My research area is the mechanics of engineering materials;
namely the formulation and support of structure-based
modeling frameworks to predict the mechanical properties,
such as the strength and stiffness, of complex alloys.
As such, my tasks are split fairly equally between designing
experiments and numerical modeling. Currently I am working
with methods for extrapolating 3-d distributions of
particular structural features of a class of alloys
from x-ray and neutron diffraction data in the form
of 2-d ‘snapshots’.
Of particular interest to me is the development a comprehensive
visual approach to teaching the fundamentals of vector
math, and possibly calculus consistent with regents’
physics requirements. In my experience, the mathematics
component of courses in the physical sciences is a stumbling
block for many students, often leading to frustration.
I believe that it is critical to first communicate the
concept of multi-dimensional data (e.g. vectors vs.
scalars) before attempting to manipulate it. Some simple
in-classroom experiments, possibly used in conjunction
with numeric simulations could serve as effective teaching
tools towards this end. I also enjoy the challenge of
putting fundamental lessons in the context of real-world
design challenges, which could be accomplished by student
projects. I look forward to working with teachers in
the classroom to explore and implement effective methods
for treating these rather abstract