A little Bit About Me
Introduction
I am currently a Ph.D. Candidate in the Woodruff School for Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. I am studying computational solid mechanics emphasis on the crystal plasticity finite element method (CPFEM) and the generation of constitutive relations for lightweight metals, such as Ti or Mg alloys. The hope is to use these types of models to make informed decisions about material selection and material optimization in fatigue applications.
Background
I became interested in materials research after working with Dr. Philip Gullett on molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of aluminum triple junctions during the summer of 2007. That summer job prospered into an undergraduate research position, which later became a graduate research assistantship while I pursued my Master’s degree at Mississippi State. When I finished my M.S., I decided to pursue a Ph.D. in engineering so that I can have a career in academia and pursue my research and teaching interests.
Research
Along with CPFEM modeling, I am also interested in calibration/validation schemes and determining model applicability due to those limitations, the construction of digital microstructures, and the creation of open-source computational solid mechanics tools to improve research transparency and results repeatability.
Teaching
Since my undergraduate education, I have also become interested in pedagogical research and its application to the engineering classroom. I am particularly interested in student engagement and motivation, two things I believe are vital for developing a classroom environment that is conducive for learning. I have always had an interest in helping people learn new things, but graduate school has helped me to realize the value of effective instruction for students and how that helps in subsequent courses.