Prior to joining UCI, she was an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Houston. She received her doctorate in civil engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 2009. At Michigan, she also completed two M.S. degrees in industrial and operations engineering, and civil engineering. She completed her undergraduate studies at Tongji University in China. Li’s research focuses on functional materials and responsive materials for contexts in civil and environmental engineering. Her group engages in interdisciplinary research linking mechanics, materials science and industrial ecology to explore the interaction between materials, structures and the environment.