Asta Research Group – Computational Materials Science

Ordering in High Entropy Alloys

How local moments on Cr atoms influence bulk mechanical properties of advanced alloys

Chromium Solvation in Molten Floride Salts

Understanding how to mitigate corrosion in metal/molten-salt systems using ab-initio molecular dyanamics

High-Throughput Atomistic Calculations

Developing tools for materials discovery using machine learning and data science

Microstructural Effects in Dealloying

Predicting how metals evolve in nuclear reactors

Welcome to the Asta Group

We leverage state-of-the-art computational techniques and resources to study advanced materials for the next generation of engineering technologies. Our current research area focuses include advanced structural alloys, functional semiconductors, Generation IV nuclear reactor materials, and code development. We are located in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley.

Recent News

September 2021

Shivani passes her qualifying exam to advance to Ph.D. candidacy – congratulations Shivani!

The Asta Group welcomes a new member, Buyu Zhang. Welcome, Buyu!
August 2021

Nick’s work on chromium solvation in molten fluoride salts in published in Journal of Molecular Liquids.
The group welcomes a two new members: Iwnetim Abate, who will be joining as a Miller and Presidential Postdoctoral fellow, and Wenqing Wang, who joins as a Ph.D. student co-advised by Professor Ritchie

Sheng’s, Anas’s, and Mark’s work on short range ordering and dislocation mobility in refractory HEAs is published in Nature Comms.

Sheng leaves the group to begin a job at Lam Research Corporation.
July 2021

The Asta group says goodbye to Shahriar, who will be joining General Motors as an AI/ML Scientist.
May 2021

Anas’s and Mark’s coauthored work on chirality in telluride crystals is published in Science.
Luke graduates with a BS in MSE, and earns the NDSEG fellowship for his graduate studies!
April 2021

The Asta Group welcomes Andrea Hwang, a new Ph.D. student. Welcome to the group, Andrea!

Flynn advances to Ph.D candidacy – congratulations, Flynn!
March 2021

Anas is awarded a graduate fellowship from the UC National Laboratory Fees Research Program. Congrats Anas!
January 2021

Madelyn passes the MSE Preliminary Exam – congratulations Madelyn!
Lu’s work on twin nucleation from < c+a > dislocations in HCP metals is published in Acta Materialia.
December 2020

Jay receives his Ph.D. and will start as a Research Scientist at A*STAR. Congratulations, Jay!
October 2020

Anas’s and Mark’s coauthored work on electroplasticity is published in Nature Materials. Shahriar’s, David’s, and Mark’s coauthored paper on oxygen impurities in Titanium is published in Science Advances.

More News…