Resume Theoretical materials physicist with postdoctoral research experience
Profile
  • Developed,  implemented and employed novel computational methods and algorithms for the prediction, discovery and characterization of advanced energy materials.
  • Initiated and carried out international collaborations, with researchers from France, Germany, Japan, Iran, India and the USA.

Complete list of publications can be found here or on google scholar.

Experience
Visiting Scientist2017 - nowCornell University, USA
  • Quantum Monte Carlo methods in materials science
  • High-pressure materials chemistry
  • Autonomous materials discovery
Postdoctoral Appointment2019 - nowBern University, Switzerland
  • Complex oxides for electrochemical applications
Postdoctoral Appointment2015 - 2017Northwestern University, USA
  • Computational discovery and design of thermoelectric materials
  • Investigation of high-pressure intermetallics in ambient-immiscible systems
  • Discovery of novel superconducting materials and materials for metal ion batteries
Postdoctoral Appointment2012 - 2015Basel University, Switzerland
  • Development of advanced sampling method for materials prediction
  • Prediction of hydrides for hydrogen storage and advanced materials for photovoltaic applications
Education
PhD in Theoretical Physics2012Basel University, Switzerland

Thesis title: “Crystal Structure Prediction Based on Density Functional Theory” With highest honor (summa cum laude)

Master of Science in Physics2009Basel University, Switzerland

Grade: 6.0/6.0

Bachelor of Science in Physics2007Basel University, Switzerland

Grade: 5.5/6.0

Invited Talks
10/2017

"Structure Predictions with the Minima Hopping Method'' at the "Materials Science & Technology Conference'' in Pittsburgh, PA, USA

2/2017

“Computational Approaches to Materials for Energy Applications” at the “TMS 2017 146 th Annual Meeting and Exhibition” in San Diego, CA, USA

6/2016

“Materials Genome and Structure Optimization: Theory and Application of Structural Optimization via Minima Hopping” at the “ES 2016 Workshop” in Albuquerque, NM, USA

12/2015

“Computational Discovery of Materials” at the Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, DC, USA

5/2014

“Designing Materials with the Minima Hopping Method” at the “20th Annual IASBS Meeting on Condensed Matter Physics” in Zanjan, Iran

1/2014

“Ab Initio Structure Prediction with the Minima Hopping Method” at the “Interna- tional workshop on computational physics and materials science (“Total energy and force methods”) in Lausanne, Switzerland

4/2013

“Novel Structural Motifs in Alanates” at the “6th International ABINIT Developer Workshop” in Dinard, France

12/2012

“Structural Prediction” at the workshop “2nd Lyon School on Ab Initio Methods” in Lyon, France

Additionally, over 20 attended conferences with contributed talks and poster presentations (details available upon request)

Awards
HPCwire Award2018Best Use of HPC in Physical Sciences

Reader's choice award from HPCwire, the leading publication for news and information for the high performance computing industry, "Best Use of HPC in Physical Sciences", for using data-driven machine learning on Bridges to study the “high-pressure materials genome”, discovering new superconducting CuBi compounds, the first iron-bismuth compound and new TiO2 structures with potential for photocatalytic water splitting.

Extended Research Grant$ 25Kfrom the Swiss National Science Foundation

Improved Methods for Theoretical Materials Design - High-Pressure Materials

Research Grant$ 125Kfrom the Swiss National Science Foundation

Improved Methods for Theoretical Materials Design

Research Grant$ 80KNovartis Universität Basel Excellence Scholarship for Life Sciences

Structure Prediction of Molecular Crystals

Compute Resource Award4.8 Mio CPU hrs.from the Swiss National Computing Center (CSCS)

Phase-stability of superconducting intermetallics from Quantum Monte Carlo simulations

Compute Resource Award9 Mio CPU hrs.from the Swiss National Computing Center (CSCS)

Discovery of Energy Materials Through Large-Scale Lattice Dynamics

Compute Resource Award2 Mio CPU hrs.from the Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE)

Materials Discovery Through Data Driven Structural Search and Heusler Nanostructures for Energy Applications

Compute Resource Award0.7 Mio CPU hrs.from the Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE)

Development and application of advanced electronic structure methods in materials chemistry