Materials Characterization and Simulation Graduate Research Assistant

What You Will DoWe are seeking a graduate research assistant (GRA) to conduct in-situ X-ray and neutron diffraction experiments on metallic and ceramic materials at large user facilities. The work involves mapping 3D crystallographic orientation and strain fields and tracking microstructural features including dislocation density, lattice strain, and structural transformations during thermo-mechanical loading. The GRA will integrate experimental diffraction data with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to validate and interpret measurements. A significant component of the work involves developing forward models for scattering to generate physically-consistent synthetic data for training machine learning models. These models will replace traditional iterative analysis algorithms, enabling faster data processing and improved predictions of microstructural evolution. The goal is to enhance constitutive relations that describe defect dynamics at the mesoscale, which will improve mic...