Kotachi (Zida) Liu

Kotachi (Zida) Liu

I am an engineer and biologist fascinated by the innovative potential found in nature's materials. I am interested in understanding and emulating their structures and assembly processes that grant them unique and multifunctional properties their constituents do not possess alone. I am working towards completing my masters degree in Marine Biology at the University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego), working with Dr. Dimitri Deheyn and Dr. Marc Meyers (Center for Biological, Bioinspired and Bio-materials). I use the Chaetopterus worm's housing tube as a model to study the rapid-assembly process of complex and resilient biological materials for the development of engineered materials.

I am passionate about both ocean life and technology. I am working with Dr. Jules Jaffe (Underwater Imaging Laboratory) to develop a remotely operated vehicle that transmits live video for the Birch Aquarium to provide visitors with an interactive experience. I received my B.S. in Chemical Engineering and my B.S. in Physiology & Neuroscience from UC San Diego.