Prof. Guijun (Mitch) Li
Founding Associate Director, Center for Smart Manufacturing
An experimentalist in advanced manufacturing technologies, internationally recognized for pioneering laser-induced transfer printing and direct laser writing — the first scientist to develop scalable, industrial nanosecond-pulsed-laser transfer printing.
Research Overview
Prof. Mitch Guijun Li is an experimentalist in advanced manufacturing technologies, well known for his research on laser manufacturing. He is the first scientist to propose and develop laser-induced transfer printing using industrial nanosecond pulsed lasers for scalable production, and has demonstrated several vital applications of direct laser writing.
Highlights of his research performance include:
• World’s Top 2% of the Most-cited Scientists 2023 (Stanford University).
• Sustained research programs from 2019 to 2026, including leading a Collaborative Research Fund as Project Coordinator.
• Strong corresponding-author record in top journals — Advanced Materials, ACS Nano, Advanced Science, Nature Communications, Advanced Functional Materials.
• Young Scientist Award, 4th Optoelectronic Global Conference (IEEE Photonic Society).
His group focuses on laser-based scalable manufacturing of functional materials for energy, biomedical sensing, environmental, and food applications — bridging precision manufacturing with real-world translational impact.
Professional Trajectory
Founding Associate Director, Center for Smart Manufacturing
Establishing and leading the university’s Center for Smart Manufacturing.
Assistant Professor, Division of Integrative Systems and Design
Tenure-track faculty; developed 3 new UG and 1 new PG courses in ISD.
Associate Professor, Division of Integrative Systems and Design
Promoted to Associate Professor; continues to lead the LiMG group across laser manufacturing, energy materials, and bio-integrated devices.
Education & Research Themes
Education
Ph.D., Electrical & Electronic Engineering
Supervisor: Prof. Philip Wing Tat Pong. Thesis: Development of recording technology with FePt recording media and magnetic tunnel junction sensors with conetic alloy.
B.Sc., Physics
Supervisor: Prof. Shining Zhu. Thesis: Nonlinear optical properties of LiTaO₃ superlattice.
Research Themes
Laser-induced Transfer Printing
Scalable, industrial nanosecond-pulsed-laser printing of functional materials.
Direct Laser Writing & LIG
Laser-induced graphene circuits and sensors for health & environmental monitoring.
3D Food Printing + AI
Generative-AI-designed, simultaneous cooking food fabrication.
Solar Steam & Desalination
Photothermal hygroscopic aerogels & solar-driven evaporative desalination.
Energy Materials
Single-step laser-printed 3D sulfur cathodes for Li–S batteries; clay-mineral cathodes.
Biomedical & Wearable Sensing
Electrical impedance tomography, non-invasive kidney/urea tele-monitoring, glucose detection.
Microrobotics & Smart Devices
Laser-scribed microheaters, autonomous insect control, origami Joule-heaters.
Research Output & Impact
Snapshot recorded 25 September 2026 (Google Scholar).
Selected Grants
Scalable manufacturing of antiviral self-cleaning surfaces against respiratory infectious diseases
Project CoordinatorPerformance control & microstructure analysis of clay-mineral cathode materials for Li–S batteries
Principal InvestigatorMass transportation & photothermal phenomena in laser-manufactured solar steam generators
Principal InvestigatorAwards & Recognitions
Excellent Young Scholar Award
Silver Medal
World’s Top 2% Most-cited Scientists
Emerging Investigator
Outstanding Reviewer
Young Scientist Award
Publons Peer Review Award — Top 1% reviewers
Flagship Publications
A curated selection of corresponding-author papers in top-tier journals (full list: 98 refereed papers).
R. Yang, Y. Chen, Y. Pan, M. Kim, H. Liu, K. W. Lee, Y. Huang, A. Tang, F. Tu, T. Li, G. Li* — “Single-Step Laser-Printed Integrated 3D Sulfur Cathode toward High-Performance Lithium–Sulfur Batteries.”
C. K. W. Lee, Y. Xu, Q. Yuan, Y. H. Chan, W. Y. Poon, H. Zhong, S. Chen, G. Li* — “Advanced 3D Food Printing with Simultaneous Cooking and Generative AI Design.”
Y. Chen, X. Lu, G. Ma, M. Kim, R. Yu, H. Zhong, Y. H. T. Chan, M. Tan, Y. Liu, G. Li* — “One-Step Laser-Guided Fabrication of 3D Self-Assembled Graphene Micro-Rolls.”
Y. Zhou, Z. Sun, …, G. Li, Z. Fan* — “An Ultra-Wide Field-of-View Pinhole Compound Eye using Hemispherical Nanowire Array for Robot Vision.”
H. Zhong, X. Lu, R. Yang, Y. Pan, J. Lin, M. Kim, S. Chen, G. Li* — “Seeing through Muddy Water: Laser-induced Graphene for Portable Tomography Imaging.”
Y. Pan, R. Yu, Y. Jiang, H. Zhong, Q. Yuan, C. K. W. Lee, R. Yang, S. Chen, Y. Chen, G. Li* — “Heterogeneous CuO Nano-Skeletons from Waste Electronics for Enhanced Glucose Detection.”
Y. Huang, H. Zhong, R. Yang, Y. Pan, J. Lin, C. K. W. Lee, S. Chen, M. Tan, X. Lu, W. Y. Poon, Q. Yuan, G. Li* — “Multifunctional Laser-induced Graphene Circuits … Non-Invasive Human Kidney Function Monitoring.”
P. You, G. Li, G. Tang, J. Cao, F. Yan* — “Ultrafast Laser-Annealing of Perovskite Films For Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells.”
H. Zhong, Z. Zhu, J. Lin, C. F. Cheung, V. L. Lu, F. Yan, C.-Y. Chan, G. Li* — “Reusable and Recyclable Graphene Masks with Outstanding Superhydrophobic and Photothermal Performances.”
G. Li* — “Direct Laser Writing of Graphene Electrodes.”
Recent & Forthcoming (2025–2027)
Latest works pulled from Google Scholar (most recent first); citation counts are live Scholar figures.
C. Yang, X. Lu, Y. Pan, Q. Zhang, R. Yu, R. Yang, H. Liu, M. Duan, M. G. Li* — “Hotspot to Homogeneous: Amorphous Interfacial Current Redistribution Enables Stable Solid-State Lithium-Metal Batteries.”
X. Lu, H. Zhong, S. Chen, C. Yang, Y. Chen, Y. Pan, M. G. Li* — “Recent Advances and Prospects in Skin-Integrated Electronics: Flexible Sensing Systems for Robotics, Human–Machine Interaction, and Health Monitoring.”
R. Gong, Y. Chen, M. Kim, M. G. Li* — “Direct Laser Writing of Functional Materials for Wearable Human–Machine Interaction: Mechanisms, Materials, and Applications.”
L. Jing, Y. Pan, Y. Huang, N. Xu, S. Chen, H. Zhong, Y. Chen, Y. H. T. Chan, M. G. Li* — “Laser-Engineered Ag Nanoparticle on Carbon Cloth Electrodes for Enzyme-Free Electrochemical NAD+ Detection.”
M. Tang, H. Zhong, L. Jing, X. Lu, C. K. W. Lee, Y. Xu, Y. Pan, S. Chen, M. G. Li* — “Water and Electricity Generation with Heterogeneous Hydrogels from Atmosphere and Sunlight.”
Y. Chen, R. Yang, M. Kim, Y. H. T. Chan, H. Zhong, H. Wang, L. Jing, Y. Xu, M. G. Li* — “Laser-Guided Self-Rolled Magnetic Microrobots for Targeted Biofilm Eradication in Severely Infected Medical Stents.”
Y. Xu, Y. H. T. Chan, X. Lu, R. Yu, Y. Pan, S. Chen, H. Zhong, L. Jing, C. Yang, M. G. Li* — “Laser-Patterned Antibacterial Microgrids With Silver Nanoparticles for Autonomous Sterilization on Public Escalator Belts.”
Y. Xu, H. Zhong, X. Lu, M. Tang, S. Chen, C. Yang, Y. Chen, M. Kim, Y. Liu, M. G. Li* — “Electrical Impedance Tomography Monitoring of Salt Transportation in Cellulose Hydrogel for Solar-Driven Evaporative Desalination via Laser Defined Wettability.”
H. L. Loi, T. Wang, D. Liu, J. Cao, J. Zhuang, Z. Zhao, Y. Xu, M. G. Li, L. Li, T. Zhai — “Tin-Based 2D/3D Perovskite Vertical Heterojunction for High-Performance Synaptic Phototransistors.”
Y. Chen, X. P. Lu, M. Kim, R. L. Yang, M. Tan, Q. Y. X. Yuan, W. Y. Poon, Y. H. T. Chan, M. G. Li* — “Laser-guided thin-film self-rolling for asymmetric small-scale swimmers.”
Teaching & Professional Service
Teaching at HKUST
Average Student Feedback Questionnaire score 4.57 / 5.00. Developed 3 new UG and 1 new PG course in ISD.
ISDN2400 · Physical Prototyping ISDN2603 · Materials, Shape & Design ISDN3001 · Third Year Design Project I ISDN3002 · Third Year Design Project II ISDN4000K · Materials for Physical Prototyping ISDN4000U · 3D Visual Communication Technologies ISDN5400 · Advanced Manufacturing ISDN6810A · Advanced Manufacturing (PG)Previously taught at PolyU: ISE3006, ISE373, ISE374, ISE2S02, ENG1003.
Service & Editorship
- Chair, IEEE Magnetic Society Hong Kong Chapter (2021–2023)
- Vice-Chair, IEEE HK Joint Chapter on Electron Devices & Solid-State Circuits (2020–2023)
- Senior Member, IEEE (2019–present)
- Associate Editor, IEEE Access (2019–present)
- Young Editorial Board Member, Nano-Micro Letters (2023–present)
- Session Chair — ASPEN 2023, HK Battery Symposium 2023, MMM/Intermag 2022
- Member, University Human & Artefacts Research Ethics Committee (HAREC), HKUST