George Tallman Ladd and Florence Barrett Ladd Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Chair, Graduate Education Committee, Mechanical Engineering
Courtesy Appointment, Biomedical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Jessica Zhang is the George Tallman Ladd and Florence Barrett Ladd Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University with a courtesy appointment in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. She received her B.Eng. in Automotive Engineering and M.Eng. in Engineering Mechanics from Tsinghua University, China, and M.Eng. in Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, and Ph.D. in Computational Engineering and Sciences from the Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences (now Oden Institute), the University of Texas at Austin.
Zhang’s research interests include computational geometry, isogeometric analysis, finite element method, data-driven modeling, image processing, mesh generation, and their applications in computational biomedicine, materials science and engineering. Zhang’s group develops novel algorithms on biomodeling at molecular, cellular, tissue, and organ scales, and explores applications in various application fields. She has published over 240 technical articles in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings and is the author of the book Geometric Modeling and Mesh Generation from Scanned Images (CRC Press).
Zhang’s recent major awards include 2025 ASME Van C. Mow Medal and 2025 AWM-SIAM Sonia Kovalevsky Lecture Award. She also received the Simons Visiting Professorship from Mathematisches Forschungsinstitut Oberwolfach of Germany, the prestigious US Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, NSF CAREER Award, Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award, and US Association for Computational Mechanics (USACM) Gallagher Young Investigator Award. At CMU, she received David P. Casasent Outstanding Research Award, George Tallman Ladd and Florence Barrett Ladd Professorship, Clarence H. Adamson Career Faculty Fellow in Mechanical Engineering, Donald L. & Rhonda Struminger Faculty Fellow, and George Tallman Ladd Research Award. She is a Fellow of American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineers (IAMBE), American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), International Association for Computational Mechanics (IACM), USACM, Solid Modeling Association (SMA), International Meshing Roundtable (IMR) and Executive Leadership in Academic Technology, Engineering and Science (ELATES) at Drexel. She is the Editor-in-Chief of Engineering with Computers.
2005 Ph.D., Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, University of Texas, Austin
2002 Master of Engineering, Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, University of Texas, Austin
1999 Master of Engineering, Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University
1996 Bachelor of Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Tsinghua University
CMU Engineering
New research from Carnegie Mellon University reveals that dendritic spines—the tiny structures that help brain cells communicate and form memories—don’t fit neatly into a few categories. Instead, they display a continuous range of shapes, offering new insight into learning, development, and neurological disease.
USACM
MechE’s Jessica Zhang started her term as the president of US Association for Computational Mechanics (USACM) during an Executive Committee meeting in Munich on July 22.
Tetrahedron Workshop VIII
MechE’s Jessica Zhang was invited to deliver a keynote talk on her recent research at the Tetrahedron Workshop VIII, on July 13-15, 2026 in London, UK.
IACM
MechE’s Jessica Zhang was invited to deliver a plenary lecture at the the 17th World Congress on Computational Mechanics & 10th European Congress on Computational Methods in Applied Sciences and Engineering (WCCM-ECCOMAS 2026), which will be held in Munich, Germany on July 19-24, 2026.
Mechanical Engineering
From improving public health to making more efficient, more sustainable energy sources, researchers in Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering devote their time to solving the world’s most complex problems.
CMU Engineering
Jessica Zhang is using AI and digital twins to make limb transplants safer, more accessible, and better matched for the millions of Americans living with limb loss.
SIAM
MechE’s Jessica Zhang was honored with the AWM-SIAM Sonia Kovalevsky Lecture Award and delivered a lecture during the SIAM Annual Meeting on July 28 - August 1.
ASME
MechE’s Jessica Zhang delivered an invited keynote lecture and received the 2025 ASME Van C. Mow Medal, during the ASME Summer Biomechanics, Bioengineering, and Biotransport Conference in Santa Ana Pueblo, NM on June 22-25, 2025.
SIAM International Meshing Roundtable conference
MechE’s Jessica Zhang and her group received two awards from the SIAM International Meshing Roundtable conference held on March 3-6, 2025 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
MechE’s Jessica Zhang has been selected as the 2025 AWM-SIAM Kovalevsky Lecturer from the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics in recognition of her work in computational geometry and finite element methods.
ASME
MechE’s Jessica Zhang was recently selected to receive the 2025 ASME Van C. Mow Medal, which is bestowed upon an individual who has demonstrated meritorious contributions to the field of bioengineering through research, education, professional development, leadership in the development of the profession, mentorship to young bioengineers, and with service to the bioengineering community.
AWM and SIAM
MechE’s Jessica Zhang was recently awarded the prestigious 2025 AWM-SIAM Sonia Kovalevsky Lecture Prize, which is awarded annually by the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM) and SIAM to highlight significant contributions of women to applied or computational mathematics. The lecture is normally given at the SIAM Annual Meeting.
CMU Engineering
To support the development of new therapies for neurodegenerative disease and advance biohybrid robots, Jessica Zhang and Victoria Webster-Wood will lead a project to develop computational tools to predict neuron growth and transport regulation.
MechE’s Jessica Zhang recently delivered keynote lectures to present her latest research in two workshops in Europe.
IACM
MechE’s Jessica Zhang received the International Association for Computational Mechanics (IACM) Fellows Award during the the 16th World Congress on Computational Mechanics and 4th Pan American Congress on Computational Mechanic
SIAM
MechE’s Jessica Zhang was featured by SIAM in celebrating Women’s History Month, for her contributions to the applied mathematics and computational science field.
ASME IMECE
MechE’s Jessica Zhang presented at the ASME IMECE: CONCAM Distinguished Lectures on Computational Mechanics, where she discussed her research on modeling traffic jam and growth process of neurons using isogeomtric analysis and physics-informed neural network.
IMACS World Congress
MechE’s Jessica Zhang delivered a virtual keynote at the 21st International Association for Mathematics and Computers in Simulation (IMACS) World Congress conference.
CMU Engineering
Predicting neuron cell growth just got a little bit easier, thanks to CMU researchers.
Biomechanics Workshop of Program Uncertainty Quantification and Stochastic Modeling of Materials on Mathematical Mechanical Biology
MechE’s Jessica Zhang spoke at Biomechanics Workshop of Program Uncertainty Quantification and Stochastic Modeling of Materials on Mathematical Mechanical Biology: Old School and New School, Methods and Applications at Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Cambridge, UK on July 31 - August 4.
IAMBE
MechE’s Jessica Zhang has been elected to the International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineers (IAMBE), class of 2023. IAMBE is made up of fellows who are recognized for their outstanding contributions to the profession of medical and biological engineering.
AIMBE
MechE’s Jessica Zhang has been elected chair-elect of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE)’s College of Fellows.
SIAM
MechE’s Jessica Zhang has been selected as a Class of 2023 Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) Fellow for exemplary research and outsanding service to the community.
SIAM
MechE’s Jessica Zhang was an invited plenary speaker at the SIAM International Meshing Roundtable Workshop on March 6 - 9, 2023 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. She presented her latest research on modeling traffic jam and growth process of neurons using isogeometric analysis and physics-informed neural network.
Clarivate Analytics
According to Citation data from Clarivate Analytics, Mech’s Jessica Zhang’s paper “Tuned Hybrid Nonuniform Subdivision Surfaces with Optimal Convergence Rates” is recognized as one of the top cited articles published in an issue of International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering between January 1, 2021 through December 15, 2022.
SIAM
MechE’s Jessica Zhang was elected program director of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics Activity Group on Geometric Design.
MechE’s Jessica Zhang was a plenary speaker of the 10th International Conference on Isogeometric Analysis in Banff, Canada on November 6-9, 2022.
CMU Engineering
Jessica Zhang’s lab has furthered its research with IGA analysis and accurately modeled the growth of a neuron.
International Workshop on Combinatorial Image Analysis
MechE’s Jessica Zhang delivered a virtual keynote at the International Workshop on Combinatorial Image Analysis on July 15. She presented her latest research on machine learning enhanced simulation and PDE-constrained optimization for material transport control in neurons.
CMU Engineering
MechE’s Jessica Zhang and Angran Li have developed a new way to model material transport regulation in neurons using cutting-edge parametrization technology and isogeometric analysis. This new, much more detailed modeling will help provide insights on “neural traffic jams,” which contribute to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Huntington’s, and Parkinson’s disease.
MechE’s Jessica Zhang recently delivered two virtual keynotes: CMBE22 and CVPR 2022.
ECCOMAS Congress 2022
MechE’s Jessica Zhang delivered a semi-plenary lecture at the 8th European Congress on Computational Methods in Applied Sciences and Engineering (ECCOMAS Congress 2022) in Oslo, Norway on June 5-9, 2022. Zhang was also invited to be a mentor in the ECCOMAS Young Investigators Career Forum, during which young researchers have the opportunity to interact in small groups with scientists at different career stages.
USACM
MechE’s Jessica Zhang was elected to the office of Secretary-Treasurer of the U.S. Association for Computational Mechanics (USACM) Executive Council. It is a six-year commitment to be involved as an officer of USACM, the largest association in computational mechanics in the US.
Solid Modeling Association
MechE’s Jessica Zhang was named a Solid Modeling Association Fellow for her work in areas of solid modeling, which has broad applications in computational biomedicine, materials science and engineering.
Mechanical Engineering
Understanding the causes of degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Huntington's, and Parkinson's will require the meticulous investigation into the complex, branch-like neurite networks of the brain. Machine learning can be an efficient, highly accurate part of this process.
ICCS
MechE’s Jessica Zhang was invited to deliver a virtual keynote lecture in The International Conference on Computational Science on June 16, 2021.