Curriculum Vitae

Education

Ph.D. in Engineering (Fluid Mechanics), Brown University, 2020–2025
- Advisor: Prof. Kenny Breuer
- Thesis: Surfing on Vortices: Interactions of Flapping Flight in Vortex Wake
M.Sc. in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering (Aerodynamics and Control), University of Southern California, 2018–2019
- Advisor: Prof. Mitul Luhar
B.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering (Jet Propulsion), Beihang University (BUAA), 2013–2017
- Advisor: Prof. Zhi Tao (Academician)
- Thesis: Electric-powered Distributed Multi-Vectored Propulsion (DMVP)

Experience

2025–present: Research Associate, University of Virginia
- ONR Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) program
- Investigating the effects of phase differences on hydrodynamic benefits in robotic fish schooling
- Engineered a closed-loop water tunnel facility with an automated, cyber-physical experimental workflow
2025: Visiting Scientist, University of California, Riverside
- Investigated the effects of formation geometry on group swimming efficiency
2020–2025: Graduate Research Assistant, Breuer Lab, Brown University
- Wind tunnel experiment series on vortex–flight interaction
- Commissioned the newly constructed animal flight wind tunnel (hardware and software) for multi-channel automated experiments
- Enabled synchronized machine-vision kinematic tracking, laser-illuminated flow measurements (PIV), bird-wearable dynamic analysis, and metabolic measurements
- Studied vortex wake interactions in flapping flight with live birds and bio-inspired robotic platforms, addressing vortex gust encounters relevant to UAVs and wind turbines
- Designed and tested the flapping-wing robot Flapperoo with active wing twisting and folding, featured by National Geographic
- Applied data-driven processing across multi-fold datasets to extract robust flow features
- Led a 10-member engineering team, mentored REU students, and collaborated closely with biologists
- Supervisor: Prof. Kenny Breuer
2019–2020: Research Scientist, Brown University
- Aerodynamic testing of Active Gurney Flap flow control for wind turbines
- Designed a wind tunnel wind turbine blade model with embedded sensors
- Evaluated the Active Gurney Flap flow control structure with industrial partner Actura Wind Inc.
2018–2019: Graduate Research Assistant, Fluid-Structure Interactions Lab, USC
- Compliant Flapping Wing Robot (USC Raven)
- Initiated and led the project with a team of 6, designing and building the ornithopter UAV around a lightweight mechatronic design
- Constructed a pioneering fan-array wind tunnel for UAV aerodynamics testing
- Achieved the first successful sustained outdoor flight of its kind
- Supervisor: Prof. Mitul Luhar
2018: Graduate Research Assistant, Alfred E. Mann Institute for Biomedical Engineering, USC
- Simulation for fine feature control in SLA printing
- Developed a capillary-bridge meniscus simulation framework for microscale SLA 3D printing using a custom Stokes flow solver
- Fabricated hydro-responsive structures via 3D printing for embedded sensor integration
- Supervisor: Prof. Yong Chen
2017–2018: Research Engineer, Western Innovation Inc.
- Led an eVTOL (tilting rotor) package delivery UAV project, in collaboration with the Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Aero-Engine (CICAE, BUAA)
2015: Co-op Engineer, Expert Aviation Technology Co. Ltd (Exptech)
- Licensed the DMVP patents to prototype an eVTOL UAV, working with the CTO
- Represented the company at the 17th China Hi-Tech Fair (2015), contributing to its successful IPO

Expertise

Experiment & test: wind/water tunnel testing, script-driven automated experiments and data acquisition, animal experiments, field testing
Fluid measurement: particle image velocimetry (planar and volumetric, air- and water-based), hot-wire anemometry, flow visualization, pressure differential sensing
Motion control: multi-axis motion control and synchronization, PID/LQR feedback, model predictive control (MPC), Kalman filtering
Machine vision: 3D reconstruction via DLT, learning- and correlation-based pattern recognition
Data-driven analysis: signal processing, spectral analysis, digital image processing, dynamic mode decomposition (DMD), reduced-order modeling
Design: CAD, mechatronic and robotic system design, high-power laser optics, basic PCB design
Coding: MATLAB, Python, C/C++ (embedded systems), PLC programming
Simulation: computational fluid dynamics, multi-physics simulation, robot/drone dynamics (Gazebo)
Languages: fluent in English and Chinese; entry-level German

Honors

2017: Innovation and Entrepreneurship Scholarship, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of P.R. China
2015: 2nd prize, “Challenge Cup” National University Student Academic Science and Technology Works Competition
2015: Grand prize, “Challenge Cup” Capital University Student Academic Science and Technology Works Competition

Invited Talks

2016: “Introduction to Undergraduate Student Research Project”, opening of the Hong Kong Student Leader Exchange Program, Beijing, China
2015: “Distributed Multi-Vectored Propulsion System”, 17th China Hi-Tech Fair (Commando Wing – China AUVSC), Guangzhou, China

Professional Service

2026: Guest Editor, Biomimetics (MDPI), Special Issue “Fluid Dynamics Underlying High Maneuverability in Bio-Inspired Locomotion”
2025: Session Chair, 78th APS-DFD Annual Meeting, Houston, TX
2024: Peer Reviewer, Physics of Fluids
2023: Technical Projects Reviewer, AIAA SciTech Forum, Orlando, FL
2023: Session Chair, 76th APS-DFD Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C.

Teaching

2024: ENGN 810 Fluid Mechanics, Brown University
2024: ENGN 2920F Sensors and Actuators for Real Systems, Brown University
2021: ENGN 1700 Fluid Mechanics of Aerospace and Energy Systems, Brown University
2019: AME 341 Mechatronics, USC
2017: Introduction to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, BUAA

Publications

Surfing on Vortices: Bird Flight Responses to an Unsteady Vortex Wake

S. Hao, N. Medina, M. Islam, R. Gissler, T. Hedrick, A. Gerson, K. Breuer. Surfing on vortices: bird flight responses to an unsteady vortex wake [J]. Experiments in Fluids, 2026, 67(11): 162.

Flapping Frequency, Amplitude, and Organization: Associations Between Accelerometer Data and Flight Energy Costs During Solo and Small Group Flight of European Starlings

T. L. Hedrick, S. I. Friman, C. R. Elowe, S. Hao, A. R. Gerson, K. S. Breuer. Flapping frequency, amplitude, and organization: associations between accelerometer data and flight energy costs during solo and small group flight of European Starlings [J]. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 2026, 66: icag124.

Proportional Control of Aerodynamic Forces Using an Active Gurney Flap on a Wind Turbine Blade Section

S. Hao, A. Koh-Bell, R. Irani, J. Kirsch-Posner, K. Breuer. Proportional Control of Aerodynamic Forces Using an Active Gurney Flap on a Wind Turbine Blade Section [J]. Wind Energy, 2025, 28(10): e70056.

Upstroke Wing Clapping in Bats and Bat-Inspired Robots Offers Efficient Lift Generation

X. Fan, A. Bortoni, S. Hao, S. Swartz, K. Breuer. Upstroke wing clapping in bats and bat-inspired robots offers efficient lift generation [J]. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 2025, 22(223): 20240590.

It Pays to Follow the Leader: Metabolic Cost of Flight is Lower for Trailing Birds in Small Groups

S. I. Friman, C. R. Elowe, S. Hao, L. Mendez, R. Ayala, I. Brown, C. Hagood, Y. Hedlund, D. Jackson, J. Killi, G. Orfanides, E. Ozcan, J. Ramirez, A. R. Gerson, K. S. Breuer, T. L. Hedrick. It pays to follow the leader: Metabolic cost of flight is lower for trailing birds in small groups [J]. PNAS, 2024, 121(26): e2319971121.

Siyang Hao