Meet the Team

  • Group Leader

    PhD: University of Oxford (2019)

    MSc: ETH Zurich (2015)

    BEng: National University of Singapore (2012)

    I started my journey with a Bachelor's degree from the National University of Singapore, followed by a Master's at ETH Zurich. I then moved to the University of Oxford for my PhD, where I stayed on as a research fellow, diving deeper into crystal mechanics and materials modeling. After a great stint as an Assistant Professor at the University of Bristol, I've now joined IISc in September 2024 to lead the Crystal Mechanics Lab. I'm passionate about exploring how materials behave under extreme conditions and designing new models to push the boundaries of engineering applications!

    Email: suchandrima@iisc.ac.in

  • PhD student

    My research focuses on enhancing the calibration of Crystal Plasticity Finite Element (CPFE) models, which are powerful tools for simulating the grain-level mechanical behavior of polycrystalline materials. Given the complexity and computational cost of calibrating CPFE parameters, I’m using Deep Reinforcement Learning (specifically, the Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient algorithm) to optimize this process. I've developed a Python-based environment to automate calibration and compared it with traditional methods like Particle Swarm Optimization, showing improved accuracy. My work demonstrates the potential of AI-driven optimization in complex material modeling scenarios, such as simulating the cyclic behavior of stainless steel under different conditions.

    Email: fe22312@bristol.ac.uk

  • PhD student

    My research focuses on understanding how Fe-Cr alloys perform under irradiation damage at different temperatures. I'm exploring these materials to find the best alloy composition that could be used as a Plasma-Facing Component (PFC) in fusion reactors. To do this, I'm using cutting-edge techniques like ion-implantation, synchrotron Laue diffraction, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and nanoindentation. My goal is to uncover how these materials behave under extreme fusion conditions and help design alloys that are ready for the future of energy!

    Email: chandrabhusan.yadav@bristol.ac.uk

  • Masters Student

    My research focuses on understanding how strain rate affects the deformation behavior of irradiated tungsten, a material crucial for high-performance applications. To explore this, I’ve combined nanoindentation, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and crystal plasticity modeling to capture the nuances of how tungsten behaves under different conditions. This project opens the door to deeper insights into how we can tailor the mechanical properties of tungsten for demanding environments, with the ultimate goal of improving its performance in applications like fusion reactors."

Our Collaborators

  • UKAEA

  • Henry Royce Institute

  • University of Oxford

  • Advanced Photon Source, Argonne

  • Aalto University

  • University of Bristol

  • Uppsala University