Ceramic ductility and toughness
Developing techniques to improve ceramic ductility and toughness by engineering dislocations at scale.
About me
After 18 years of getting my masters at MIT came back to do research at CBA in late 2024. I am a visiting scientist here and also on the MIT Department of Materials Science and Engineering Visiting Committee.
I've been a physical sciences entrepreneur since 2001. I am a co-founder of General Flash, Lumafield, Desktop Metal, and A123 Systems. I have been involved in efforts to advance manufacturing through the World Economic Forum, including its Advanced Manufacturing Initiative and Global Lighthouse Network.
At CBA, I have been involved in research on field-driven materials processing, condensed matter physics and stigmergic AI. My work connects fundamental questions about how materials behave far away from equilibrium with new approaches to processing, joining, and manufacturing them.
Outside of research, I am a pilot with over 1,100 hours of turbine time and enjoy astronomy.
Selected work at CBA
Field-driven, nonequilibrium materials processing
Investigating the physics of field-driven processing and the mechanisms that govern materials away from equilibrium.
In-operando observation of a defect-mediated state
With collaborators, I reported in-operando evidence of a reversible, electrically switchable vacancy population in copper. This work identifies a defect-mediated, nonequilibrium contribution to the flash state and informs broader questions about field-driven processing in metals, ceramics, and glasses.
Electrically switchable vacancy state revealed by in-operando positron experiments · Preprint ↗
Started Flash research efforts at MIT
Hosting my friend and collaborator Rishi Raj at MIT.
Low-temperature Flash diffusion bonding
Developing new techniques for welding metals through low-temperature Flash diffusion bonding, including a titanium demonstration approximately 1,200 °C below its melting temperature.
Critical activation voltage
Identified a critical activation voltage associated with the onset of field-driven phenomena. Our model connects the threshold electrical work to phonon-mediated lattice softening across 17 crystal families.
Critical Activation Voltage for Phonon-Mediated Field-Driven Phenomena · Preprint ↗
FLARE optical imaging array
Helping develop FLARE, a new class of telescope optical imaging array, with Neil Gershenfeld of CBA and John Mather of NASA Goddard. The prototype is currently under construction.
Critical minerals and advanced manufacturing
Exploring critical minerals refining concepts and other advanced research and manufacturing projects.
Contact
Center for Bits and Atoms
Massachusetts Institute of Technology