orthotropic thermal expansion. Advanced Materials. 2024, 2411232.
      ( http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adma.202411232)
    9. Chai S, Hu Z, Chen Y, You Z, Ma J*. Programmable multi-stability of curved-crease origami structures with travelling folds. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids. 2024, 193, 105877.
      ( https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmps.2024.105877)
    10. Wang C, Guo H*, Liu R, Deng Z, Chen Y, You Z*. Reconfigurable Origami-inspired Multistable Metamorphous Structures. Science Advances. 2024, 10(22), eadk8662.
      ( https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adk8662)
    11. Li M#, Chen H#, Ma J*, Chen Y*. An origami metamaterial with distinct mechanical properties in three orthotropic directions. International Journal of Mechanical Sciences. 2024, 283: 109713.
      ( https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmecsci.2024.109713)
    12. Zhang Y#, Zhang X#, Li M, Chen Y*. The rigid and flat-foldable kirigami cubes. International Journal of Mechanical Sciences. 2024, 282: 109605.
      ( https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmecsci.2024.109605)
    13. Liu W, Cao S, Chen Y*. Mountain-valley crease reconfiguration of 4-crease origami vertices and tessellations. International Journal of Mechanical Sciences, 2024, 273, 109224.
      ( https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmecsci.2024.109224)
    14. Xi K#, Chai S#, Ma J*, Chen Y*. Multi-Stability of the Extensible Origami Structures. Advanced Science, 2023, 10(29), 2303454.
      ( https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202303454)
    15. Hu Z#, Wei Z#, Wang K, Chen Y*, Zhu R*, Huang G, Hu G. Engineering zero modes in transformable mechanical metamaterials. Nature Communications, 2023, 14(1): 1266.
      ( https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36975-2)
    16. Ma J#, Zang S#, Chen Y*, You Z*. The tessellation rule and properties programming of origami metasheets built with a mixture of rigid and non-rigid square-twist patterns. Engineering, 2022, 17: 82-92. ( https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eng.2022.02.015)
    17. Fu L, Zhao W, Ma J, Yang M, Liu X, Zhang L*, Chen Y*. A Humidity-Powered Soft Robot with Fast Rolling Locomotion. Research, 2022, 2022: 9832901.
      ( https://doi.org/10.34133/2022/9832901)
    18. Ma J, Chai S, Chen Y*. Geometric design, deformation mode, and energy absorption of patterned thin-walled structures. Mechanics of Materials, 2022, 168: 104269.
      ( https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mechmat.2022.104269)
    19. Zhang X, Ma J, Li M, You Z, Wang X, Luo Y, Ma K, Chen Y*. Kirigami-based metastructures with programmable multistability, Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2022, 119(11): e2117649119.
      ( https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2117649119)
    20. Liu W, Jiang H, Chen Y*. 3D programmable metamaterials based on reconfigurable mechanism modules. Advanced Functional Materials, 2022, 32(9): 2109865.
      ( https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202109865)
    21. Zhang X#, Nie R#, Chen Y*, He B*. Deployable structures: structural design and static/dynamic analysis, Journal of Elasticity, 2021, 146: 199–235.
      ( https://doi.org/10.1007/s10659-021-09860-6)
    22. Ma J, Dai H, Chai S, Chen Y*. Energy absorption of sandwich structures with a kirigami-inspired pyramid foldcore under quasi-static compression and shear. Materials & Design, 2021, 206: 109808.
      (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2021.109808)
    23. Gu Y, Wei G*, Chen Y*. Thick-panel origami cube. Mechanism and Machine Theory, 2021, 164: 104411. 
      (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mechmachtheory.2021.104411)
    24. Ma J#, Zang S#, Feng H, Chen Y*, You Z. Theoretical characterization of a non-rigid-foldable square-twist origami for property programmability. International Journal of Mechanical Sciences, 2021, 189: 105981.
      (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmecsci.2020.105981)
    25. Feng H, Peng R, Zang S, Ma J, Chen Y*. Rigid foldability and mountain-valley crease assignments of square-twist origami pattern. Mechanism and Machine Theory, 2020, 152: 103947.
      (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mechmachtheory.2020.103947)
    26. Ma J, Feng H, Chen Y*, Hou D, You Z*. Folding of Tubular Waterbomb. Research, 2020, 2020, 1735081.
      (https://doi.org/10.34133/2020/1735081)
    27. Mukhopadhyay T, Ma J, Feng H, Hou D, Gattas J, Chen Y*, You Z*. Programmable stiffness and shape modulation in origami materials: Emergence of a distant actuation feature. Applied Materials Today, 2020, 19, 100537.
      (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmt.2019.100537)
    28. Chen Y, Lv W, Peng R, Wei G*. Mobile assemblies of four-spherical-4R-integrated linkages and the associated four-crease-integrated rigid origami patterns. Mechanism and Machine Theory, 2019, 142, 103613.
      (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mechmachtheory.2019.103613)
    29. Zhang X, Chen Y*. The diamond thick-panel origami and the corresponding mobile assemblies of plane-symmetric Bricard linkages. Mechanism and Machine Theory, 2018, 130, 585-604.
      (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mechmachtheory.2018.09.005)
    30. Feng H, Peng R, Ma J, Chen Y*. Rigid foldability of generalized triangle twist origami pattern and its derived 6R linkages. Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics, 2018, 10(5), 051003-051003-13.
      (https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4040439)
    31. Feng H, Ma J, Chen Y*, You Z. Twist of tubular mechanical metamaterials based on waterbomb origami. Scientific Reports, 2018, 8(1), 9522.
      (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-27877-1)
    32. Ma J, Song J, Chen Y*. An Origami-inspired Structure with Graded Stiffness. International Journal of Mechanical Sciences, 2018, 136, 134–142.
      (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmecsci.2017.12.026)
    33. Chen Y, Lv W, Li J, You Z*. An extended family of rigidly foldable origami tubes. Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics, 2017, 9(2), 021002.
      (http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/1.4035559)
    34. Feng H, Chen Y*, Dai Jian S, Gogu G. Kinematic study of the general plane-symmetric Bricard linkage and its bifurcation variations. Mechanism and Machine Theory, 2017, 116, 89–104.
      (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mechmachtheory.2017.05.019)
    35. Liu X, Gattas J M, Chen Y*. One-DOF Superimposed Rigid Origami with Multiple States. Scientific Reports, 2016, 6, 36883.
      (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep36883)
    36. Ma J, Hou D, Chen Y*, You Z. Quasi-static axial crushing of thin-walled tubes with a kite-shape rigid origami pattern: numerical simulation. Thin-Walled Structures, 2016, 100, 38-47.
      (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tws.2015.11.023)
    37. Liu S, Lv W, Chen Y*, Lu G X. Deployable prismatic structures with rigid origami patterns. Trans. ASME. Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics, 2015, 8(3), 031002.
      (http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/1.4031953)
    38. Chen Y, Feng H, Ma J, Peng R, You Z*. Symmetric waterbomb origami. Proc. R. Soc. A , 2016, 472, 20150846.
      (http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspa.2015.0846) (Journal cover paper)
    39. Chen Y, Peng R, You Z, Origami of thick panels, Science, 349 (2015) 396-400.
      (http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aab2870)
    40. Song C Y, Feng H, Chen Y*, Chen I-M, Kang R. Reconfigurable mechanism generated from the network of Bennett linkages. Mechanism and Machine Theory, 2015, 88, 49-62.
      (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mechmachtheory.2015.02.003)
    41. Song C Y, Chen Y*，Chen I-M. A 6R Linkage Reconfigurable between the Line-symmetric Bricard Linkage and the Bennett Linkage. Mechanism and Machine Theory, 2013, 70, 278-292.
      ( http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mechmachtheory.2013.07.013 )
    42. Chen Y*, Chai W H. Bifurcation of a special line and plane symmetric Bricard linkage. Mechanism and Machine Theory, 2011, 46(4), 515-533.
      ( http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mechmachtheory.2010.11.015 )
    43. Chen Y, You Z*. Two-fold Symmetrical 6R Foldable Frame and its Bifurcations. International Journal of Solids and Structures, 2009, 46(25-26), 4504-4514.
      (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2009.09.012 )
    44. Liu S Y, Chen Y*. Myard linkage and its mobile assemblies. Mechanism and Machine Theory, 2009, 44(10), 1950-1963.
      (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mechmachtheory.2009.05.001 )
    45. Chen Y, You Z*. An extended Myard linkage and its derived 6R linkage. Trans. ASME. Journal of Mechanical Design, 2008, 130(5).
      (http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/1.2885506 )
    46. Chen Y, You Z*. On mobile assemblies of Bennett linkages. Proceedings of the Royal Society A (Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences), 2008, 464(2093) 1275-1293.
      (http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspa.2007.0188 )
    47. Chen Y, You Z*. Spatial 6R linkages based on the combination of two Goldberg 5R linkages. Mechanism and Machine Theory 2007, 42(11), 1484-1498.
      (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mechmachtheory.2006.12.008 )
    48. Chen Y, You Z*. Square deployable frame for space application: Part I: Theory. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G, Journal of Aerospace Engineering, 2006, 220(4), 347–354.
      (http://dx.doi.org/10.1243/09544100JAERO68)
    49. Chen Y, You Z*. Mobile assemblies based on the Bennett linkage. Proceedings of the Royal Society A (Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences), 2005, 461, 1229 – 1245.
      (http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspa.2004.1383)
    50. Chen Y, You Z, Tarnai T*. Threefold-symmetric Bricard linkages for Deployable Structures. International Journal of Solids and Structures, 2005, 42 (8) 2287-2301.
      (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2004.09.014 )