Mingyan Liu

Mingyan Liu
刘鸣雁
17th Dean of the University of Michigan College of Engineering
Incumbent
Assumed office
May 15, 2026
Preceded byKaren Thole
Personal details
Alma materNanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (BS)
University of Maryland (MS, PhD)
Websiteliu.engin.umich.edu
Scientific career
FieldsElectrical and computer engineering
WorkplacesUniversity of Michigan
John Baras

Mingyan Liu (Chinese: 刘鸣雁; pinyin: Liú Míngyàn)[1] is a Chinese-American electrical engineer who has been serving as the 17th dean of the University of Michigan College of Engineering since May 2026. At the College of Engineering, she served as the associate dean for academic affairs from June 2023 to May 2026 and as the 15th chair of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Division from September 2018 to May 2023.

Liu's fields of research are in optimal resource allocation, sequential decision theory, incentive design, online learning, modeling and mining of large scale Internet measurement data concerning cyber security.[2]

Biography

Liu completed her high school education at Nanjing Foreign Language School in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, in 1991.[3][4]

She received a bachelor's degree with a major in electrical engineering from the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in 1995. She traveled to the United States, and received a Master of Science in systems engineering in 1997 and a Doctor of Philosophy in electrical engineering in 2000 from the University of Maryland, College Park.[5]

University of Michigan

After receiving her doctorate, Liu joined the faculty of the University of Michigan College of Engineering as an assistant professor in 2000.[6] She was appointed as an associate professor in September 2006 and as a full professor in September 2012.[7]

Liu served as the chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Division at the EECS Department from September 2018 to May 2023.[8][9][6] After that, she served as the associate dean for academic affairs of the College of Engineering from June 2023 to May 2026.[6]

On April 28, 2026, Liu was appointed as the 17th dean of the College of Engineering, effective May 15, 2026, with her three-year term set to expire on July 31, 2029.[6]

Academic research

Liu studies optimization, sequential decision and learning theory, game theory, and incentive mechanisms. She applies these methods to large-scale networked systems, cybersecurity, and cyber-risk quantification.[10] Her early work focused on wireless, mobile ad hoc, and sensor networks. It addressed resource allocation, performance modeling, and energy efficiency.[10]

Liu later used Internet-scale measurements and machine learning to study cybersecurity risk. A 2014 paper found a statistically significant correlation between network mismanagement and malicious activity.[11] A 2015 study used 258 externally observable network features to forecast reported security incidents.[12]

She has also studied cyber insurance as an incentive mechanism. Her 2021 book, Embracing Risk, argues that insurance can support risk reduction by aligning cybersecurity incentives. It also covers interdependent risks, underwriting, and data-driven risk assessment.[13]

Awards and honors

Liu received multiple awards and honors from the University of Michigan:

  • 2011 EECS Department Outstanding Achievement Award[14]
  • 2015 College of Engineering Excellence in Education Award[15]
  • 2017 College of Engineering Monroe-Brown Foundation Service Excellence Award[16]
  • 2018 Distinguished University Innovator[17]
  • 2026 Rackham Graduate School Distinguished Graduate Mentoring Award[18]

She also received multiple awards and honors from other institutions:

References

  1. ↑ "113年，首位女性及华裔担任电气及计算机工程系主任". University of Michigan News (in Simplified Chinese). September 14, 2018. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Mingyan Liu – Home of Mingyan Liu". liu.engin.umich.edu. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  3. ↑ "南外91届校友刘鸣雁担任密西根大学电气及计算机工程系系主任". Nanjing Foreign Language School. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  4. ↑ Li, Mingyang. "美国密西根大学电子系迎来首位华裔女性系主任-中国侨网". chinaqw.com (in Chinese). Overseas Chinese Affairs Office. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Mingyan Liu Home". Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Archived from the original on December 6, 2025. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Mingyan Liu appointed next U-M Engineering dean". University of Michigan News. April 28, 2026. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  7. ↑ "CURRICULUM VITAE, MINGYAN LIU" (PDF). engin.umich.edu. Retrieved July 31, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Alumna Mingyan Liu named ECE chair at University of Michigan". ece.umd.edu. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Mingyan Liu named chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering". Electrical and Computer Engineering. Archived from the original on September 12, 2025. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Mingyan Liu". Michigan Institute for Data Science. University of Michigan. Retrieved July 31, 2026.
  11. ↑ Zhang, Jing; Durumeric, Zakir; Bailey, Michael; Liu, Mingyan; Karir, Manish (2014). On the Mismanagement and Maliciousness of Networks. Network and Distributed System Security Symposium. Internet Society. Retrieved July 31, 2026.
  12. ↑ Liu, Yang; Sarabi, Armin; Zhang, Jing; Naghizadeh, Parinaz; Karir, Manish; Bailey, Michael; Liu, Mingyan (2015). Cloudy with a Chance of Breach: Forecasting Cyber Security Incidents. 24th USENIX Security Symposium. USENIX Association. pp. 1009–1024. Retrieved July 31, 2026.
  13. ↑ Liu, Mingyan (2021). Embracing Risk: Cyber Insurance as an Incentive Mechanism for Cybersecurity. Springer. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-02381-1. ISBN 978-3-031-01253-2.
  14. ↑ "2011 EECS Outstanding Achievement Awards". Electrical and Computer Engineering. Archived from the original on August 10, 2025. Retrieved July 31, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Four ECE faculty selected for 2014-15 College of Engineering Awards". Electrical and Computer Engineering. Archived from the original on September 6, 2025. Retrieved July 31, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Mingyan Liu receives CoE Monroe-Brown Foundation Service Excellence Award". Electrical and Computer Engineering. Archived from the original on September 13, 2025. Retrieved July 31, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Mingyan Liu named 2018 Distinguished University Innovator". University of Michigan News. May 30, 2018. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Announcing the Winners of the 2026 Faculty Mentoring Awards | Rackham Graduate School: University of Michigan". Retrieved July 19, 2026.
  19. ↑ "2014 elevated fellow". IEEE Fellows Directory. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013.
  20. ↑ "2021 – Stars in Computer Networking and Communications". Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Four Honored at 6th Annual ECE Distinguished Alumni Awards". ece.umd.edu. Retrieved July 31, 2026.
  22. ↑ "Mingyan Liu | IEEE Communications Society". www.comsoc.org. Retrieved July 19, 2026.


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