The Team

Project Manager

Stefanos Papanikolaou

Assistant Professor at Statler College of Engineering, West Virginia University. 

Dr. Papanikolaou's primary research interest is in the theory and application of statistical methods towards the theoretical and computational modeling of mechanical behavior of materials. The aim is to develop and use minimal, reduced-order models to provide non-trivial classification of large data sets by identifying emergent pattern formations. A major focus is on mechanical damage identification and prediction near boundaries. His overall research interests lie in the application of statistical methods for the theory and modeling of highly frustrated systems and networks. Such systems, while mutually very different, share the feature of kinetic frustration or "jamming", for example sandpiles under stress.

Postdocs

Hakan Yavas, Ph.D.

Hometown: Ankara, Turkiye

Hobbies: Electric guitar, skiing, camping

PhD: Materials Science and Engineering, ISU & The Ames Laboratory (in collaboration with Los Alamos National Laboratory)

PhD Advisor: Prof. Richard LeSar

I have been working with Dr. Papanikolaou since September 2016. My current research involves two main thrusts, viz; i) advance characterization –using nanoindentation as a novel mechanical spectroscopy, and, ii) coupling experimental findings with computational and statistical approaches to understand mechanical properties of polycrystalline metals. Our novel experimental design allowing us to detect plasticity transition at very small length-scales.  

Hengxu Song, Ph.D.

Hometown: Jilin,China
Hobbies: basketball, tennis, table tennis, pool, kart racing, fishing, lottery (power ball).
PhD: Applied Physics, University of Groningen, the Netherlands, advisor: Prof. Erik Van der Giessen.

Working with Dr. Stefanos Papanikolaou since December 2016 on 2D/3D discrete dislocation dynamics (DDD) simulation of nano-indentation. We focus on mechanical behavior (hardness) and statistics (pop-in). Currently working on 3D DDD simulations of nano-indentation. 

Rongguang Xu, Ph.D.

Hometown: Wuhan, China.

Hobbies: soccer, football, tennis, swimming, travelling, classical music, movies

PhD: Mechanical Engineering, George Washington University

PhD Advisor: Prof. Yongsheng Leng

I have been working with Dr. Stefanos Papanikolaou since August 2017 with an adjunct position. Our research is focused on  mechanical behavior of FCC metal (such as Cu and Al) under nanoindentation. I am currently working on molecular dynamics simulation to investigate the underlying mechanism of nanoindentation at the atomistic level. 

Research Assistants

Ryder Bolin

Hometown: Ritchie County, West Virginia
Hobbies: Weight lifting, Basketball, Baseball, Golf, Hiking, Video games, Movies, and Paintball
Undergraduate: West Virginia Wesleyan College
Undergraduate degree: Petroleum Natural gas geophysics / minor in mathematics.


Started working with Dr. Papanikolaou in August of 2016. The research I am working on is testing multiple samples that are Cu, Ni and Pt. These samples are tested in a nanoindenter using multiple protocols particularly interested in the load vs. displacement protocols. These samples are put in a four-point bending system before being placed in the nanoindenter. After we analyze the data at different depths with a focus on dislocation dynamics.

Joshua Thibault

Hometown: Chesapeake Beach, MD
Hobbies: Movie Buff, Jet Skiing, Swimming, Video Gaming, Weight Lifting, and Exercising
Undergraduate Institution: West Virginia University
Undergraduate Degrees: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering


I have been working with Dr. Papanikolaou since July 2016. Our research is centered around  fracture mechanics through simulation based modeling using DAMASK. We focus on the effects of ellipsoidal notches, material disordered, and other fracture precursors can have on the fracture behavior. We do this by analyzing the transition between brittle and quasi-brittle fracture behavior in terms of the stresses and crack characteristics and how theirs trends change.

 

Michael Tzimas

Hometown: Porto Rafti, Attica, Greece
Hobbies:  Movies, TV Series, Soccer, Swimming, Relaxation at the Beach, Beach Tennis, Beach Soccer, Water Polo
Undergraduate Institution: National Technical University of Athens
Undergraduate Degrees: Diploma of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

I have been working with Dr. Papanikolaou since January 2017. Our research is focused on machine learning approaches for mechanically deformed mictrostructures. Presently, our focus in on the identification of dislocation patterns on plastic deformation.

Rofiques Salehin

Hometown: Gazipur, Bangladesh
Hobbies: Outdoor games, Travelling places and Watching Movies
Undaergraduate Institution: Military Institute of Science & Technology (MIST)
Undergraduate Degree:Aeronautical Engineering (major-Aerospace)

I have been working with Dr. Stefanos Papanikolaou since August 2016 on Molecular Dynamics Simulation using LAMMPS. Our focus is to Control the Fluid Viscosity Mechanically. Currently working on Jamming by infusing Star Shaped Functional particles into Simple Fluid.  Also working on the Experimental Demonstration of simulation movie. 

Sunita Pokharel

Hometown: Palpa, Nepal
Hobbies: Travelling, Hiking, Movies, Series
Undergraduate Institution: IOE, Pulchowk Campus
Undergraduate Degrees : Mechanical Engineering


Started working with Dr. Stefanos Papanikolaou since January 2018 on simulation based modelling of the fracture mechanics.

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Alec Lazarides 

Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland

Hobbies: Whitewater Kayaking, Snowboarding, Mountain Biking, Traveling

Undergraduate Institution: West Virginia University 

Degree: Mechanical Engineering

Minor: Mathematics 

Was given the opportunity to work with Dr. Stefanos Papanikolaou in January 2018. I have been assigned to conduct research on the fracture behavior on various specimens of steel using the MTS machine.  With the analysis of the transition between brittle and quasi-brittle fracture behavior, we hope to apply this to machine learning.