Before arriving at Columbia, Yin worked in the materials engineering and testing services section of the California Department of Transportation. His current research interests include sustainable engineering and materials, such as energy efficient buildings, hybrid solar panels, protective coatings, recycled materials, and intelligent transportation infrastructureand systems. His research innovations include building an integrated multifunctional roofing panel, a solar-heating-power-storage system, a sun tunnel, polymer strain and fracture sensors, and an OMITS system.