Skip to main content

Current Members

Category:
Chunyu Li

Chunyu Li

Staff

Research Associate

MD simulations, Polymers, Composites, Hotspots, Nanotubes

  • Ph.D., Harbin Institute of Technology, China
Daniel J. Klinger

Daniel J. Klinger

Staff

Research Engineer

Predicting burning rate behavior and mechanical properties of solid rocket propellants

  • M.S. Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Purdue University, 2022
  • B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, 2020
Juan C. Verduzco

Juan C. Verduzco

Staff

Lead Data Engineer

Active learning algorithms for materials informatics; Synthesis and characterization of solid-state battery materials; Molecular dynamics simulations of ceramic oxides

  • Ph.D. Materials Engineering, Purdue University, 2023
  • B.S. Mechatronics Engineering, Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, 2017
Ching-Chien Chen

Ching-Chien Chen

Graduate

Graduate Research Assistant

Coherent precipitates in shape memory alloys

  • B.S. Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, 2019
Ethan W. Holbrook

Ethan W. Holbrook

Graduate

Graduate Research Assistant

Molecular Dynamics for Shock Physics (Aluminum, HEs, Polymers); Machine Learning

  • B.S. Materials Science & Engineering, Wright State University, 2021
Jason Wilkening

Jason Wilkening

Graduate

Graduate Research Assistant

MD for Shock and Detonation Chemistry

  • B.A. Chemistry and Physics, Illinois Wesleyan University, 2022
Jalen Macatangay

Jalen Macatangay

Graduate

Graduate Research Assistant

Molecular Dynamics simulations of energetic materials and polymers under shock conditions

  • B.S. Materials Science and Engineering, Purdue University, 2023
Baptiste Martin

Baptiste Martin

Graduate

Graduate Research Assistant

MD simulation, Polymers

  • M.S. Physical-Chemistry, University of Bordeaux, 2022
  • B.S. Chemistry/Material Science, University of Bordeaux, 2018
William Zummo

William Zummo

Graduate

Graduate Research Assistant

Spallation of materials at extreme conditions

  • M.S. Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, 2022
  • B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Central Michigan University, 2020
Rushik Desai

Rushik Desai

Graduate

Graduate Research Assistant

Developing frameworks for making scientific data FAIR

  • B.Tech in Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar, 2023
Aidan Pantoya

Aidan Pantoya

Graduate

Graduate Research Assistant

Machine Learning Applications for Molecular Dynamics Simulation; Computational Shock Physics

  • B.S. Computer Science, West Texas A&M University, 2024
Mohnish Harwani

Mohnish Harwani

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher

Accelerating Scientific Discovery through AI

  • B.S. Computer Science, Purdue University, 2026
Asem Elenawy

Asem Elenawy

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher

Active learning optimization for EDA (Electronic Design Automation) workflows

  • B.S. Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, 2026
Jacob Goehring

Jacob Goehring

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher

Reactive pore collapse simulations of HEs and polymers

  • B.S. Materials Science and Engineering, Purdue University
Brice Rider

Brice Rider

Undergraduate

SCALE – Undergraduate Research Assistant

Allegro Reactive Force Field for CHNO; Automated framework to train and deploy MLIPs

  • B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering, Purdue University, 2026

Alumni

Category:
Andres Fernandez San Miguel

Andres Fernandez San Miguel

Staff

Alumni

Molecular Mechanics of graphene sheets, carbon nanotubes and proteins

  • Ph.D. Civil and Structural Engineering, University of A Coruña
  • M.Sc. Civil and Structural Engineering, University of A Coruña
  • B.S. Civil and Structural Engineering, University of A Coruña
Anh-Luu Nguyen

Anh-Luu Nguyen

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Machine Learning and Data Collection with Energetic Materials

  • B.S. in Computer Science, Purdue University
Ryan Horn

Ryan Horn

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Research Assistant

X-ray Diffraction; Composite Propellant Characterization via Large Language Models

  • B.S. Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Purdue University
Craig Ahsmann

Craig Ahsmann

Undergraduate

AAMP-UP

Predicting properties of organic molecules

Pratyush Avi

Pratyush Avi

Undergraduate

AAMP-UP

Predicting properties of organic molecules

Alfonso D. Meraz

Alfonso D. Meraz

Undergraduate

MNT-CURN

Blockchain – Molecular dynamics proof of work

Shuchen Liu

Shuchen Liu

Undergraduate

MNT-CURN

Blockchain – Molecular dynamics proof of work

O'Neal Douglin

O'Neal Douglin

Undergraduate

MNT-CURN

Blockchain – Molecular dynamics proof of work

Dave Emdin

Dave Emdin

Undergraduate

MNT-CURN

Blockchain – Molecular dynamics proof of work

Nacim Bouia

Nacim Bouia

Undergraduate

Visiting Scholar

Design of interatomic potentials for phase change memory

Anna Leichty

Anna Leichty

Undergraduate

NCN/URE

Development of educational content for first year engineering students

Mackinzie Farnell

Mackinzie Farnell

Undergraduate

MSE – Undergraduate Research

Modeling environment dependent properties in Complex Concentrated Alloys

Lok C. Fan (Lucas)

Lok C. Fan (Lucas)

Undergraduate

Imperial College London – Purdue Exchange

Automated approach to discover coherent second phases in multicomponent systems

Rileigh Cotter

Rileigh Cotter

Undergraduate

NCN/URE

Random and special quasi random structures generator for Complex Concentrated Alloys

Sabir Utamsing

Sabir Utamsing

Undergraduate

NCN/URE

Random and special quasi random structures generator for Complex Concentrated Alloys

Haydn Schroader

Haydn Schroader

Undergraduate

MSE – Undergraduate Research

Systematic machine learning studies for the prediction of hardness/yield strength in engineering steels

Stepan Kolacek

Stepan Kolacek

Undergraduate

International Research Undergraduate Experience

Quantum vibrational effects on thermal transport

2005–2007 Heather Murdoch

Heather Murdoch

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Fall 2005 – Spring 2007)

Ablation of metallic materials

  • Graduate School: MIT
2005–2006 Eric Davidson

Eric Davidson

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Fall 2005 – Spring 2006)

Coherency limit in epitaxial metallic nanowires

2005–2007 Karen Lynch

Karen Lynch

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Fall 2005 – Summer 2007)

Mesoscale simulations of spall failure

  • Graduate School: University of Wisconsin
2006–2007 Alexander Thompson

Alexander Thompson

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Spring 2006 – Summer 2007)

Martensitic nanostructure of Zr wires

  • Graduate School: Northwestern University
2006 Michael Waters

Michael Waters

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Spring 2006)

Granular dynamics

  • Graduate School: University of Michigan
2006–2007 Benjamin Anglin

Benjamin Anglin

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Summer 2006 – Spring 2007)

Thermal transport in Ni/Al nanolaminates

  • Graduate School: Carnegie Mellon University
2006–2007 Adam Kerner

Adam Kerner

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Fall 2006 – Spring 2007)

Mechanical response of nanowires

2007 Thomas Collopy

Thomas Collopy

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Summer 2007)

Ab initio simulations in the nanoHUB

2007 Eleanor Baum

Eleanor Baum

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Summer 2007)

Thermal transport in nanostructures

2007 Daniel Coffey

Daniel Coffey

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Summer 2007)

Ab initio simulations of ferroelectric materials

2008–2009 Winnie Tan

Winnie Tan

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Spring 2008 – Spring 2009)

Strain engineering in semiconductor heterostructures

2008–2008 Corey Foster

Corey Foster

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Spring 2008 – Fall 2008)

Sliding friction of double wall carbon nanotubes

2008 Walter Lundy

Walter Lundy

Undergraduate

Visiting Undergraduate Researcher, Norfolk State University (Summer 2008)

Online materials simulations at the nanoHUB

2008 Prachi Goyal

Prachi Goyal

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Summer 2008)

Online simulations of thermal conduction in the nanoHUB

2008–2008 Mark Cooper

Mark Cooper

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Summer 2008 – Fall 2008)

Mechanical response of bio-inspired macroscopic composites

2008–2009 Gregory Bechtol

Gregory Bechtol

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Fall 2008 – Summer 2009)

Ab initio simulations in the nanoHUB

2009–2009 Nathaniel Wilson

Nathaniel Wilson

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Spring 2009 – Summer 2009)

Mechanical response of polymers

  • Graduate School: UCSB
2009 Mercy Dicuango

Mercy Dicuango

Undergraduate

Visiting Undergraduate Researcher, Norfolk State University (Summer 2009)

Online simulations of bio-composites in the nanoHUB

2009 Janam Jhaveri

Janam Jhaveri

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Summer 2009)

Online simulations of thermal conduction in the nanoHUB

2010 Dustin Grove

Dustin Grove

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Summer 2010)

MD simulations of constraints in the mechanical response of metallic nanowires

2011–2012 Ted Ahn

Ted Ahn

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Summer 2011 – Spring 2012)

MD simulations of polymers under dynamical loading

2011 Jennifer Munley

Jennifer Munley

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Summer 2011)

MD simulations of polymers under dynamical loading

2011 Petros Charalambides

Petros Charalambides

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Summer 2011)

Contact between surfaces with nanoscale asperities via mesoscale simulations

2011–2012 David Lowing

David Lowing

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Summer 2011 – Summer 2012)

Ab initio modeling of dielectric charging and molecular simulations of polymers

2012 Sarah Vaselaney

Sarah Vaselaney

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Spring 2012)

Molecular modeling of polymer nanocomposites

2012 Daniella Gotschin

Daniella Gotschin

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Summer 2012)

Online simulation and learning of polymer physics

2012 Julian X. But

Julian X. But

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Summer 2012)

Multiscale simulations of MEMS devices

2012 Kaitlyn Fisher

Kaitlyn Fisher

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher (Fall 2012)

Multiscale simulations of MEMS devices

Javier Portilla

Javier Portilla

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher

Converging shock waves in metals

  • B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University
Sahana Mukund

Sahana Mukund

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher

MXene structural optimization with DFT

  • B.S. Engineering Physics / Applied Physics, Purdue University
Sabrina Nesmith

Sabrina Nesmith

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher

Automated framework to train and deploy MLIPs

  • B.S. Materials Engineering, Purdue University
2023–2024 Ava Hallberg

Ava Hallberg

Undergraduate

2023–2024 Machine Learning Intern

Metropolis-Hastings Ising models; Generative Adversarial Networks

  • B.S. Engineering, Purdue University, 2027
Keshav Anirudh Nagubandi

Keshav Anirudh Nagubandi

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher

Molecular dynamics; Understanding materials through vibrations and sounds

  • B.S. Materials Engineering, Purdue University, 2026
2025 Lakshay Goel

Lakshay Goel

M.S.

Graduate Research Assistant

Digital Twin frameworks utilizing machine learning and cloud applications

  • M.S. Electrical and Computer Engineering, 2025
  • B.S. Computer Engineering, Purdue University, 2024
2025 Kat Nykiel

Kat Nykiel

Ph.D.

Alumni

Predicting stability of MXenes using density functional theory and machine learning

  • Ph.D. Materials Engineering, Purdue University, 2025
  • B.S. Materials Science & Applied Physics, Ohio State University, 2021
2025 Robert J. Appleton

Robert J. Appleton

Ph.D.

Machine Learning Engineer at Energetics Technology Center

Materials properties from first principles calculations and MD simulation; Machine Learning techniques for Physics and Materials Science

  • Ph.D. Materials Engineering, Purdue University, 2025
  • M.S. Physics, California State University – Los Angeles, 2020
  • B.A. Physics, Ripon College, 2017
2024–2025 Thomas Deucher

Thomas Deucher

Undergraduate

Undergraduate Researcher

FAIR data and self-driving laboratory frameworks for collaborative materials discovery; co-author on a collaborative digital twin built on FAIR compute infrastructure

  • Ph.D. Student, MIT
  • B.S. Materials Engineering, Purdue University, 2025
2022 Sohee Kim

Sohee Kim

Undergraduate

2022 AAMP-UP

Data science and machine learning of energetic materials properties

  • B.S. Computer Engineering Technology, Purdue University, 2025
2022 Samuel Blankenship

Samuel Blankenship

Undergraduate

2022 AAMP-UP

Data science and machine learning of energetic materials properties

  • B.S. Materials Science and Engineering, Purdue University, 2025
2022 Noah Hallberg

Noah Hallberg

Undergraduate

2022 SURF

Identification of high-temperature oxidation-resistant alloys via simulation

  • B.S. Computer Science, Purdue University, 2025
2024 Saswat Mishra

Saswat Mishra

Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of South Florida

Microelectronics reliability; Strength and oxidation resistance of high entropy alloys

  • Ph.D. Materials Engineering, Purdue University, 2024
  • B.S. Materials Science, Indian Institute of Science, 2018
2024 Chukwuma Ezenwata

Chukwuma Ezenwata

M.S.

Alumni

AI-enhanced physics-based modeling for materials @ extreme conditions

  • M.S. Materials Engineering, Purdue University, 2024
  • B.S. Production Engineering, University of Benin, Nigeria, 2019
2023 Shukai Yao

Shukai Yao

Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Researcher at Vanderbilt University

Density functional theory calculations of shape memory alloys

  • Ph.D. Materials Science and Engineering, Purdue University, 2023
  • B.S. Applied Physics, Shandong University, 2018
2023 David E. Farache

David E. Farache

M.S.

Material Engineer MCFR at TerraPower LLC

Shape memory alloys

  • M.S. Materials Science and Engineering, Purdue University, 2023
  • B.S. Materials Science and Engineering, Purdue University, 2022
2023 G. Max Nishibuchi

G. Max Nishibuchi

M.S.

Microsoft Quantum: Machine Learning Engineer

Optical properties of ceramics for hypersonic IR windows via first principles calculations

  • M.S. Materials Science and Engineering, Purdue University, 2023
  • B.S. Materials Science and Engineering, Purdue University, 2022
2022 Michael H. Taylor

Michael H. Taylor

Undergraduate

2022 AAMP-UP

Machine learning predictive modeling of high explosive properties

  • B.S. Mechanical Engineering, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, 2023
2022 Brenden W. Hamilton

Brenden W. Hamilton

Ph.D.

Scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratories

Thermo-mechanical Energy Localization in High-Energy Density Materials; Shock Compression of Solids; Heterogeneous Initiation of Explosives

  • Ph.D. Materials Engineering, Purdue University, 2022
  • B.S. Materials Engineering, Purdue University, 2018
  • B.S. Applied Physics, Purdue University, 2018
2022 Zachary D. McClure

Zachary D. McClure

Ph.D.

Computational Chemist @ NVIDIA

Data driven design of high entropy alloys and oxide scales; Thermal transport in alloys

  • Ph.D. Materials Engineering, Purdue University, 2022
  • B.S. Chemical Engineering, Oregon State University, 2017
2022 Peter Salek

Peter Salek

M.S.

Graduate Research Assistant (PhD) @ Purdue University

Propulsion and Astrodynamics

  • M.S. Aerospace Engineering, Purdue University, 2022
  • B.S. Aerospace Engineering, Purdue University, 2020
2021 Brian Lee

Brian Lee

Staff

Research Associate at Brookhaven National Laboratories

Coarse-grained modeling of energetic materials; Force field development via machine learning

  • Ph.D., Duke University, 2021
2021 Shivam Tripathi

Shivam Tripathi

Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Materials Science and Engineering, IIT Kanpur

Thermal Transport in nanoscale materials; Shape Memory Alloys

  • Ph.D. Materials Engineering, Purdue University, 2021
  • B.Tech MSE, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, 2016
2021 Michael N. Sakano

Michael N. Sakano

Ph.D.

Materials Research Scientist at Spectral Energies, LLC

Kinetics Modeling of High-Energy Density reactive materials; Experimental validation and continuum scale verification

  • Ph.D. Materials Engineering, Purdue University, 2021
  • B.S. Biomedical and Health Sciences Engineering, UNC Chapel Hill, 2016
2021 MAJ Timothy S. Wolfe

MAJ Timothy S. Wolfe

Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering at Air Force Institute of Technology

Wide band gap semiconductor devices; Optoelectronics; Ab-initio solid-state simulations

  • Ph.D. Electrical Engineering, Purdue University, 2021
  • M.Sc. Electrical Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, 2015
  • B.S. Electrical Engineering, Boston University, 2011
2021 Pilsun Yoo

Pilsun Yoo

Ph.D.

Technical Manager at Qunova Computing

Catalysts; Solid-oxide electronic structure; Machine learning potential for atomistic simulation

  • Ph.D. Materials Engineering, Purdue University, 2021
  • M.S. Physics, Hankuk University of Foreign Languages, 2016
  • B.S. Physics, Hankuk University of Foreign Languages, 2014
2021 Tongtong Shen

Tongtong Shen

Ph.D.

iPhone Embedded System Modeling Engineer - Data Analysis at Apple

Molecular Science Software; Atomic Scale Modeling; Polymer Crystals and Crystallization

  • Ph.D. Materials Engineering, Purdue University, 2021
  • B.S. Physics, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, 2015
2020 Saaketh Desai

Saaketh Desai

Ph.D.

Staff Scientist at Sandia National Laboratories

Enhancing the predictive power of molecular dynamics simulations; Physics based machine learning for molecular dynamics

  • Ph.D. Materials Engineering, Purdue University, 2020
  • B.Tech, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, IIT Roorkee, 2015
2020 Karthik Guda Vishnu

Karthik Guda Vishnu

Staff

Design Engineer at Applied Materials

Active materials; Shape memory alloys; Shock wave energy dissipation; Atomic scale radiation damage; Defects in semiconductors

  • Postdoctoral Research Assistant, Purdue University, 2016-2020
  • Ph.D. Materials Science and Engineering, Purdue University, 2012
  • B.Tech., NIT Trichy, India, 2007
2019 Lorena Alzate-Vargas

Lorena Alzate-Vargas

Ph.D.

Computational Materials Scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratories

Atomistic simulations of polymers: uncertainty quantification of thermal properties; Conformational dynamics behavior in polymers

  • Ph.D. Materials Engineering, Purdue University, 2019
  • B.S. Engineering Physics, Universidad EAFIT – Colombia, 2014
2019 Mahbubul Islam

Mahbubul Islam

Staff

Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Wayne State University

First-principles, ReaxFF, and eReaxFF molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on reactive and nonreactive systems for energetic materials, batteries and 2D materials

  • Postdoctoral Research Assistant, Purdue University, 2016-2019
  • Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, Penn State University, 2016
  • B.S. Mechanical Engineering, BUET, 2009
2018 David Guzman

David Guzman

Ph.D.

Graduate Research Assistant

Electronic processes in dielectric materials

  • Ph.D. Purdue University, 2018
2018 Samuel Reeve

Samuel Reeve

Ph.D.

Graduate Research Assistant

Predictive materials modeling with quantified uncertainties

  • Ph.D. Purdue University, 2018
2017 Benjamin Helfrecht

Benjamin Helfrecht

M.S.

Graduate Research Assistant

Evaluation of Transition Metal Dichalcogenide encapsulation to improve copper interconnects: an ab initio study

  • M.S. Purdue University, 2017
2017 Kiettipong Banlusan

Kiettipong Banlusan

Ph.D.

Graduate Research Assistant

Shock-energy absorption by endothermic chemistry

  • Ph.D. Purdue University, 2017
2016 Mitchell Wood

Mitchell Wood

Ph.D.

Graduate Research Assistant

Energy transfer mechanisms and chemistry initiation in high energy materials

  • Ph.D. Purdue University, 2016
2016 Jonathan Dunn

Jonathan Dunn

M.S.

Graduate Research Assistant

Thermal transport at the nanoscale

  • M.S. Purdue University, 2016
2015 Mathew Cherukara

Mathew Cherukara

Ph.D.

Graduate Research Assistant

Nanostructure effects on energetic materials

  • Ph.D. Purdue University, 2015
2014 Yae-ji Kim

Yae-ji Kim

Ph.D.

Graduate Research Assistant

Thermo-mechanical properties of polymer nanocomposites

  • Ph.D. Purdue University, 2014
2014 Keng-Hua Lin

Keng-Hua Lin

Ph.D.

Graduate Research Assistant

Thermal transport in nanoscale and nanostructured materials

  • Ph.D. Purdue University, 2014
2014 Keith Morrison

Keith Morrison

M.S.

Graduate Research Assistant

Nanoscale shape memory materials

  • M.S. Purdue University, 2014
2013 Sean Sullivan

Sean Sullivan

M.S.

Graduate Research Assistant

Thermal transport at interfaces

  • M.S. Purdue University, 2013
2013 Ravi Vedula

Ravi Vedula

Ph.D.

Graduate Research Assistant

First principles characterization of dielectric charging

  • Ph.D. Purdue University, 2013
2012 Nathan Anderson

Nathan Anderson

Ph.D.

Graduate Research Assistant

Point defects in dielectric interfaces and free surfaces

  • Ph.D. Purdue University, 2012
2011 Patrick Cantwell

Patrick Cantwell

Ph.D.

Graduate Research Assistant

A quantitative study of microstructure and fiber texture in nickel electrodeposits for MEMS applications

  • Ph.D. Purdue University, 2011
2011 Yumi Park

Yumi Park

Ph.D.

Graduate Research Assistant

Molecular dynamics simulations of semiconductor heterostructures

  • Ph.D. Purdue University, 2011
2010 Ya Zhou

Ya Zhou

Ph.D.

Graduate Research Assistant

Thermal transport in nanoscale and nanostructured materials

  • Ph.D. Purdue University, 2010
2010 Amrit Palaria

Amrit Palaria

Ph.D.

Graduate Research Assistant

First principles modeling of materials for electronic applications

  • Ph.D. Purdue University, 2010
2007 Arvind Arumbakam

Arvind Arumbakam

M.S.

Graduate Research Assistant

Interface structure, coherency limits and mechanical properties of heteroepitaxial nanowires via molecular dynamics

  • M.S. Purdue University, 2007