I am a postdoctoral researcher in the Space Structure Lab at California Institute of Technology (Caltech), working under the direction of Prof. Sergio Pellegrino. I am currently working on the design, manufacturing, and mechanics of deployable composite structures for aerospace applications, and studying the Propagating Instabilities in Thin-walled Deployable Structures During Coiling - a phenomenon that has been widely observed but not fully understood when packaging deployable structures. I came up with a theory that uncovers the underlying physics of the buckle formation and propagation. With the insights of this theory, we can curb the growth of the buckles and hence decrease the likelihood of coiling damage.
Before moving to Caltech, I got my Ph.D. in the Program of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (TAM) at Northwestern University. My doctoral research focused on studying the Failure Probability of Hierarchical and Architected Materials with the help of finite element Monte Carlo simulations. Under the guidance of my thesis advisor, Prof. Zdeněk P. Bažant, I have established the habbit of always trying to seek the analytical solution with the help of numerical and experimental methods. Though being challenging, it is rewarding in that analytical solutions are like windows, allowing me to see through problems from a brand new perspective.
During my graduate study, I have worked as the teaching assistant for 3 undergraduate level courses (EA2, EA3 and ME327) and as the subsitute lecturer for 2 graduate level courses (CIV430 and CIV424), during which I have hosted TA office hours, substituted lectures and graded homeworks.
