Liangbing Hu wins Ackerman Award
For a mentorship and teaching style “driven by an intoxicating optimism and energy,” Professor Liangbing Hu is the winner of the 2026 Ackerman Award for Teaching and Mentoring.
Made possible by a generous gift from Yale Engineering alum Robert W. Ackerman ’60, this annual award, which includes a $5,000 cash prize, recognizes outstanding teaching and mentoring as evidenced by the faculty member’s impact on students.
Hu, the Carol and Douglas Melamed Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering & Materials Science, has been with Yale Engineering since 2024. His research group focuses on materials innovations, energy storage, electrified ultrahigh-temperature synthesis, and novel wood nanotechnologies. His lab emphasizes environmental sustainability, and works to leverage nature for energy, clean water, flexible electronics and other emerging technologies. Making use of physics, chemistry, electrical engineering, and materials science, Hu seeks to understand and explore the characteristics of emerging nanomaterials and using nanomanufacturing to develop new materials with new applications.
As a teacher and mentor, though, his students praise his enthusiasm and ability to create a learning environment where everyone can thrive. He teaches two undergraduate courses, Emerging Materials and Technologies Towards Sustainability and Electrochemical Engineering Lab. Both courses give undergraduates strong foundations in modern materials science while also applying those ideas in open-ended, hands-on settings. Students have the opportunity to perform independent experiments.
And as a mentor to grad students, his leadership style is described as “energetic and excited, yet empathetic.”
“When students are struggling in research or life, Dr. Hu slows down and encourages us to prioritize well-being,” a group of graduate students wrote in their nomination letter. “When experiments are going well, Dr. Hu encourages us to do our best and makes our research a fun, lively adventure. Dr. Hu often spends his time in between meetings and calls walking our lab, cracking jokes with students, and fostering a fun, team-based lab culture."
As a mentor, Hu takes inspiration from his time as a graduate student and postdoctoral associate, when his advisors made a point of keeping things simple.
“I learned this over the years,” he said. “In the beginning, when I was an assistant professor, I tried to teach as much as possible, and just dump a lot of material.”
That, he said, can leave students frustrated about everything they didn’t learn. “I think I learned the lesson of how to teach things in a simple and fun way,” Hu said. “We've all been students before, and you can suffer if either the class is too abstract or it's too far away from your understanding level at that time. So I try my best to make it fun and to be engaging.”
Here are a few of the testimonies given by Hu’s students about what makes him such an inspiring mentor and teacher:
- His background in battery science, as well as his industry knowledge and experience helped make the course informative and, importantly, relevant to the current energy landscape. He is an engaging lecturer, and he was energetic and kind throughout the whole semester, leaving me with a very positive experience in his class.
-Manning MacAvoy, MS Mechanical Engineering '26
- His course on emerging materials for sustainability was not only academically enriching, but also strongly connected to real-world challenges and applications. He regularly discussed examples of companies developing new materials, explaining both successful innovations and failed attempts, which made the subject feel practical and relevant. I especially appreciated how he explained the advantages, limitations, and future potential of different technologies, as well as the role of government and institutional investment in advancing promising research. His teaching helped me better understand not only the science itself, but also how these technologies develop in the real world.
-Juan Hernandez Gutierrez, MS Mechanical Engineering '26
- Dr. Hu's dedication to his students is unparalleled. During the Spring 2026 semester, I saw firsthand how seriously he takes his role as an educator—not only teaching the technical fundamentals of batteries, but instilling a genuine appreciation for them. His passion for both teaching and research is evident, and it is deeply inspiring.
What stood out most was his commitment to going beyond the classroom. He made a sincere effort to bring students into his lab, allowing us to experience the beauty and complexity of battery creation firsthand, an opportunity I consider truly invaluable.
Dr. Hu brings an energy and presence that extends beyond lectures and resonates with everyone around him. Learning from him over these past months is something I will carry with me for years to come. He is, without question, an exemplary professor.
-Nifemi Akinlawon, MS Mechanical Engineering, ’26
For his part, Hu said he is very honored by the award and that it has inspired him to find ways to make his courses and mentorship even more engaging and supportive.
“I want to incorporate more of my research, my industry connections, and really make an impact on the students here who are either interested in materials and sustainability or in energy and climate.”
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Published Date
May 13, 2026
