People

Dr. Michael D. Sangid, Director

sangid@berkeley.edu

Michael D. Sangid received his B.S. (2002), M.S. (2005), PhD (2010) in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). After his Master’s degree, Dr. Sangid spent two years working in Indianapolis, IN for Rolls-Royce Corporation. Dr. Sangid is a professor at Purdue University in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics with a courtesy appointment in Materials Engineering, where he continues his work on building computational materials models for failure of structural materials with experimental validation efforts focused at characterization of the stress/strain evolution at the microstructural scale during in situ loading. He is a recipient of the ASME Orr, TMS Early Career Faculty Fellow, NSF CAREER, and the AFOSR, ONR, and DARPA Young Investigator/Faculty Awards. He is currently serving as an editor of the International Journal of Fatigue. Dr. Sangid has started and served as the inaugural Executive Director of the Hypersonics Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center, which is the first contract of the Purdue Applied Research Institute. Dr. Sangid is also the co-director of Defense Innovation, which is a Purdue Engineering Initiative.

Krzysztof Stopka

kstopka@purdue.edu

Krzysztof (Kris) Stopka emigrated from southern Poland to the United States with his family in 1998. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in November of 2015 with a minor in Computational Science and an Aerospace Engineering concentration. During his undergraduate studies, Kris accumulated two years of internship experience at innovative companies such as GE Aviation, Tesla Motors, and SpaceX. He defended his PhD dissertation entitled "Integrated Computational Materials Engineering Workflows for Microstructure-Sensitive Fatigue of Advanced Alloys" in March 2021 under the advisement of Dr. David L. McDowell at the Georgia Institute of Technology before joining Dr. Michael D. Sangid’s research group in the summer of 2021. Kris’ research interests are at the interface of materials science, computational mechanics, crystal plasticity, fatigue and fracture, high-energy x-ray diffraction microscopy, and data science and analytics workflows. Outside of research, Kris is passionate about mentorship and personal development, especially for younger students just getting started in their college/academic careers. His hobbies include fitness, reading, and listening to podcasts, and his long-term goal is to pursue a career in academia.

kstopka.com

Lucas Robinson

robin198@purdue.edu

Luke Robinson is from Westminster, Colorado. He received his B.S. (2017) in Materials Engineering with a minor in Physics, and his PhD in Materials Engineering (2023) from Purdue University. Luke defended his PhD thesis entitled “Interfacial Transitions and Microstructure Evolution of Materials” in March 2023 under the guidance of Prof. Edwin García at Purdue University. His research focused on developing phase field models and variational frameworks to describe interfacial phase transitions and microstructure evolution in metallic and ionic solids for electrochemical and microelectronic applications. After completing his PhD, he spent two years as a Research Engineer with the Hypersonics Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center. There, he led development of novel refractory alloys for hypersonic and space applications. He joined Dr. Sangid’s group as a Research Associate in August 2024, with research interests focused on bridging ground-up materials design, computational thermodynamics, and reliable production via additive manufacturing techniques. Outside of work, Luke’s hobbies include lifting weights, backpacking, and reading.

Vasilis Karamitros

vkaramit@purdue.edu

Vasilis is a research-oriented Materials Engineer with a Diploma (joint BEng & MEng degree) from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), graduating with honors (summa cum laude) in July 2018. For his master’s thesis entitled "Effect of Initial Microstructure on Phase Transformations of Low Alloyed Steel During Ultrafast Thermal Treatment" he developed diffusion models to understand the microstructure evolution in CrMo steels during ultrafast thermal cycles.

Vasilis defended his PhD thesis entitled "Modelling of Microstructure Sensitive Crack Growth in Ni Single Crystals" in July 2022 under the guidance of Prof. Fionn P.E. Dunne and Dr. Duncan W. MacLachlan at Imperial College London. His research focused on the prediction of the fatigue life in Ni single crystals using a physics-based methodology to study the effect of the local microstructure on the crack growth paths and rates.

Following his PhD, Vasilis started as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Imperial College London, specializing in 3D crack initiation in alpha-beta Ti-6Al-4V microstructures during dwell fatigue, supported by Rolls-Royce plc. He left his post in February 2023 to serve as a Military Engineer in the Hellenic Army, focusing on systems engineering.

Beyond his academic pursuits, Vasilis enjoys exploring interests in music, literature, and history.

Namit Narasimhan Pai

nnpai@purdue.edu

Namit Narasimhan Pai is originally from Karnataka, India. He earned his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from IIIT Jabalpur in June 2020. He then pursued his Ph.D. in the Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science at IIT Bombay, supported by the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF). Under the guidance of Prof. Anirban Patra and Prof. Indradev Samajdar, Namit completed his dissertation entitled “Correlating Misorientation, Segregation, and Residual Strains”, which he successfully defended in April of 2025.

Following his doctoral work, he continued as a Research Associate with Prof. Anirban Patra before joining Prof. Sangid’s ACME2 group at Purdue University in August 2025 as an Apollo 11 Postdoctoral Fellow. His current research focuses on the development and application of crystal plasticity modeling tools for rapid qualification of additively manufactured materials. Outside the lab, Namit enjoys reading novels, following sports and watching documentaries.

Chockalingam Senthilnathan

csenthil@purdue.edu

Chockalingam is from Chennai, India. His research interests broadly lie in the mechanics and physics of synthetic and living materials. He received his Bachelor of Technology (Honors) in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, with a minor in Materials Science, where his undergraduate research focused on ductile fracture nucleation in anisotropic materials. He completed his MS and PhD at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology under the supervision of Professor Tal Cohen. His research spanned a range of topics, including nonlinear shockwave evolution, viscoelastic characterization, cavitation, and growth mechanics. He defended his PhD in April 2024, with a dissertation developing a large-deformation swelling–growth theory to explain universal growth phenomena in biological systems.

As a Lillian Gilbreth Postdoctoral Fellow at Purdue University, Chockalingam worked with Professors Adrian Buganza Tepole and David Umulis on machine learning integrated phase-field modelling of brittle fracture as well as morphogenesis of growing cellular systems. He has since joined Professor Sangid’s group as a postdoctoral research associate where he investigates pore closure mechanics during Hot Isostatic Pressing of metallic alloys. Outside of work, he enjoys the great outdoors and is a national parks enthusiast.

Website - https://sites.google.com/site/chockalingamsenthilnathan/

Jose Javier Solano

jjsolanol@purdue.edu

Javi Solano is from The Woodlands, Texas. He graduated from the University of Houston in 2021 with his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Mathematics. Throughout his undergraduate studies Javi served as an instructor for engineering education programs in Houston-area elementary schools and at the University of Houston. In 2021 he was awarded the Barry Goldwater Scholarship for excellence in engineering education. Javi first began his research career at Purdue University in the summer of 2019, continuing in his role for 3 consecutive summers until enrolling in the graduate school in Spring 2022. In his previous work he documented and categorized crack evolution in a carbon fiber epoxy composite using synchrotron X-ray tomography at Argonne National Lab. This work has fueled his co-authorship on two scientific articles. Javi is interested in the micromechanical response of aerospace materials, specifically the computational modeling and prediction of defects and their effects on crack evolution. Outside the lab Javi’s hobbies include lifting weights, cheering for the Green Bay Packers, and learning to play the piano.

Leonidas Zisis

lzisis@purdue.edu

Leonidas comes from a small island in Greece. He received his Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, where he gained knowledge in structures, thermodynamics, and machine learning. Here, he defended his thesis “Machine Learning using R” where he utilized regression models and clustering algorithms to predict prices and categorize cars, respectively. During his Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering at the Northeastern University, he found his interest in mechanics and computer-aided simulation. Interested in aerospace technology, he joined the AerospaceNU club, where he collaborated with other students to design rocket parts to participate in competitions. Additionally, he landed a CO-OP at Festo, where he designed various custom products. Finally, he got admitted to the School of Aeronautics & Astronautics Engineering at Purdue University in August 2021 as a Ph.D. student to join Prof. Michael Sangid’s group. His work will focus on integrating synchrotron data and material modeling to investigate the mechanical behavior of deformation and failure of materials. In the free time, he likes playing aircraft simulation games, going hiking, watching movies, and of course, hanging out with friends.

Sai Harshit Gaddam

gaddam3@purdue.edu

Harshit has completed his dual degree ( 4 year Bachelors + 1 year Masters ) from the Aerospace Engineering department, IIT Kharagpur in the year 2022. During his bachelor's project he has worked on studying the stress analysis of 3D printed parts using the concepts of Representative Volume Elements, Homogenization. He was also awarded the ARTPARK scholarship for conducting a research project related to the applications of Machine learning and Artificial intelligence in engineering during his masters thesis. His research in this group will broadly focus on the applications of crystal plasticity finite element simulations to study the fatigue life of additively manufactured materials. He is a sports enthusiast and in his free time loves playing outdoor sports.

Andrew Roginski

aroginski@purdue.edu

Andrew Roginski is from Lafayette, IN. He completed his dual-degree program between Wabash College (Crawfordsville, IN) and Purdue University in 2019 with a B.A. in Mathematics and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, followed by a M.S. in Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering in 2022. During Andrew’s undergraduate studies at Purdue, he developed a passion for research through a few undergraduate research opportunities, including Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF).

In his graduate studies and Ph.D. work, Andrew’s research focuses on the physics and metallurgical description of the high strain-rate behavior of metallic alloys. He has worked on many projects including researching rate effects and loading configurations of different superalloys, aerospace alloys, steels, and aluminum alloys. He has also utilized some of the diagnostic tools offered by the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne National Laboratories. Andrew’s thesis work will involve researching the high strain-rate behavior of high-entropy alloys (HEAs).

In his spare time, Andrew enjoys playing sports and being active. He also enjoys video games, hiking, blacksmithing/forging, and spending time with friends/family.

Sean Skweres

sskweres@purdue.edu

Sean grew up in Magnolia, Texas near Houston. Being so close to the Johnson Space Center, he quickly became fascinated with space and aerodynamics. After graduating high school, he attended Colorado School of Mines, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. The curriculum at Mines inspired him to combine his passions of aerospace and mechanical concepts for his PhD. Sean first realized his passion for the research process when he installed a data acquisition system that monitored critical parameters on a Tunnel Boring Machine in Seattle, Washington. Later on, he joined the Mines Optical Diagnostics for Energy Systems (MODES) research lab where he focused on modelling and simulating ionic diffusion in battery electrolytes. In his free time, Sean enjoys playing tennis, hiking, biking, hunting, and fishing. He also plays percussion and drum set. This past summer before arriving at Purdue, he completed a 3-day, 20 mile backpacking trip in the Colorado wilderness. Sean will surely miss playing frisbee and tug of war with his dogs back in Colorado, but looks forward to the endless opportunities that await in Indiana.

Luca Loiodice

lloiodic@purdue.edu

Luca grew up in Corato, in the southern Italian region of Apulia, and received his bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from Politecnico di Torino, Italy in July 2023.

During his undergraduate studies, he covered the Lead role for the Desing & Additive Manufacturing division of PoliTo Rocket Team. Here he worked on the mechanical design and 3D printing of rocket components, contributing to the successful participation in Spaceport America Cup 2023, which saw the team winning the Dr. Gil Moore Award for Innovation. Luca finally worked on his bachelor’s thesis on the design, topology optimization, and 3D printing of structural flanges of the team rocket, supervised by Prof. Enrico Zappino and Alfonso Pagani.

Luca enrolled in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue and joined Prof. Michael Sangid’s ACME2 group in Fall 2023 as a PhD student. His research interests lie in material modeling for additive manufacturing, and he is currently focusing on assessing the influence of pore defects on the fatigue behavior of additively manufactured materials.

Outside the lab, Luca is very passionate about aviation and space exploration, enjoys traveling, hiking, reading, and watching tv shows, and looks forward to all the possibilities this new chapter in the United States will offer.

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Marco Zambolin

mzamboli@purdue.edu

Marco comes from Ivrea, a small town in the northern-east part of Italy. He completed an undergraduate program in Aerospace Engineering at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, where he learned the basics of structural analysis and space engineering. During his time there, he worked as a structural engineer in an ESA-funded team that had the focus on building an affordable bio-inspired Mars rover using new structural solutions and space technologies. Meanwhile, he also completed a minor program that focused on AI technologies, where he learned how to develop machine learning tools that can be used to solve more complex engineering problems. After receiving his bachelor’s degree, he decided to move to Purdue to pursue a Ph.D. in aerospace structures. His research in this group will focus on the use of machine learning techniques to estimate the lifetime of materials used in additive manufacturing under fatigue loads. Marco’s hobbies are playing basketball, reading books, and watching sports with friends.

Sharmila Nimbkar

snimbkar@purdue.edu

Sharmila Nimbkar was born and raised in Phoenix, AZ. In Spring of 2024, she received her bachelor’s in mechanical engineering at Arizona State University, where she also completed an undergraduate thesis researching the effects of local length scales on the estimation of void fraction distribution from x-ray tomography of spall damage in metallic samples. Now, her research interests lie at the intersection of material science, mechanical engineering, and aerospace.

Her internships have ranged at a variety of aerospace companies including Blue Origin, NASA Katherine Johnson, and Collins Aerospace. These experiences have fostered an understanding of finite element analysis, Python, engineering certification, and engineering change review. Outside of school, Sharmila enjoys bouldering, running, volleyball, and reading.

Thomas Barkauskas

tbarkau@purdue.edu

Thomas grew up in Mountain Lakes, NJ. He graduated from the Schreyer Honors College at the Pennsylvania State University with a B.S in Aerospace Engineering and a minor in Engineering Mechanics.

Thomas developed a passion for aerospace structures while studying under Professor Namiko Yamamoto as a member of her Advanced Composite and Engineered Materials Group. He researched methods to improve fatigue behaviors of nano-composite materials, presented his findings at the AIAA Conference in Montreal, Canada, and successfully defended his Honors thesis on Fatigue Behaviors of Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Plastics Integrated with Carbon-Nanotubes. Most recently, Thomas worked with a flight test team at Naval Air Systems Command, Naval Air Station, MD providing support to F-35 and F-18 subteams to ensure flight results were within necessary safety ranges and assisting Boeing in the development of helper scripts to run modeling tools to estimate parameters of future MQ-25 aircraft.

Joining the Purdue University School of Aeronautics and Astronautics in the fall of 2025 to pursue a master’s degree, Thomas will research varying designs of thermal protection systems for hypersonic and space vehicles and perform high temperature mechanical testing.

In his free time, Thomas enjoys cooking, playing piano and doing physical exercise.

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Mark Jin

jin609@purdue.edu

Mark is from Sydney, Australia where he was born and raised. Upon joining the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), he completed a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Aeronautical) at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) concurrently with military officer training at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA). Mark has been posted to RAAF Base Williamtown, where he worked as part of the Project Management Unit for the RAAF E-7A Wedgetail fleet. By 2025, Mark finished his time working on the E-7A projects and completed his Master of Project Management degree with UNSW. Upon completing his studies in structures and materials here at Purdue, he will be returning to the Australian Defence Aviation Safety Authority (DASA) in 2027 to work as part of the Aircraft Structural Integrity (ASI) team. Mark seeks out opportunities to travel the world and occasionally dabbles in baking cakes.

Austin Prevette

aprevett@purdue.edu

Austin was born and raised in Houston, TX. With a love of computers and rockets since he was six, he decided to pursue his education at Mississippi State University.

During his undergraduate career in aerospace engineering, he was the Vice President for the local Tau Beta Pi chapter, worked for Jacobs Engineering at NASA Marshall as a Structural Dynamics Intern, and worked for HPCC as a hypersonics CFD research engineer.

Additionally, he was an active member on the Space Cowboys undergraduate rocketry team. In Summer 2024, he became the simulations subteam lead. He created Project Archimedes, which overhauled the design and optimization software to include cluster-powered CFD, NOAA models, machine learning surrogate optimization, vibrational testing, and topology-metaoptimized metal AM structures. He was instrumental in the Space Cowboys 1st place win in the 30K COTS Category at IREC 2025. In the Spring of 2025, he graduated as a Stephen D. Lee Scholar with a bachelor’s in aerospace engineering.

Austin joined the ACME2 Lab as a Master’s student in Fall 2025. His research interests include applied machine learning, computational aerospace engineering, and metal AM. Outside the lab, he is a weightlifter, indoor botanist, CB radio enthusiast, and tornado chaser.

Se Yeon Kim

kim2675@purdue.edu

Seyeon was born and raised in South Korea and lived in OC, CA, for a couple of years. She graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2021 with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering.

During her time as an undergraduate, she grew a passion for experimental aerodynamic research, setting up wind tunnel experiments to measure the aerodynamic loads of a bi-stable airfoil. After graduation, she worked as a structural R&D engineer at Hanwha Aerospace, assessing fatigue and creep life, as well as the structural integrity, of aircraft gas turbine engine components, using ANSYS.

She joined the ACME2 Lab in Fall 2025, and her research focuses on small fatigue crack growth behaviors of AM nickel alloy. In her free time, Seyeon likes to try out various activities, her recent one being ballet, and her favorite being swimming.

Jack Devine

devine36@purdue.edu

Jack is an undergraduate student from Scotch Plains, New Jersey, majoring in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering with a concentration in Structures at Purdue. Beyond his studies in the ACME lab, Jack is an active member of Purdue Space Program’s Spaceport America team where he contributes to the design and fabrication of rocket hardware for the annual Spaceport America Cup. Jack also participated in the Purdue Grand Prix as part of the Shrevehart Racing Team, handling engineering and pit crew responsibilities for their go-kart. Additionally, he led the design efforts for a wind tunnel exhibit developed by the EPICS Speedway team for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. His interests outside academia include photography, radio scanning, and flight simulation.

Lucas Lovnander

llovnand@purdue.edu

Lucas grew up in Plano, Texas, and is currently working towards his B.S. in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering with a specialization in propulsion. During his undergraduate studies, he researched the implementation of green hydrogen in the mining industry. In August 2023, he traveled to Peru to collaborate with local students on methods to produce green hydrogen for use in Peruvian mines. He has now shifted focus and joined the group to study additive manufacturing. Outside of research, Lucas is an active member of the propulsion team at Purdue Orbital, a student-led rocketry group, where he contributes to the development of a student-made solid rocket motor. Lucas has a passion for spacecraft and aims to deepen his understanding of additive manufacturing processes and their future role in developing advanced propulsion systems. His personal interests include hiking, snowboarding, backpacking, music, and working out.

Michelle Eno

enom@purdue.edu

Michelle Eno is an undergraduate student from Virginia, majoring in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at Purdue University. At Purdue, she has contributed to the Lunabotics team by developing autonomous reverse-driving algorithms for a lunar excavation rover. Her work also includes collaborating on structural testing methods to evaluate the rover’s loading limitations and implementing key hardware upgrades to enhance performance. Her work also includes designing and prototyping universal joint systems for rocketry as a part of the Purdue Orbital Rocket Optimization Team. Outside of Purdue, she collaborates with Airduce, a company specializing in agricultural aviation, to develop CAD drawings and conduct 3D scans for a helicopter-based seed dispersal system designed to enhance agricultural efficiency. In her free time, she enjoys creating art, reading, and playing music.

Morgan McCoy

mccoymb@purdue.edu

Morgan McCoy is from the Woodlands, Texas. He graduated from Purdue with a Bachelor of Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering and a minor in Management in 2025 and is expecting to graduate with a Masters in Aeronautics and Astronautics in 2026. Morgan previously conducted research at the Institut für Werkstoffe at Technische Universität Braunschweig, where he first focused on characterizing laser parameters and later investigated post-processing procedures for additively manufactured titanium alloys. At Purdue, he serves as the president of the Model United Nations club, where he enjoys strategic negotiation and historical diplomacy simulations. In his free time, he focuses on maintaining a balance between running and weightlifting while continuously expanding his collection of recipes.

Arielle Chretien

achreti@purdue.edu

Arielle Chretien is an undergraduate student from Rockville, Maryland, majoring in Aerospace Engineering at Purdue. At Purdue, she is a member of the 3D printing club and serves as a supervisor for the lab, helping other students with CAD design and completing prints as well as conducting maintenance on the printers. She also served on two EPICS teams, as Project Archivist, and also Design Lead on the AAEE team, designing and building activities for Purdue Space Day. Outside of Purdue she is an employee at the Naval Research Lab, contributing to work in the creation of electrical systems for Naval Warfare objectives, and will be returning there in the summer. In her free time, she enjoys reading and writing, as well as weightlifting.

Karina Morar

kmorar@purdue.edu

Karina Morar is an undergraduate student from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, pursuing a degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering with a specialization in propulsion, along with a minor in Mathematics at Purdue University. Karina previously conducted research on rotating detonation engines focusing on liquid fuel dynamics to analyze spray interactions and detonation wave behavior. At Purdue, she serves as an undergraduate teaching assistant for CS159 and was a member of Purdue Undergraduate Rocket Propulsion Laboratories where she designed the fluid panels for a liquid rocket engine. In her free time, she enjoys teaching mat Pilates classes, traveling, and watching movies.

There are openings in the lab for motivated and hard-working individuals who are interested in a combination of materials science, solid mechanics, and manufacturing. Interested individuals should provide their CV and a statement indicating their areas of interest to Dr. Sangid (sangid@berkeley.edu).