Past Postdoctoral Fellows

Kristyn Ardrey

Research:
- Tailoring chemical and thermal properties of high-entropy rare earth oxides for TBCs
- Tailoring chemical and thermal properties of rare earth silicates for EBCs
- ​Development of novel EBC
- CMAS Degradation of environmental barrier coatings (EBCs)

Ph.D.  - Materials Science and Engineering - University of Virginia 2023
B.S. - Mechanical Engineering - Florida Polytechnic University 2018

Mackenzie Ridley

Research:
- Tailoring chemical and thermal properties of rare earth silicates for EBCs
- Tailoring chemical and thermal properties of rare earth oxides for TBCs
- 18O (g) diffusion in air plasma spray EBCs
- Oxidation behavior of transition metal MPEAs
- Oxidation behavior of transition metal carbide UHTCs

Ph.D. - Materials Science & Engineering, University of Virginia - 2021
B.S. - Engineering Physics, Berea College - 2017

Rebekah Webster

Research:
- CMAS Degradation of environmental barrier coatings (EBCs)
- ​Development of novel EBC chemistries
- ​Oxygen and water vapor diffusion in EBCs
- Bond coat oxidation
- Glass properties

Ph.D. - Materials Science & Engineering; University of Virginia, 2019
B.S. - Chemistry; Radford University, 2014

Valentina Angelici Avincola

Research:
- High temperature oxidation of silicon carbide composites in dry and wet atmosphere
- ​Material characterization of environmental barrier coatings for ceramic matrix composites
- ​Hot corrosion of nickel based superalloys

Ph.D. - Mechanical Engineering; Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany), 2016
M.S. - Nuclear Engineering; Sapienza University of Rome (Italy), 2012
B.S. - Energy Engineering; Sapienza University of Rome (Italy), 2009

 

Past Graduate Students

Kristyn Ardrey

Dissertation - THERMOCHEMICAL DEGRADATION OF RARE EARTH-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL BARRIER COATINGS

Ph.D.  - Materials Science and Engineering - University of Virginia 2023
B.S. - Mechanical Engineering - Florida Polytechnic University 2018

Coleman Tolliver

Dissertation - EXPLORING THE AQUEOUS DISSOLUTION-PRECIPITATION MECHANISM OF CA-SI-NA-O CONTAINING REACTANTS TO FORM CRYSTALLINE CALCIUM SILICATE HYDRATES IN CARBONATED ENVIRONMENTS

Ph.D. - Materials Science and Engineering - University of Virginia 2023
B.S. - Mechanical Engineering - University of Maryland, Baltimore County 2019

Katie Detwiler

Dissertation - SYNERGISTIC EFFECTS OF OXIDATION AND LOAD ON SIC/BN/SIC CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITE DEGRADATION AT INTERMEDIATE TEMPERATURES

Ph.D. - Materials Science and Engineering- University of Virginia 2022
M.S. - Materials Science and Engineering - Wright State University 2017
B.S. - Mechanical Engineering - Wright State University 2013

Rachel Guarriello

Dissertation - B2O3 INTERACTIONS WITH RARE EARTH SILICATE ENVIRONMENTAL BARRIER COATINGS

Ph.D. - Materials Science and Engineering- University of Virginia 2021
M.S. - Materials Science and Engineering - University of Florida 2016
B.S. - Materials Science and Engineering - Pennsylvania State University 2014

Kevin Meisner

Dissertation - EFFECTS OF COMPLEX MATERIAL-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS ON HOT CORROSION MECHANISMS

Ph.D. - Materials Science and Engineering - University of Virginia 2021
B.S. - Corrosion Engineering - University of Akron 2016

Mackenzie Ridley

Dissertation - FUNDAMENTAL DEGRADATION MECHANISMS AND MATERIALS OPTIMIZATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL BARRIER COATINGS

Ph.D. - Materials Science and Engineering - University of Virginia 2021
B.S. - Engineering Physics - Berea College 2017

Lucas Herweyer

Dissertation - THE HIGH TEMPERATURE SODIUM SULFATE INTERACTIONS WITH YTTERBIUM DISILICATE ENVIRONMENTAL BARRIER COATINGS SYSTEMS AND SILICON CARBIDE CERAMIC MATRIX MATERIALS

Ph.D. - Materials Science and Engineering - University of Virginia 2020
B.S. - Physics - Kenyon College 2015

Lavina Backman

Dissertation - THE DESIGN OF HIGH ENTROPY ULTRA-HIGH TEMPERATURE CERAMICS FOR OXIDATION RESISTANCE

Ph.D. - Materials Science and Engineering - University of Virginia 2020
B.S. - Mechanical Engineering with Concentration in Mechatronics - De La Salle University 2009

Cory Parker

Dissertation - EFFECT OF THE AIR PLASMA SPRAY PROCESS ON RARE EARTH SILICATE COATING LIFE

Ph.D. - Materials Science and Engineering - University of Virginia 2020
B.S. - Materials Science and Engineering - University of Kentucky 2014

Rebekah Webster

Dissertation - MITIGATION STRATEGIES FOR CALCIUM MAGNESIUM ALUMINO-SILICATE ATTACK ON ENVIRONMENTAL BARRIER COATINGS

Ph.D. - Materials Science and Engineering - University of Virginia 2019
B.S. - Chemistry - Radford University 2014

Megan Wilson Watza

Dissertation - OXIDATION OF SIC/BN/SIC CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITES (CMCS) AND THEIR CONSTITUENTS

Ph.D. - Materials Science and Engineering - University of Virginia 2018
B.S. - Chemical Engineering - Bucknell University 2013

Robert Golden

Dissertation - MATRIX DEVELOPMENT FOR WATER VAPOR RESISTANT SIC- BASED CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITES

Postdoctoral Researcher - Opila Lab - University of Virginia 2017
Ph.D. - Materials Science and Engineering - University of Virginia 2017
B.S. - Physics - Lenoir-Rhyne University 2012

Bonnie McFarland

Dissertation - BORIA EFFECTS ON THE HIGH TEMPERATURE OXIDATION OF SILICON CARBIDE

Ph.D. - Materials Science and Engineering - University of Virginia 2017
B.S. - Chemical Engineering - Wayne State University 2006

Crescent Islam

Research - High temperature hot corrosion of alloys in marine combustion enviroments 

MMSE - Materials Science and Engineering - University of Virginia 2016
B.S. - Chemistry - Clarkson University 2013

Junchong Shen

Research - Spinodal Decomposition in Iron-Chromium alloys for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

MMSE - Materials Science and Engineering - University of Virginia 2015
B.S. - Materials Physics - University of Science and Technology of China 2011

Joseph Hagan

Dissertation - HIGH TEMPERATURE SALT DEPOSIT-ASSISTED CORROSION OF SILICON CARBIDE-BASED CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITES: EFFECTS OF COMPOSITE CHEMISTRY AND ARCHITECTURE

Ph.D. - Materials Science and Engineering - University of Virginia 2015
B.S. - Materials Science and Engineering - Pennsylvania State University 2010

Kathleen Shugart Cissel

Dissertation - OXIDATION BEHAVIOR OF ZIRCONIUM DIBORIDE SILICON CARBIDE BASED MATERIALS AT ULTRA-HIGH TEMPERATURES

Ph.D. - Materials Science and Engineering - University of Virginia 2014
M.S. - Engineering Physics - University of Virginia 2010
B.S. - Physics and Classic Civilizations - University of Mary Washington 2007
 

Past Undergraduate Students

Brandol Galicia

Morgan Small

Rachel Rosner

Alex Uy

Thomas Luciano
Research: Effect of Calcium-magnesium-x-aluminosilicates (CMXAS) on glass properties

Morgan Myers
Research: Oxidation of Refractory Multi-Principal Element Alloys

Michael Richwine
Research: Ultra-high temperature ceramics

Jack Carroll
Research: Low-temperature oxidation of ceramic matrix composites

Rachel McNamara
Research: Reinventing CEMENT: Carbonation-Enabled Mineralization to Engender Novel Technology, machine learning image analysis, and ultra-high temperature ceramics

Dominic Pinnisi
Research: Oxidation resistnace of ultra-high temperature ceramics fabricated by novel processing routes

Marcus Dozier
Research: Low temperature oxidation of SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites

Nathaniel Craft
Research: Oxidation Resistance of Ultra-High Temperature Ceramics Fabricated by Novel Processing Routes

Cameron Miller
Research: Superalloy/coating corrosion in a maritime diesel engine environment, and characterization of Type I and II corrosion of CMSX-4

Stephen Ling
Research: High temperature oxidation of silicon carbide composites in dry atmospheres

Donya Zargham
Research: Environmental Barrier Coatings

Madeline Morales
Research: High Temperature Oxidation of SiC in Liquid B2O3

Kendall Mueller
Research: Oxidation behavior of ultra-high temperature ceramics, including titanium diboride and zirconium diboride. Past work includes oxidation and recession experiments on ceramic matrix composites and environmental barrier coatings

Sean Rouffa

Jason Lopez
Research: Oxidation Behavior of Palladium

Geetesh Devineni

Catherine Beck

Jonathan Valenzuela
Research: Oxidation Behavior of Thermoelectric FeSiGe in High Temperature Environments

Penny Williams

Elise Poerschke
Research: Voltaility and chemical reactions in hot-corrosion components (SiO2, B2O3, and Na2SO4)

Shelby Fields
Research: High Temperature Oxidation of SiC-BN CMCs

Mitchell Godfrey
Research: Sodium silicate/borate crystallization and solubility

Siying Liu

Forrest Craven
Research: ZrB2 Glass Oxide Characteristics

Sarah Masters

Xinye Liu
Research: TiO2 for Potential Application as Environmental Barrier Coating Constituent for SiC-based Composites

Brandon Patterson
Research: Oxidation of ZrB2 – 30 vol % SiC Ultra High Temperature Ceramics (UHTCs)

David Lichtman
Research: An Analysis of the Stability of Trimanganese Tetraoxide (Mn3O4)

Jack Valentine
Research: Material Recession in a High-temperature, High-velocity Water Vapor Environment