My name is Vaibhav Sharma. I have done my bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (M.E.) from Kurukshetra University (India). During this period, I have completed two internships – one at Mahindra and Mahindra Limited (India) and another at Chottu Ram Thermal Plant (India). Presently, I am a Ph.D. student in Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering program at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). In the Advanced Material Processing Laboratory, I work as a graduate research assistant where I study and characterize multifunctional magnetic materials. Going forward, I am interested in pursuing projects centered on additive manufacturing of magnets. In addition to my studies, I enjoy watching movies, listening to music, going new places, going to gym to work out and swimming. I also enjoy exploring and learning the functioning and characteristics of different cars models.
During his Ph.D. at VCU, Dr. Dustin Clifford developed a well-controlled chemical synthesis of fine particles of Iron Cobalt alloy (FeCo) for fundamental study of the direct effect of the chemistry parameters on the resulting materials’ magnetic properties enabling their direct tunability. Room-temperature ferromagnets of FeCo, offer a tunable magnetic hardness (coercivity) based on size control and high saturation magnetization, even at elevated temperatures (high Curie point). During this time, Dr. Dustin Clifford also explored, or modified, synthesis techniques for magnetic materials based on carbides, metals and oxides of Fe and Co for permanent magnet development. Recently Dr. Dustin Clifford joined Prof. Barua’s research team at VCU in 2019 to study complex structure-property correlations over a much broader range of functional magnetic material systems such as Iron Rhodium (FeRh), Aluminum Iron Boride (AlFe2B2) and Manganese Zinc Ferrite (MnZnFO). These magnetic materials, among others, at precise compositions and structures, display a tunable phase transition near ambient temperatures which offers a large range of technological applications, i.e. magnetic refrigeration technology. Dr. Dustin Clifford’s strengths lie in developing the chemistry, or post-processing controls, in order to tailor the materials’ magnetic properties with an emphasis on finite size effects in fine particle systems. Dr. Dustin Clifford combines his magnetic particle synthesis, development and characterization experience with Prof. Radhika Barua’s bulk magnetic material synthesis expertise and vast knowledge of magnetic property development for thermal management devices not only to seek new magnetofunctional material systems, but to exploit those tunable magnetic properties (magnetostructural transition temperature) in known ones.
Jordan Jennings is a current senior at Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School in Richmond, Virginia. She is a fellow in the Dean’s Early Research Initiative (DERI) program and conducts research under Dr. Radhika Barua, an assistant professor within the VCU Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Department, alongside two graduate students. Their research involves the design of magnetic materials, as well as their characterizations and syntheses. Jordan hopes to earn her M.S. in mechanical engineering and go on to work for the Navy. When she isn’t glued to her computer screen doing work, she enjoys volunteering at the Science Museum of Virginia and attending her local youth group. She can be contacted at jojennings07@gmail.com or jjennings@gsgis.k12.va.us.
Anthony Duong is an undergraduate student at Virginia Commonwealth University studying Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering. In his free time, Anthony enjoys model building, drawing and working on cars. He started his academic career in the fall of 2017 and he strives to get his doctorate. He is working towards building a career that focuses on research in the field of automotive design and environmentally conscious mechanisms. His ultimate goal is to pioneer innovative mechanisms that increase efficiency of machines as well as work on tools that help to reduce environmental damage.