Possible Ph.D. Thesis and Postdoctoral Projects
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We always put quality before quantity; We'd rather go without than have something shoddy;
We would rather leave the post vacant than have it filled by anybody unqualified for it.
Graduate Research Position in Advanced Manufacturing Design
(Last update: Feb. 2022)
We have plan to hire more graduate students for PhD program in 2023. If you have interest to apply, please contact Dr. Wei Xiong with your CV, cover letter, and transcripts attached in the email. If you use the contact form, please save these documents in network drive as a link attached in the contact form.
Important: The deadline for application to Graduate School at Pitt for materials science program is
Enrollment in Fall Term - Due for your application: January 15
Enrollment in Spring Term - Due for your application: July 1
Enrollment in Summer Term - Due for your application: February 1
We are expecting your TOEFL exam score will be higher than 100.
Please also note that Dr. Wei Xiong will not able to reply every inquiring emails for the enrollment, although we suggest you to send him all of your application package through contact form.
Important: The deadline for application to Graduate School at Pitt for materials science program is
Enrollment in Fall Term - Due for your application: January 15
Enrollment in Spring Term - Due for your application: July 1
Enrollment in Summer Term - Due for your application: February 1
We are expecting your TOEFL exam score will be higher than 100.
Please also note that Dr. Wei Xiong will not able to reply every inquiring emails for the enrollment, although we suggest you to send him all of your application package through contact form.
Postdoctoral Associate Position in Computational Materials Design and Advanced Microstructure Characterization
(Last update: Feb 2023)
One Postdoctoral Associate position is available at the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Pittsburgh. The postdoctoral associate will perform research studies in the Physical Metallurgy and Materials Design (PMMD) Laboratory (http://www.pitt.edu/~weixiong) directed by Prof. Wei Xiong. Since the lab performs both simulation and experiments for materials design, the opening accepts applications in both computational materials and microstructure characterization.
For application in Computational Materials Design, the candidates should be highly skilled in computational modeling of phase equilibria and phase transformations such as the CALPHAD method and ICME (Integrated Computational Materials Engineering). It is expected that candidates may be also familiar with basic materials characterization such as SEM/EBSD/EDS and mechanical testing. If the applicants only perform simulation, coding experience is desired since the research projects are expected to perform high-throughput calculations and machine learning, which will be applied to alloy design and additive manufacturing.
For application in Advanced Microstructure Characterization, candidates should be highly skilled in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) besides FIB/SEM/EDS/EBSD, although EPMA Electron Probe Microanalysis, thermal analysis, mechanical testing, and alloy preparation experience will be considered as good complementary skills but not required. This position is primarily open for alloy research, but the ones with experience in the composite are also highly encouraged to apply.
Candidates are expected to be highly independent with a solid research background in physical metallurgy or phase transformations. A good track record of peer-reviewed journal publications is essential for a successful application.
The postdoc will work with experts in computational materials, additive manufacturing (metals 3D printing), and microstructure characterization in the PMMD lab and MEMS department. University of Pittsburgh has a center equipped with Nanoscale Fabrication and Characterization Facility (NFCF). http://www.nano.pitt.edu/facilities. The research opportunity will help the successful candidate to strengthen the skills in ICME and materials characterization for materials and processing design and will significantly help for future career development.
Qualified applicants must have a doctoral degree in materials science, metallurgical engineering, or a similar field prior to beginning employment. Salaries will be commensurate with relevant experience and based on the prevailing wage for postdoctoral fellows set by the University of Pittsburgh. The contract will be renewed annually depending on performance. The University of Pittsburgh is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and values equality of opportunity, human dignity and diversity.
To apply, please submit the application documents to Prof. Wei Xiong ([email protected]) with an email titled “Postdoc Application by Your_Full_Name.” The application package should include a complete CV, transcripts of all degrees, a list of reference contact, and a cover letter (less than 2-page) summarizing your previous work and career goals (including an anticipated starting date). Review of applicants will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Applicants are encouraged to learn the research lab and the University of Pittsburgh through the website before application: http://www.pitt.edu/~weixiong. Although the expected starting time is Sept 2023, considering the COVID-19 pandemic and travel difficulties, the starting time will be negotiable, especially for the international applicants. The position will be open until filled.
For application in Computational Materials Design, the candidates should be highly skilled in computational modeling of phase equilibria and phase transformations such as the CALPHAD method and ICME (Integrated Computational Materials Engineering). It is expected that candidates may be also familiar with basic materials characterization such as SEM/EBSD/EDS and mechanical testing. If the applicants only perform simulation, coding experience is desired since the research projects are expected to perform high-throughput calculations and machine learning, which will be applied to alloy design and additive manufacturing.
For application in Advanced Microstructure Characterization, candidates should be highly skilled in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) besides FIB/SEM/EDS/EBSD, although EPMA Electron Probe Microanalysis, thermal analysis, mechanical testing, and alloy preparation experience will be considered as good complementary skills but not required. This position is primarily open for alloy research, but the ones with experience in the composite are also highly encouraged to apply.
Candidates are expected to be highly independent with a solid research background in physical metallurgy or phase transformations. A good track record of peer-reviewed journal publications is essential for a successful application.
The postdoc will work with experts in computational materials, additive manufacturing (metals 3D printing), and microstructure characterization in the PMMD lab and MEMS department. University of Pittsburgh has a center equipped with Nanoscale Fabrication and Characterization Facility (NFCF). http://www.nano.pitt.edu/facilities. The research opportunity will help the successful candidate to strengthen the skills in ICME and materials characterization for materials and processing design and will significantly help for future career development.
Qualified applicants must have a doctoral degree in materials science, metallurgical engineering, or a similar field prior to beginning employment. Salaries will be commensurate with relevant experience and based on the prevailing wage for postdoctoral fellows set by the University of Pittsburgh. The contract will be renewed annually depending on performance. The University of Pittsburgh is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and values equality of opportunity, human dignity and diversity.
To apply, please submit the application documents to Prof. Wei Xiong ([email protected]) with an email titled “Postdoc Application by Your_Full_Name.” The application package should include a complete CV, transcripts of all degrees, a list of reference contact, and a cover letter (less than 2-page) summarizing your previous work and career goals (including an anticipated starting date). Review of applicants will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Applicants are encouraged to learn the research lab and the University of Pittsburgh through the website before application: http://www.pitt.edu/~weixiong. Although the expected starting time is Sept 2023, considering the COVID-19 pandemic and travel difficulties, the starting time will be negotiable, especially for the international applicants. The position will be open until filled.
Research Positions for Undergraduates
We always welcome undergraduates to join our research lab to learn the research in materials design. We offer different research opportunities at the PMMD lab due to the close collaboration with industrial partners, and national labs.
At Pitt, thanks to the support of Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovations, we release some interesting research topics in different areas including additive manufacturing, alloy development, etc. If you have interests, please feel free to talk with Dr. Xiong by sending him an email.
https://www.engineering.pitt.edu/mcsi/URPApply/
At Pitt, thanks to the support of Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovations, we release some interesting research topics in different areas including additive manufacturing, alloy development, etc. If you have interests, please feel free to talk with Dr. Xiong by sending him an email.
https://www.engineering.pitt.edu/mcsi/URPApply/
Please fill out the contact form with your research interests and contact information.
Facts that you may not know about PMMD Lab, MEMS Department, and Pitt
University of Pittsburgh (Pitt):
Pitt is one of the oldest universities in the USA founded in the year 1787. According to US News ranking for the year 2020, University of Pittsburgh's is ranked as #18 in top public schools, #47 in Best Global Universities. UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) has been ranked 13th in the U.S. News and World Report's annual listing of best hospitals for 2015-2016, marking the health system's 16th appearance on the magazine's honor roll of best hospitals. In materials and mechanical engineering research, we have many collaborations with UPMC regarding biomedical materials development. We learn from each other and promote an interdisciplinary research environment. The PMMD Lab has projects on developing the next generation biomedical alloys, and now is exploring collaboration with UPMC for clinical applications.
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science (MEMS):
One strong research focus in materials science at the MEMS department is hard materials, including alloys and ceramics. Our department materials science program is not big in terms of faculty numbers and student enrollment. However, almost all of our faculty focuses on hard materials, especially alloys. Since both mechanical engineering and materials science programs are in the same department, we have close collaborations between mechanical engineers and materials scientists. In addition, our department has extremely close collaborations with the UPMC and Medical School for biomaterials and biomechanical research. According to my personal opinion, our department ranking in materials science program is very much underestimated due to less focus on other types of materials besides alloys such as polymer and soft materials. In addition, it is hard to perform a fair evaluation due to the combination of mechanical engineering and materials science. Although we understand it is hard to avoid some downside effects on the superficial parts (In fact, many students only care about ranking rather than supervisor and research directions, when they apply for the Ph.D. program...), we try our best to take such an advantage with interdisciplinary research opportunities. Students at the MEMS department have such an extraordinary environment to study both mechanical and materials programs. The faculty works together very often for both mechanical and materials engineering research, and we believe there should not be a gap between these two important engineering disciplines.
At MEMS, we have many top-notch instruments for alloy research studies. For example, our high-temperature in-situ TEM is probably the only one of the two high-temperature in-situ TEMs that can perform using the regular TEM sample. We have ANSYS additive manufacturing lab housing five additive manufacturing machines, and 4 of them are for metals research. We also have EMPA (Electron Microprobe Analysis), which can perform accurate composition analysis of light elements, oxides and carbides. It is not common for materials science department having this kind of instrument (To the best of our knowledge, as of Dec 2016, Universities in the State of Illinois do not have, and the State of Wisconsin only has one for geological research).
Physical Metallurgy and Materials Design Lab (PMMD):
Although we are a new lab at MEMS, we have full access to all of the research sources at Pitt from additive manufacturing to materials characterization. Thanks to the start-up fund supported by the MEMS department, we are now purchasing arc-melter with the function of suction casting, thermal analysis, high-temperature heat treatment furnaces, and quenching dilatometer. We have our own workstation for high-performance computing in addition to the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center (PSC) and Pitt center for simulation and modeling (SaM). It should be highlighted that we have very close collaboration with many industrial partners and national labs. For instance, Thermo-Calc software company supports us with VIP licenses for all of their products including Thermo-Calc, DICTRA, TC-Prisma and materials databases. We send PMMD Lab students to these companies and labs for internship, training and collaborative research. Therefore, students will gain experience in industry or national labs before their graduation.
So far, we are funded by different agencies, NASA, ONR, NSF and DOE (NETL and NEUP) and supported by companies.
Please click here for the news!
Pitt is one of the oldest universities in the USA founded in the year 1787. According to US News ranking for the year 2020, University of Pittsburgh's is ranked as #18 in top public schools, #47 in Best Global Universities. UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) has been ranked 13th in the U.S. News and World Report's annual listing of best hospitals for 2015-2016, marking the health system's 16th appearance on the magazine's honor roll of best hospitals. In materials and mechanical engineering research, we have many collaborations with UPMC regarding biomedical materials development. We learn from each other and promote an interdisciplinary research environment. The PMMD Lab has projects on developing the next generation biomedical alloys, and now is exploring collaboration with UPMC for clinical applications.
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science (MEMS):
One strong research focus in materials science at the MEMS department is hard materials, including alloys and ceramics. Our department materials science program is not big in terms of faculty numbers and student enrollment. However, almost all of our faculty focuses on hard materials, especially alloys. Since both mechanical engineering and materials science programs are in the same department, we have close collaborations between mechanical engineers and materials scientists. In addition, our department has extremely close collaborations with the UPMC and Medical School for biomaterials and biomechanical research. According to my personal opinion, our department ranking in materials science program is very much underestimated due to less focus on other types of materials besides alloys such as polymer and soft materials. In addition, it is hard to perform a fair evaluation due to the combination of mechanical engineering and materials science. Although we understand it is hard to avoid some downside effects on the superficial parts (In fact, many students only care about ranking rather than supervisor and research directions, when they apply for the Ph.D. program...), we try our best to take such an advantage with interdisciplinary research opportunities. Students at the MEMS department have such an extraordinary environment to study both mechanical and materials programs. The faculty works together very often for both mechanical and materials engineering research, and we believe there should not be a gap between these two important engineering disciplines.
At MEMS, we have many top-notch instruments for alloy research studies. For example, our high-temperature in-situ TEM is probably the only one of the two high-temperature in-situ TEMs that can perform using the regular TEM sample. We have ANSYS additive manufacturing lab housing five additive manufacturing machines, and 4 of them are for metals research. We also have EMPA (Electron Microprobe Analysis), which can perform accurate composition analysis of light elements, oxides and carbides. It is not common for materials science department having this kind of instrument (To the best of our knowledge, as of Dec 2016, Universities in the State of Illinois do not have, and the State of Wisconsin only has one for geological research).
Physical Metallurgy and Materials Design Lab (PMMD):
Although we are a new lab at MEMS, we have full access to all of the research sources at Pitt from additive manufacturing to materials characterization. Thanks to the start-up fund supported by the MEMS department, we are now purchasing arc-melter with the function of suction casting, thermal analysis, high-temperature heat treatment furnaces, and quenching dilatometer. We have our own workstation for high-performance computing in addition to the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center (PSC) and Pitt center for simulation and modeling (SaM). It should be highlighted that we have very close collaboration with many industrial partners and national labs. For instance, Thermo-Calc software company supports us with VIP licenses for all of their products including Thermo-Calc, DICTRA, TC-Prisma and materials databases. We send PMMD Lab students to these companies and labs for internship, training and collaborative research. Therefore, students will gain experience in industry or national labs before their graduation.
So far, we are funded by different agencies, NASA, ONR, NSF and DOE (NETL and NEUP) and supported by companies.
Please click here for the news!
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