Graduate Students

Connor Pierce (Ph.D. Candidate, Mechanical Science and Engineering)
Email: cpierce3@illinois.edu

I joined the Wave Propagation and Metamaterials Lab in January 2018 after completing my B.S. and M.Eng. degrees in mechanical engineering at the Rochester Institute of Technology. During my undergraduate degree, I completed one co-op with Cummins Emissions Solutions (2014) and three co-ops with the Universal Instruments Corporation (2015, 2016, and 2017). My research focuses on developing structural metamaterials with band gaps for vibration mitigation and includes both computational and experimental components. In my spare time, I enjoy building and flying model rockets, hiking and camping, playing basketball, and reading Ganesh’s memes.

Elizabeth (Betsy) Smith (Ph.D. Candidate, Mechanical Science and Engineering)
Email: esmith19@illinois.edu

I completed a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 2015 at the University of Wyoming. In the Fall of 2018, I joined the Wave Propagation and Metamaterials Lab working on determining damage in materials using linear and nonlinear ultrasound. Before coming to Illinois, I worked at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on Main Propulsion Systems. In addition to academics, I enjoy playing music, hiking, learning how to sail, and swing dancing.

Josh Tempelman (Ph.D. Candidate, Mechanical Science and Engineering)
Email: jrt7@illinois.edu

I completed my bachelor’s degree in engineering (BSE) and math minor from Calvin College (now Calvin University) in 2018. As an undergraduate, I did research on aeroacoustics with application to the auto industry. After my bachelor’s, I completed a master’s in mechanical engineering (MSME) at Michigan State University with a focus on topological data analysis. I also work for Los Alamos National Laboratory as a graduate assistant performing research that combines signal processing, machine learning, and additive manufacturing. I joined WPM in Fall 2020. My research in WPML focuses on developing new models for directing energy transfer and controlling wave propagation in periodic materials. This work is co-advised by Prof. Alexander Vakakis in the Linear and Nonlinear Dynamics and Vibrations Lab. I enjoy hiking, playing hockey, and reading in my free time.

Nusrat Jahan Salim (Ph.D. Candidate, Mechanical Science and Engineering)
Email: njsalim2@illinois.edu

I completed my BS in Mechanical Engineering in 2017 from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and worked as a lecturer in the same institution for roughly three years after graduating. Prior to joining the Wave Propagation and Metamaterials Lab, I have worked on modifying the band-gap of zinc oxide semiconductor with the inclusion of reduced graphene oxide. My primary research interests are in the field of multifunctional materials and mechanics of materials. I spend my leisure time writing stories and watching movies.

Sangwon Park (Ph.D. Student, Mechanical Science and Engineering)
Email: sangwon7@illinois.edu

I joined WPML in Summer 2021 after completing my B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering at Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea. During my master’s study, I focused on structural vibration and vibro-acoustics. My current research interest is in phononic materials for flow control, and I aim to elucidate the complicated fluid-structure interaction between the phononic materials and the flow. My goal requires both computational and experimental approaches. Other than research, I try to work out on a weekly basis and enjoy playing soccer and biking in my spare time. I’m also into filming and video editing.

Hyelim Do (Ph.D. Candidate, Mechanical Science and Engineering)
Email: hyelimd2@illinois.edu

I completed my B.S. in Energy Resources Engineering and M.S. in Computational Science and Technology from Seoul National University. During the first year of my master’s, I participated in a project focused on seismic propagation modeling and inversion algorithms using FDM and FEM. After that, I worked for the Korea Institute of Science and Technology to conduct interdisciplinary research on physical modeling experiments with 3D printed results. My current research in WPML focuses on computational and experimental characterization of material properties and microstructure using linear and nonlinear ultrasound. In my free time, I enjoy tennis, pickleball, watching movies, and spending time with my friends.

Luis M. Baldelomar Pinto (Ph.D. Student, Mechanical Science and Engineering)
Email: luismb2@illinois.edu

I completed my B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in May 2021 at the University of Southern Indiana (USI). As an undergrad, I participated in a project focused on compliant mechanisms at USI. I also completed an online Summer Research Program at MIT with a project related to photobioreactors (2020). I joined the WPM Lab in Fall 2021. My current research focuses on the design of metamaterials for applications involving high strain-rate and high loading. During my free time, I enjoy reading, cooking, and watching documentaries and movies.

Md Kamruzzaman (Ph.D. Student, Mechanical Science and Engineering)
Email: mdk6@illinois.edu

I have completed my B.Sc and M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) in 2016 and 2019 respectively. I also served in the same institution as a lecturer for almost five years. In my M.Sc. study, I worked on the thermal and mechanical cycling fatigue life calculation of electronic packages using finite element analysis. I joined the Wave Propagation and Metamaterials Lab in the Spring 2022 semester. My research mainly focuses on the study of nonlinear wave propagation in contact phononic materials. Besides studying, I like reading books and watching videos.

Taojun Wang (Ph.D. Student, Mechanical Science and Engineering)
Email: taojunw2@illinois.edu

I completed my B.S in Engineering Mechanics in 2020 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I worked in The Robotics, Automation, and Dance (RAD) Lab when I was in undergraduate school. I joined the Wave Propagation and Metamaterials Lab in Summer 2022. My current focus area is wave propagation and energy transmission in nonlinear periodic material structures. Besides the research, I enjoy hiking, cooking and photography.

Allison Rzepka (Ph.D. Candidate, Mechanical Science and Engineering)
Email: rzepka2@illinois.edu

I completed a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering at Cornell University with a minor in Fiber Science in 2020. During undergrad, I performed research exploring the mechanical response of composites and mechanically activated conductors. Prior to joining the Wave Propagation and Metamaterials Lab, I worked on ultra-high temperature materials for aerospace applications and was a peer reviewer for the Journal of the European Ceramics Society. My research with WPML focuses on a new class of metamaterials called Architected Granular Media (AGMs) and I explore their response under high impact loading conditions. In addition to academics, I’m a member of the Students Advising Graduate Education Board, and I enjoy staying active (boxing, hiking, soccer), and baking (pies, cakes, cookies).