Ying Ma earned a PhD in materials science and engineering at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. He is a Professor of materials science and biomedical engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. His research focuses on the computational study of materials for energy conversion and storage, and he has authored or co-authored more than 40 peer-reviewed research papers. He has taught various courses in engineering, mathematics, and physics, including one that he developed to improve the mathematical problem-solving skills of undergraduate students.