His current research interests include machine learning and combinatorial algorithm with applications in electronic design automation (EDA) and computer vision. He has served as TPC Chair of 1st ACM/IEEE Workshop on Machine Learning for CAD (MLCAD), served in the program committees of DAC, ICCAD, DATE, ASPDAC, ISPD, the editorial boards of ACM Transactions on Design Automation of Electronic Systems (TODAES), Integration, the VLSI Journal, and IET Cyber-Physical Systems: Theory & Applications. He is Editor of IEEE TCCPS Newsletter and Chair of IEEE CEDA Hong Kong Chapter.

Dr. Yu received ten Best Paper Awards from IEEE Transactions on Semiconductor Manufacturing 2022, Design, Automation and Test in Europe Conference (DATE) 2022, International Conference on Computer-Aided Design (ICCAD) 2021 & 2013, Asia and South Pacific Design Automation Conference (ASPDAC) 2021 & 2012, International Conference on Tools with Artificial Intelligence (ICTAI) 2019, Integration, the VLSI Journal in 2018, International Symposium on Physical Design (ISPD) 2017, SPIE Advanced Lithography Conference 2016, six other Best Paper Award Nominations (ASPDAC 2023, DATE 2021, ASPDAC 2019, DAC 2014, ASPDAC 2013, and ICCAD 2011), seven ICCAD/ISPD/ICDAR contest awards, IBM Ph.D. Scholarship in 2012, SPIE Education Scholarship in 2013, EDAA Outstanding Dissertation Award in 2014, ACM SIGDA Meritorious Service Award, and IEEE CEDA Ernest S. Kuh Early Career Award.