Jiliang Li, Ph.D.

Dr. Jiliang Li received his BEng (Bachelor of Engineering) in 1994 and then earned his DEng (PhD of Engineering Sciences) in Mining Engineering Rock Mechanics from University of Science and Technology Beijing in 2000, respectively. He earned his second Ph.D. in Civil Engineering with a focus on geotechnical engineering soil mechanics from The University of Alabama in 2005.

In the June of 2021, Professor Li was hired at California Baptist University (CBU) as an assistant professor of civil engineering to teach soil mechanics, foundation engineering, surveying and transportation engineering. His teaching interests include soil mechanics, rock mechanics, foundation engineering, engineering geology, design of earth structures, soils and rocks exploration, geotechnical engineering design. At CBU, Professor Li has been assigned to teach geotechnical engineering (soil mechanics, foundation engineering) courses as well as surveying, materials engineering, construction safety, Elementary Mathematics for Engineering Applications Lab. He has teaching interests of transportation engineering geotechnics as well.

Before joining CBU, Dr. Li was a professor of civil engineering at Purdue University Northwest (PNW) from 2014-2021. He has taught over 15 different engineering subject courses ranging from geotechnical engineering (Soil Mechanics I, Soil Mechanics II, Intermediate Soil Mechanics, Engineering Geology, Rock Mechanics, Foundation Engineering) to statics, fluid mechanics, surface water hydrology, engineering hydrology and hydraulics, environmental engineering, materials science, structure and properties of materials, surveying and GIS, elementary engineering design, firs year seminar for engineers etc. Dr. Li has experience of advising undergraduate students, senior design students and MS thesis students at Purdue University Northwest two campuses.

Dr. Li’s research interests are interdisciplinary with a focus on rock mechanics, soil mechanics geotechnical and foundation engineering, earth structures, geomaterials characterization from strip loading test to wheel loading test development as well as engineering education research connecting different engineering subject courses for the optimal effective teaching and learning framework of FI7MI5L(DV)2: Faith Integrated Inventive Instruction Improvement with Interesting Imaginary Innovative Mnemonics Intuition, Insight and Inspiration for Interdisciplinary Impactful Learning Discovery Vision Deo Volente. Professor Li was a Co-PI of an NSF MRI grant award.

Besides his academic experience, Professor Li had real-world geotechnical projects work experiences from the southern gulf coast state of Texas to the west coast states of Washington and Oregon, then to east coast states of DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia), New Jersey and back to mid-west states of Ohio. He once worked on one of the world’s largest wastewater treatment plant deep foundation constructions at DC Water federal project. He has been a licensed professional engineer from state of Ohio since 2008. Dr. Li is a member of USUCGER, ASEE and ASCE, ASCE Geo-Institute and Engineering Mechanics Institute. He was also a member of ADSC, PDCA, ARMA, ISRM and IGS. He has served on the international journal editorial board and as paper reviewer for international journals and conferences.

Professor Li enjoys reading, music, walking, hiking, Chen 18 and Yang 24 styles Taichi exercises and geotechnical construction photography for enhancing engineering education.

California Baptist University, CALIFORNIA
P.E. (Professional Engineer), OHIO
The University of Akron, OHIO

FROMAL COURSES TAUGHT AT CALIFORNIA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY (CBU)
At CBU, I teach courses in 1) Geotechnical Engineering including Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering two courses, 2) Geomatics Engineering, 3) Materials Engineering and 4) a Construction Management course of Construction Law and Safety CON330 and 5) Elementary Mathematics for Engineering Applications Lab five (5) different subjects areas. Fall and Spring semesters courses are listed below. I apply FI5MI7LDV in all my courses' learning, teaching and instructions. FI5MI7LDV: Faith Integrated Inventive Instruction Improvement with Innovative Mnemonics, Interests, Imagination, Intuition, Insight and Inspiration for Interdisciplinary Impactful Learning Discovery Vision.

CBU FALL Semester Classes: Monday through Friday teaching every weekday.
1. EGR 181B Elementary Mathematics for Engineering Applications Lab, Monday
2. EGR 181F Elementary Mathematics for Engineering Applications Lab, Friday
3. EGR251A,B,C SURVEYING Tuesday Thursday 3 Hours Lab Lectures
4. EGR 251-A SURVEYING LAB Friday 3Hrs Lab
5. EGR 251-B SURVEYING LAB Wednesday 3Hrs Lab
6. EGR 251-C SURVEYING LAB Thursday 3Hrs Lab
7. EGR 353A,B Soil Mechanics Tuesday Thursday 3 Hours Lectures
8. EGR 353A Soil Mechanics Lab Monday 3Hrs Lab should be
9. EGR 353B Soil Mechanics Lab Tuesday 3Hrs Lab should be

CBU SPRING Semester Classes: Monday (Department Meeting) through Friday teaching every weekday.
10. EGR354 A,B Foundation Engineering Tuesday Thursday 3 Hours Lectures
11. CON330 Construction Law and Safety Monday Wednesday Friday 3 Hours Lectures
12. EGR254 A,B Materials Engineering Tuesday Thursday 3 Hours Lectures should be
13. EGR254 A Materials Engineering Lab Wednesday 3Hrs Lab should be
14. EGR254 B Materials Engineering Lab Friday 3Hrs Lab should be

FROMAL COURSES TAUGHT AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY NORTHWEST (Formerly Purdue University North Central and Purdue University Calumet) CAMPUSES
1. ENGR186 First Year Seminars for Engineers
2. ENGR190 Elementary Engineering Design and Lab
3. MSE20000 Materials Sciences
4. CE20100 Surveying and GIS
5. CE20100 Surveying and GIS Lab Section
6. CE23200 Engineering Geology
7. CE27100 Basic Mechanics I
8. ME27100 Basic Mechanics I – Statics
9. CE32300 Soil Engineering and Lab
10. ME33001 Structure & Property of Materials
11. CE342 Engineering Hydrology and Hydraulics
12. CE36700 Soil Mechanics II and Lab
13. CE43200 Surface Water Hydrology
14. CE48100 Foundation Engineering
15. ENGR49900 Soil Mechanics I and Lab
16. CE59701 Intermediate Soil Mechanics
17. CE/ME59701 Rock Mechanics
18. CE312 Fluid Mechanics
19. CE354 Introduction to Environmental Engineering
20. ME69800-001 Research MS Thesis Course
21. CE340 Geotechnical Engineering Lab (Offered and taught at The University of Alabama)
22. CE411/511 Rock Mechanics Laboratory (Offered and taught at The University of Alabama)
23. Soil Mechanics (Offered and taught at China Agricultural University, Beijing China)

FROMAL COURSES DEVELOPED AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY NORTHWEST (Formerly Purdue University North Central and Purdue University Calumet)
24. CE41200 Groundwater Hydrology, Proposed and adopted by PNW
25. CE45501 Design of Earth Structures, Proposed, developed and adopted by PNW
26. CE45301 Engineering Rock Mechanics, Proposed, developed and adopted by PNW

Civil engineering with a focus mostly on 1) geotechnical engineering encompassing geomechanics and geotechnics (engineering geology, soil mechanics, rock mechanics), soil engineering, rock engineering, soil improvement, geotechnical LRFD, foundation engineering, design of earth structures, geotechnical construction and geotechnical design. At CBU, I have taught courses in 1) Geotechnical Engineering including EGR353 Soil Mechanics and EGR354 Foundation Engineering, 2) a Geomatics Engineering course of EGR251 Surveying and Lab; 3) a Civil Engineering Materials focused MSE course of Materials Engineering and Lab EGR254; and 4) a Construction Management course of Construction Law and Safety CON330 and 5) Elementary Mathematics for Engineering Applications Lab.
0. MI3: "Teaching/Learning Soil Mechanics with Mnemonics, Intuition, Insight and Inspiration (MI3)", https://peer.asee.org/28930
1. I4MI5: Integrated Instruction Improvement with Innovative Mnemonics, Intuition, Insight and Inspiration for Interdisciplinary Impact
2. FI4MI5: Faith Integrated Instruction Improvement with Innovative Mnemonics, Intuition, Insight and Inspiration for Interdisciplinary Impact
3. I4MI5L: Integrated Instruction Improvement with Innovative Mnemonics, Intuition, Insight and Inspiration for Interdisciplinary Impactful Learning.
4. I4MI5LD: Integrated Instruction Improvement with Innovative Mnemonics, Intuition, Insight and Inspiration for Interdisciplinary Impactful Learning Discovery.
5. FI4MI5LDV: Faith Integrated Instruction Improvement with Innovative Mnemonics, Intuition, Insight and Inspiration for Interdisciplinary Impactful Learning Deo Volente. Hebrews 11.
6. FI4MI5LDV: Faithfulness Integrated Instruction Improvement with Innovative Mnemonics, Intuition, Insight and Inspiration for Interdisciplinary Impactful Learning Discovery Vision. EMail: FI4MI5LDV@gmail.com
7. IFI4MI5LDV: Inventive Faith Integrated Instruction Improvement with Innovative Mnemonics, Intuition, Insight and Inspiration for Interdisciplinary Impactful Learning Discovery Vision. EMail: IFI4MI5LDV@gmail.com
8. FI5MI5LDV: Faith Integrated Inventive Instruction Improvement with Innovative Mnemonics, Intuition, Insight and Inspiration for Interdisciplinary Impactful Learning Deo Volente. Hebrews 11. EMail: FI5MI5LDV@gmail.com
9.FI5MI7LDV: Faith Integrated Inventive Instruction Improvement with Innovative Mnemonics, Interests, Imagination, Intuition, Insight and Inspiration for Interdisciplinary Impactful Learning Discovery Vision, "Jiliang LI, FI5MI7LDV@Gmail.Com".
10.FI7MI5LDV: Faith Integrated Inventive Instruction Improvement with Interesting Imaginary Innovative Mnemonics Intuition, Insight and Inspiration for Interdisciplinary Impactful Learning Discovery Vision, "Jiliang LI, FI7MI5LDV@Gmail.Com".
11.FI7MI5LDV2: Faith Integrated Inventive Instruction Improvement with Interesting Imaginary Innovative Mnemonics Intuition, Insight and Inspiration for Interdisciplinary Impactful Learning Discovery Vision Deo Volente, "Jiliang LI, FI7MI5LDV2@Gmail.Com".
12. Development of a Wheel Loading Test Methodology Based on Terramechanics and Soil Mechanics Theories.
13. NSF Award #1919 726 MRI: Acquisition of an Advanced Three-dimensional Flow Measurement System (Co-PI: $363,760.00)

2014-2021 Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, PURDUE UNIVERSITY NORTHWEST
2001-2005 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
2000-2001 Department of Civil and Construction Engineering, CHINA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY

Geotechnical Engineering Engineering Education Learning and Teaching Research Discovery Findings

Soil Mechanics (EGR353) and Foundation Engineering (EGR354) are two major courses in my major Geotechnical Engineering areas. Geotechnical Engineering is the applications of Soil and Rock Mechanics and Engineering Geology to the Design of Earth Structures, Foundation Engineering and all the other substructures. Geotechnical Engineering is not just soil mechanics and engineering. It should include rock mechanics and engineering.

Soil mechanics is still a MECHANICS course. It is an applied mechanics course directly applying what students already learned in Statics (EGR241), Strength of Materials (EGR242) and Fluid Mechanics(EGR342). Also EGR354 Foundation Engineering use heavily and mostly EGR241 Statics, EGR242 Strength of Materials knowledge, for example Friction, Force system Resultant, and Strength of Materials' failure theory and Mohr Circles learned in EGR242 etc.

EGR342 Fluid Mechanics knowledge concepts such as Viscosity, Pressure, Bernoulli Equations, Streamline, Flow Lines, Hydrostatics are also prerequisite knowledge concepts directly used in EGR353 Soil Mechanics.

Hence I believe teaching of EGR354 Foundation Engineering, EGR353 Soil Mechanics are best aligned and optimized with EGR342 Fluid Mechanics, EGR242 Strength of Materials and EGR241 Statics courses.

Another major Geotechnical Engineering course of Soil Dynamics taught in many other universities are immediately related and best aligned and optimized with the teaching, learning of a basic dynamics courses such as EGR 343 Dynamics or EGR355 Dynamics and Vibration.

Jiliang Li, J. Zhai (2025) Connection of the Teaching, Learning and Instructions of Basics and Applied Mechanics Alignment and Optimization, 2025 ASCE-Engineering Mechanics Institute International Conference in Irvine on May 27-30.

RCCF, VCCF /1 Corinthians 3:6; Matthew 18:20 and 28:19-20

RCCF, VCCF /1 Corinthians 3:6; Matthew 18:20 and 28:19-20
RCCF, CCCF, VCCF, ACCF, TCCF, iMechanica since 2007, M.ASCE, M.USUCGER
ASCE Rock Mechanics Committees.
ASCE RAM (Risk Assessment Management) Committee
ASCE Engineering Geology and Site Investigation Committees.
Editorial board member of Civil Engineering Journal and
Editorial review board member International Journal of Modern Engineering.
Editorial board member International Journal of Geotechnical Engineering.
International review board member of International Journal of Modern Engineering

Reviewer for the following journals and conferences:
Journal of Faith in the Academic Profession
Civil Engineering Journal;
International Journal of Geotechnical Engineering;
ASTM Journal of Testing and Evaluation;
International Journal of Geological Engineering and Geotechnical Engineering;
International Journal of Physical Modeling in Geotechnics,
Applied Science Journals,
ASEE annual conferences;
ASCE GeoRisk 2017;
ASCE IFCEE 2009, 2018, 2020, 2021 etc.
Textbook reviewer for a classic Textbook "Principles of Geotechnical Engineering, 9th Edition Braja M Das" which received the McGuffey Longevity Award from the Textbook and Academic Authors Association (TAA) of the USA.

Jiliang (繼良 or 继良), literately means CBU (Continuously Bettering yoUrself) in Chinese which conveys parents hope for their children to become better all the time. LI (李 family name) is married to a mechanical engineering professor and they have a son and a daughter. 继 means continue or continuously. 良 also means better (or good) and kind (or kindness) in Chinese language and culture as well. Dr. Li enjoys His family, music, walking, hiking, Yang style and Chen style Tai Chi exercises learning and teaching, geotechnical & materials construction photography, reading and fellowship to grow better together.

When teaching a Basic Mechanics-I Statics EGR241 (or EGR242 Strength of Materials) Course, I would like to help students connect LI with Chinese character 力 which stands for a force mechanics concept in statics, dynamics and/or strength in mechanics of materials.

When teaching ERG251 Surveying class, I tend to connect LI also to several Chinese characters, 里, 哩, 浬 and 厘 all pronounced LI. In Chinese, 里, LI, is a distance unit corresponding to 0.5 kilometer or 0.3 mile, LI (哩) is 1 mile = 5280ft, LI(浬) nautical mile = 1.852km while LI 厘 is a distance of centimeter, 0.01m.

In a Materials Science course MSE20000 and CE/ME33001 Structures & Properties of Materials I taught at Purdue University Northwest or EGR254 Materials Engineering at California Baptist University, LI can also be related to 锂 wherein Lithium (锂) can be written as LI in material science chemistry.

In a Soil Mechanics classes EGR353 that I teach, I tend to help students connect the names of Dr. LI to Relative Density (Dr=(emax-e)/(emax-emin) ) and Liquidity Index (LI = (w-wPL)/(wLL-wPL)) which are two other important Soil Mechanics property parameters taught in almost all soil mechanics courses.

Dr (Relative Density) describes coarse-grained soils' relative density consistency state while LI (Liquidity Index) describes fine-grained soils consistency state. Soils can be classified into two broad categories, i,e, coarse-grained soils and fine-grained soils.

So completely understanding Dr. LI, wherein Dr (Relative Density) and LI (Liquidity Index) is important to understand soil mechanics two big categories soils, i.e., Coarse and Fine soils, consistency state. Herein at CBU, serendipitously LI is also an acronym for Leadership Institute.

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." Matthew 24:35, NKJV
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.“ John 1: 1-5
"...For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding". Proverbs 2:6
"...Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them". Mark 11:24
"...And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose". Romans 8: 28
"... always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, but with gentleness and respect". 1 Peter 3:15
"...Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight". Proverbs 3:5-6
"A man's heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps." Proverbs 16:9 NKJV. In Chinese there is similar saying, "谋事在人，成事在天"
"We don't build trust by offering help. We build trust by ASKING for it ...." Simon Sinek
"We don't build trust by offering help. We build trust by PRAYING for it ...." Jiliang Li
"Every writing, every letter, every email, every text message, every communication, every breath, every Tai Chi form, every walk, every Word we speak and write is a prayer to get message across in one form or another" Jiliang Li
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness," 2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV

“Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set. Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men”. NKJV Proverbs 22: 28-29; And a survey order from Joshua 18, NKJV for EGR251 Surveying class which lays the necessary measurement foundation for later design, building, construction courses and real world building and construction projects.

“In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.” Psalm 102:25 for EGR353 Soil Mechanics which lays the foundation for the next sequential course EGR354 Soil and Foundation Engineering.

“I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” Luke 6:47-49 (Circa AD 60) for EGR354 Soil and Foundation Engineering

"The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty". Proverbs 21:5 for CON330 Construction Law and Safety Plan

"I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well". Psalm 139:14 for EGR254 Materials Engineering

FI7MI5LDV: Faith Integrated Inventive Instruction Improvement with Innovative Imaginary Interesting Mnemonics, Intuition, Insight and Inspiration for Interdisciplinary Impactful Learning Discovery Vision, "Jiliang LI, FI7MI5LDV@Gmail.Com".
or
FI7MI5L(DV)2: Faith Integrated Inventive Instruction Improvement with Interesting Imaginary Innovative Mnemonics Intuition, Insight and Inspiration for Interdisciplinary Impactful Learning Discovery Vision Deo Volente, "Jiliang LI, FI7MI5LDV2@Gmail.Com".