People

David Cereceda

Faculty

Dr. David Cereceda is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Villanova University. Prior to this, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Johns Hopkins University, within the Hopkins Extreme Materials Institute where he investigated with Prof. Lori Graham-Brady the dynamic fragmentation of brittle materials under extreme loading conditions. Dr. Cereceda received his Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from Polytechnic University of Madrid in 2015. His Ph.D. research, performed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and University of California Los Angeles under the guidance of Prof. Jaime Marian and Prof. José Manuel Perlado, was focused on the multiscale modeling of body-centered cubic metals like tungsten.

His current research focuses on facilitating the discovery, development, and deployment of next-generation structural and bio-inspired materials by creating and validating computational models that leverage physically-based and data-driven techniques.

Besides his passion for research and education, you can find him exploring new hikes with his family, sailing on the Bay, or playing the clarinet.

Google Scholar

Md Rajib Khan Musa

Postdoc

Musa's research project focuses on studying the surface effects of tungsten-based plasma-facing materials through first-principles DFT calculations. Prior to joining the M4L Lab, Musa was a postdoc in Michele Pavanello’s group at Rutgers Newark. He obtained his Ph.D. in computational condensed matter
physics from the University of Louisville, Kentucky, working with Prof. Ming Yu.

Yichen Qian

Ph.D. Candidate

My current research focuses on using density functional theory to calculate the mechanical properties of structural materials. In particular, I am studying how the mechanical properties of tungsten alloys change while exposed to first wall fusion conditions. In my free time, I enjoy discovering delectable food and exploring new cooking recipes.

Daniella Tagliaferri

Graduate student MSME Class of 2024

Daniella Tagliaferri is pursuing an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering alongside a minor in biomedical engineering. Her interests stem from the field of prosthetics and biomechanics. As part of the M4L team, Daniella is using computational models to better understand and prevent bone fracture. Outside of her classwork, Daniella is the president of the Pi Tau Sigma Honor Society, a CEER Peer, and loves to play soccer.

Jie Peng

Postdoc

Jie’s project aims at understanding the temperature effect on the structure and mechanical behavior of tungsten-based plasma-facing materials. Before joining the Villanova group, Jie obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland and worked as a Postdoc at Purdue, both in the area of nanoscale heat transfer. In his spare time, he likes watching soccer games, playing tennis and badminton

Aasif Majeed

Ph.D. Candidate

Jessica Hoover

Graduate student

MSME Class of 2024

Jessica Hoover is pursuing an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Biomedical Engineering and is interested in biomechanics. As a part of the M4L team, she is utilizing microstructural models of bone to predict fracture propagation. Outside of the lab, Jessica is the Vice President of the Pi Tau Sigma Honor Society and a member of the Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity. She also enjoys hiking and film photography.

Alumni

Daniel Wagner

Graduate student MSME Class of 2025

Daniel Wagner is pursuing a masters in Mechanical Engineering after receiving his B.S in Biomedical Engineering. His interests are in the fields of biomechanics, mechanical design, and machine learning. Outside of school, Daniel enjoys playing baseball and basketball and an avid Phillies sports fan.