Alumni
Past Postdoctoral Fellows
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
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
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
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
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