About Me - Albert Li

Education

PhD in Civil Engineering

Oct 2020–Oct 2024 | RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia

Full Scholarship · Centre for Innovative Structures and Materials (CISM)

Supervisors: Emeritus Professor Mike Xie, Dr Ting-Uei "Jeff" Lee, and Professor Roland Snooks

Research interests: Topology optimization, Structural design, Extended reality (XR), Computational design, and Advanced manufacturing.

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Environmental Design)

Sep 2014–Jul 2018 | School of Architecture, Tianjin University, China

GPA: 3.49/4

Work Experience

Algorithm Product Expert

Sep 2025–Present | UNICUS, Qianzhi Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China

Proposed an algorithm that can convert a user-defined image into a manufacturable paper cutting artwork
Project Leader: Algorithm that generates embroidery manufacturing paths based on user-defined images
Project Leader: Interactive installation that captures user photos and converts them into LEGO brick portraits
Hosted exhibition at SIGGRAPH Asia 2025 Hong Kong
Trained an image-to-image model for generating textures on 3D models

Postdoctoral Researcher

Sep 2024–Sep 2025 | Centre for Innovative Structures and Materials (CISM), RMIT University

Published 5 high-quality articles
Project Leader: Honorable Mention Award, CAD/Graphics 2025

Research and Development Engineer

Jul 2018–Jul 2019 | Shanghai Xie Yimin Structural Design Office Co., Ltd

Developed the topology optimization software Ameba
Developed mesh processing features: Laplacian smoothing, remeshing, subdivision, skeletonization, parameterization
Built a wooden sculpture using a 6-axis robotic arm

Software Developer (Internship)

Sep 2019–Dec 2019 | Nanjing Ameba Engineering Structural Optimization Research Institute

Fixed bugs for the topology optimization software Ameba

Publications

Journal Articles

Z. Li, H. Liu, Y. M. Xie, "Interactive structural topology optimization via skeleton control," Computer-Aided Design, under review, 2025.
Z. Li, T.-U. Lee, Y. M. Xie, "Interactive 3D structural design in virtual reality using preference-based topology optimization," Computer-Aided Design, vol. 180, 103826, 2024. (Q1, IF: 3.1)
Z. Li, T.-U. Lee, N. Pietroni, R. Snooks, Y. M. Xie, "Design and construction of catenary-ruled surfaces," Structures, vol. 59, 105755, 2024. (Q1, IF: 3.9)
Z. Li, T.-U. Lee, Y. M. Xie, "Interactive structural topology optimization with subjective scoring and drawing systems," Computer-Aided Design, vol. 160, 103532, 2023. (Q1, IF: 3.1)
Z. Li, T.-U. Lee, Y. Yao, Y. M. Xie, "Smoothing topology optimization results using pre-built lookup tables," Advances in Engineering Software, vol. 173, 103204, 2022. (Q1, IF: 4.0)
M. Bi, Y. He, Z. Li, T.-U. Lee, Y. M. Xie, "Design and construction of kinetic structures based on elastica strips," Automation in Construction, vol. 146, 104659, 2023. (Q1, IF: 9.6)
M. Bi, L. Xia, P. Tran, Z. Li, Q. Wan, L. Wang, W. Shen, G. Ma, Y. M. Xie, "Continuous contour-zigzag hybrid toolpath for large format additive manufacturing," Additive Manufacturing, vol. 55, 102822, 2022. (Q1, IF: 10.3)
J. Ma, Z. Li, Z.-L. Zhao, Y. M. Xie, "Creating novel furniture through topology optimization and advanced manufacturing," Rapid Prototyping Journal, vol. 27, pp. 1749–1758, 2021. (Q1, IF: 3.4)

Conference Papers

Z. Li, T.-U. Lee, Y. M. Xie, "Exploring and optimizing innovative structures in virtual reality," in Proceedings of the IASS Annual Symposium 2024, Zurich, Switzerland, Aug. 25–30, 2024.
Z. Li, T.-U. Lee, Y. M. Xie, "Topology optimisation considering subjective preferences: current progress and challenges," in Proceedings of the IASS Annual Symposium 2023, Melbourne, Australia, Jul. 10–14, 2023.

Dissertations

Z. Li, Interactive Structural Topology Optimisation Considering Subjective Preferences, RMIT University, 2024.
Z. Li, A study on the Design and Construction of Shell Structures, Tianjin University, 2018.

Software Tools

TouchBESO

An interactive 2D topology optimization application on handheld devices

Platform: Unity | Language: C#/C++ | Mar 2025

VR-BESO

A VR-based structural design tool

Platform: Unity/Oculus | Language: C#/C++ | Apr 2024

iBESO

An interactive topology optimization design tool

Platform: Unity | Language: C#/C++ | Apr 2023

Legolizer

A GPU-accelerated Grasshopper plug-in for generating voxels and LEGO bricks

Platform: Grasshopper | Language: C#/C++ | Apr 2022

Ameba

Topology optimization software based on BESO

Platform: Grasshopper | Language: C#/Python | Mar 2019

Awards & Honors

2025 Honorable Mention Award – 19th International Conference on Computer-Aided Design and Computer Graphics (CAD/Graphics)
2024 Postgraduate Research Excellence Award – Centre for Innovative Structures and Materials, RMIT University
2024 DNA Paris Design Award 2024 – Winner in Product Design / Experimental Design
2020 International 3D Printing and Design Competition – 3rd Prize
2020 DigitalFUTURES Coding Award
2017 National Universities Bamboo Design and Construction Competition – 3rd Prize

Talks

2025 Guest lecturer, Application of structural topology optimization in design, CAD/CG 2025, China.
2025 Guest lecturer, Interactive structural topology optimization considering subjective preferences, College of Future Technology, Hohai University, China.
2024 Guest lecturer, Application of structural topology optimization in art design, Graphics & Geometric Computing Laboratory (GCL), USTC, China.
2024 Presenter, Exploring and optimizing innovative structures in virtual reality, IASS 2024 Symposium, Zurich, Switzerland.
2023 Guest lecturer, Digital design based on structural topology optimization techniques, School of Architecture, Tianjin University, China.
2023 Presenter, Topology optimization considering subjective preferences: current progress and challenges, IASS 2023 Symposium, Melbourne, Australia.
2023 Presenter, Interactive structural topology optimization with subjective scoring and drawing systems, IDD Webinar.
2020 Guest lecturer, Algorithm-inspired design: Computational design based on topology optimization, School of Architecture, Tianjin University, China.
2019 Guest lecturer, Mesh-driven computational design, Nanjing Tech University, China.
2019 Guest lecturer, Ameba: Computational design based on topology optimization, College of Design & Innovation, Tongji University, China.

Teaching

2024–2025 Guest supervisor, Graduation projects for undergraduate students (Architecture), School of Architecture, Tianjin University.
2023–2024 Guest supervisor, Graduation projects for undergraduate students (Architecture), School of Architecture, Tianjin University.
2019 Teaching assistant, Digital FUTURES 2019: X-Form, DigitalFUTURES, Shanghai, China.
2017 Tutor, Tianjin University and UCLA Joint Design Studio, Los Angeles, USA.
2017 Teaching assistant, Tsinghua Architecture Summer School Parametric Design Workshop 2017, School of Architecture, Tsinghua University.

Grants

2017 Zhi Li (Leader), Yi Liang, Ziyu Song, Gang Feng, Application of Digital Design Combined with 3D Printing Technology in Architecture, issued by China National University Student Innovation & Entrepreneurship Development Program (Total funding: CNY 10,000, Grant number: 201710056037)

Volunteering & Reviewer

2022–2023 Graphic designer, IASS 2023 Symposium Conference, Melbourne, Australia.
Peer-reviewer for top-quartile (Q1) journals, including: Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, Computer-Aided Design, Computers & Structures, Structures, Scientific Reports, Buildings, Sustainability, and others.

Media

2022 WeChat Interview Article, Architecture Career Shift 51 | From Design to Development to Research: A Journey from Surface to Core Exploration, 建走偏锋, China.
2018 WeChat Article, How to Design Elegant, Rational, and Tech-Inspired Complex Forms? Check Out Topology Optimization!, TransAxis, China.
2018 Media Article, From Form to Force | A Senior Student from Tianjin University Talks to You About the Shells, ArchCollege, China.

Workshops

2017 Student, 7th Summer Workshop "DigitalFUTURES Shanghai 2017 - Visualization vs. Materialization", Group 6: Cellular Cavity Structure for Shells with Thin Sheet Materials, DigitalFUTURES, Shanghai, China.
2016 Student, Robotic Timber Construction: Reciprocal Frame, Tsinghua Architecture Summer School Parametric Design Workshop 2016, School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
2016 Student, Robotic Fabrication for Foldable Steel Plate Structures, Laboratory for Creative Design, Shanghai, China.
2015 Student, the specialized course Place & Atmosphere, Bauhaus Summer School 2015, Weimar, Germany.

Get in Touch

Email albertlidesign@gmail.com

LinkedIn albertlidesign

Dr. Zhi "Albert" Li