Welcome! We are a research group in the Materials Science and Engineering Department at the University of Pennsylvania, located in urban Philadelphia.

Small Scale Micro- and Nanomechanics & Materials Group

How do materials deform at the micro- and nanoscale when atomic-level processes dominate?  How can we intelligently and efficiently engineer materials with functional properties at various length scales that are exposed to complex loading and harsh environments?  How can we manipulate and measure the properties of nanoscale materials that cannot be seen with the naked eye?

Our group aims to answer fundamentally inspired and technologically relevant questions about how advanced engineering materials undergo deformation.  The insight gained from our work will enable the design and use of next-generation computers, micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS), nanotechnological devices for medical, electronic, and sensing applications, and energy generation and storage devices.  We use innovative and cutting-edge experimental techniques to study the complex interplay between events occurring at atomic length scales and macroscopic materials properties.  The correlation between structure at various length scales and properties is the overarching theme of our research.  Equipped with knowledge about mechanisms for deformation in advanced materials, we strive to engineer and tailor properties for functional use.