Multiple PhD positions are now available in the department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Vermont starting Fall 2020. Successful candidates will be under the supervision of Dr. Jihong Ma. Dr. Ma’s research focuses on understanding the physical properties of materials with complex structures at multiple scales (from nano- to macroscale) via a combination of theoretical analysis, numerical simulations and experimental characterizations. The goal is to uncover or enhance material performance characteristics for industrial, medical, and aerospace applications. Interested topics include computational nanomaterials and mechanical metamaterials. Programming experience and a strong mathematical background is required. Research experience with DFT, DFTB, MD and/or MM is preferred but not required for the position in nanomaterials. FEM experience is strongly preferred for the position in metamaterials. Students with background in physics, materials science, chemistry, mechanics, engineering and mathematics are welcome to apply. Applicants with master’s degree are preferred. Master’s and undergraduate students, visiting scholars and students are also welcome to join us.
If interested, please contact Dr. Ma at maxxx552[at]umn[dot]edu with your CV (including a list of publications), a statement of research interests (with a specific area of research), course transcripts, GRE scores, and contact information of two references. International students should also meet the minimum requirements of English proficiency (TOEFL>100 or IELTS>7.0 to qualify for funding, and TOEFL>90 or IELTS>6.5 for graduate admission. Please visit https://www.uvm.edu/graduate/international_students for more details). Please also attach your TOEFL or IELTS scores if you are an international applicant. For more information, please visit the group webpage. The deadline for Fall 2020 application is 2/1/2020. Please contact Dr. Ma and complete the online application before the deadline.
*Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
About UVM:
The university of Vermont (UVM) is a public research university in Burlington, Vermont. Founded in 1791, UVM is among the oldest universities in the United States and is the fifth institution of higher education established in the New England region of the U.S. northeast. It is also listed as one of the original eight “Public Ivy” institutions in the United States. UVM is a land-grant, space-grant, and sea-grant research university. According to Forbes “America’s Top Colleges”, UVM ranks 28th in the “Public Colleges” category and 64th among “Research Universities.”
Burlington, VT is in the New England area, within driving distance of Boston, New York, Montreal, and Ottawa. According to CNBC, Vermont ranks No. 1 among the ten best places to live in America. Forbes also ranked the city the “prettiest” places in America. Vermont’s largest hospital, the UVM Medical Center, is located within the city limits. The City of Burlington also has Vermont’s largest airport, the Burlington International Airport. In 2015, Burlington became the first city in the U.S. to run entirely on renewable energy. The city is also home to various companies including General Electrics, General Dynamics, G.S. Blodgett Company, etc.