Achievement

Trainee Cindy Byer has been studying dislocation growth and failure of single crystal magnesium using samples created using a focused ion beam. These small scale samples are studied before and after compressive loading in order to determine the plane of failure and the effects of dislocations on failure. Her home department is Mechanical Engineering, in which she began in experimental mechanics. However, through the MCS IGERT she gained exposure to molecular dynamics tools and was able to apply these MD models to help validate some of the conclusions she drew from the experimental observations. Some of this work has culminated in a submission to Acta Materialia that is currently under review.