ZY Liu

As SmithGroup’s chief structural engineer, ZY applies his structural analysis and design expertise on large-scale projects including industrial buildings, health and research facilities, high-rises and atriums. He is a leader in the use of sustainable building materials; the Argonne National Laboratories Central Supply Facility made history as one of the first Department of Energy buildings to receive a LEED certification. As a researcher, ZY designed and tested the performance of concrete-filled steel tube beams and columns under seismic loading. As he looks to the future and intriguing new technologies like real-time structural analysis and 3D printing, ZY is also guided by his past and his childhood in China. "I learned many things from my father and his way of positive thinking," he says. "He taught me that you will succeed based on integrity and trust." ZY enjoys his global travels, collecting currencies, coins and beer bottles from around the world.