Asta Research Group – Computational Materials Science

Ordering in High Entropy Alloys

How the local moments of 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

January 2022

Anas’s molecular dynamics study of short-range ordering effects on screw dislocation mobility in Ni-Al is published in Scripta Materialia.
December 2021

Lu graduates with her Ph.D. in MSE – congratulations, Lu!
November 2021

Shivani and Mark’s coauthored work on optoelectronic properties of tellurium halide perovskites is published in the Journal of Physical Chemistry.
October 2021

Shahriar and Mark’s coauthored work on the mechanical property effects of aluminum and oxygen solutes in titanium is published in Nature Comms.
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, Anas, 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 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.

More News…