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 Materials Process Design & Control Laboratory
"To address critical material
needs through innovative computational 
research, education & outreach"
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Positions Available Suggested Curriculum for Doctoral Studies
Graduate Studies

Postdoc Position Openings at MPDC (Fall 2009)

MPDC announces a number of post doctoral position openings. These positions are available immediately (starting date flexible) with a duration of two years. The successful applicants must have completed a Ph.D. in the areas of computational mechanics/materials science/physics or mathematics with a proven capacity for world-class research that is reflected in a strong publication record.

Experience in some of the following areas is desirable: multiscale modeling of materials, electronic structure calculations, solution of stochastic PDEs, parametric modeling in high-dimensional spaces, Bayesian inference & high-performance computing.

Interested candidates should e-mail Prof. N. Zabaras attaching a professional CV that includes educational background, experience, and links to publications. The application should also include names, affiliation, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses of three individuals who could provide letters of reference, if needed.

Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) Position Openings (PhD program only) at MPDC (Spring or Fall 2010)

Several graduate research assistantships (GRAs) are available at MPDC for the academic year 2009-2010. We are looking for mature, professional and intelligent applicants from around the world who are highly self-motivated in pursuing a Ph.D. in the interface of computational mathematics and materials. We will consider applications for admission in Spring 2010 - January 1, 2010 (deadline for applying November 1, 2009) and/or Fall 2010 - August 15, 2010 (deadline for applying January 1, 2010). The electronic submission system for entering the graduate program in January or August 2010 will be accepting applications starting August 1, 2009. Complete information for applying to the Mechanical Engineering (ME) or the Aerospace Engineering (AE) fields is available on the Cornell graduate school web site.

Three recommendation letters, academic transcripts, GRE General Test and TOEFL scores, a resume indicating research experience and academic ranking, a research statement of purpose clearly addressing qualifications and interests for the open positions at MPDC, research publications (if any) and a non-refundable application fee are required for applying to Cornell's graduate program. Minimum TOEFL score requirements: reading (20), writing (20), listening (15), and speaking (22). For any additional information, please consult Marcia Sawyer who administers the ME and AE fields.

All applicants are required to document their background and interests in computational sciences. Additional requirements include strong mathematical background, substantial C++ programming skills, background in materials, solid/fluid mechanics and physics, and prior exposure to probability and statistics. Applicants are required to have a B.S. degree in any area of engineering, applied mathematics or physics. Applicants with an M.S. degree and/or prior documented research experience in related fields are particularly encouraged to apply. We are aggressively recruiting qualified female and under-represented minority students. Open GRA positions target all aspects of stochastic/statistical multiscale/multiphysics modeling and design of materials.

Those interested in these positions are required to apply online directly to the Cornell Graduate School (ME or AE fields) as indicated above (select the area of `Engineering Materials'). Indicate explicitly in your application your interest to work in our laboratory and your related qualifications. Once your electronic submission is complete and in order to accelerate the review process, we recommend that you notify us via Email at this address (feel free to provide in this Email any additional information/documentation that may enhance your application -- papers, reports, etc.)

If you are thinking of applying to our PhD program but you are not sure if you qualify for these positions, please read the attached document which has been compiled from questions and answers to perspective graduate students and also from our own experience with graduate students over the last few years. For additional inquiries, please contact Prof. N. Zabaras.


Suggested Curriculum for Doctoral Studies

The main focus of our work is on the multiscale stochastic modeling and design of materials. All graduate students participating in this research are expected that, in addition to specializing in particular area(s) in the mechanics and physics of materials, will also aquire a strong background (effectively a minor) in mathematics, stochastic/statistical modeling and/or computational sciences.

The following includes a list of suggested readings for graduate students joining MPDC to identify potential graduate courses of interest. A key feature of our program is the requirement for all students to participate to some level of research activity immediately upon joining MPDC. This approach helps students to fine tune their courses to research objectives but mainly allows them for an early development of an independent & creative thinking needed for a succesfull researcher.


Suggested readings in Mechanics and Physics of Materials:


Suggested readings in Computational Mathematics, Statistics and Stochastic Modeling:


Suggested readings in Applied Mathematics and Stochastic Analysis: