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Brennan received a B.A. in physics with a minor in mathematics from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2021. He is now a PhD student in the physics department working under the supervision of Dr. Suxing Hu. He is interested in HED astrophysical systems, specifically applying computational models to the crystallization of white dwarfs.
John Cappelletti is a first year PhD student at the University of Rochester in the Mechanical Engineering Department. He completed dual B.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Physics with a minor in Mathematics at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He worked as a test engineer and research scientist at an inertial confinement fusion and pulsed-power start-up company for six years before going back to school at UNC Charlotte to receive a M.S. in Optical Science and Engineering. He is excited to start working with the HEDP Theory Group at LLE under supervision of Suxing Hu. His current project is developing a high-performance and real-space density-functional theory code (“MELIORA”), based on finite-element discrete-variable-representation.
Justin D’Souza is a PhD student in the Physics Department at the University of Rochester. Previously, he received a B.A. in physics with highest honors from SUNY Geneseo in 2020. Justin joined the HEDP-Theory group at LLE in the spring of 2022 where he works under the supervision of Dr. Shuai Zhang. His current project will use iterative Boltzmann inversion to generate ab initio quality empirical potentials for use in large-scale classical simulations. In his free time, Justin enjoys playing chess and solving Rubik’s cubes.
Dylan Durkee is a PhD student in the Physics Department at the University of Rochester. He completed a B.S. in physics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in the spring of 2020 and began studies at the UR later that year. He joined the HEDP Theory Group under the supervision of Dr. Suxing Hu in 2022 and is interested in the design and understanding of materials under extreme pressure and temperature conditions. Prior to joining the group he worked extensively with diamond-anvil cells on the experimental side of high-pressure research. In his free time, Dylan enjoys the outdoors and learning the guitar.
Rati is a Ph.D. student in the Physics Department at the University of Rochester. He received his bachelor’s degree in physics from Free University of Tbilisi in 2019. Rati joined the LLE’s HEDP Theory group in 2021 and he is working under the supervision of Dr. Valentin Karasiev on the Ph.D. thesis concentrated on the development and applications of finite-temperature density functional theory.
Josh is A PhD student in the Physics Department at the University of Rochester and is from Oswego, NY. In 2016 Josh completed a B.S. in physics at Buffalo State College as well as a minor in mathematics. His interest in statistics as well as quantum mechanics drew him to the HEDP Theory group in 2017 where he works with Dr. Valentin Karasiev and Dr. Suxing Hu on high-energy-density physics studies.
Project Title: A Machine Learning Approach for Finite Temperature Density Functional Theory Calculations
Publications & Preprints:
V. V. Karasiev, J. Hinz, S. X. Hu, S. B. Trickey, “On the liquid–liquid phase transition of dense hydrogen”, Nature 600, E12 (2021)
J. Hinz, V. V. Karasiev, S. X. Hu, M. Zaghoo, D. Mejia-Rodriguez, S. B. Trickey, L. Calderin, “Fully consistent density functional theory determination of the insulator-metal transition boundary in warm dense hydrogen“, Phys. Rev. Research 2, 032065(R) (2020).
Katarina is a Ph.D. student in the Physics Department at the University of Rochester. She is from Fairport, New York and graduated with degrees in both physics and mathematics from SUNY Geneseo in the spring of 2020. Katarina joined LLE’s HEDP Theory Group after during her first year at Rochester, in the spring of 2021. Her research with Dr. Suxing Hu currently involves, using ab initio methods to investigate material properties under high-energy-density conditions at the deep lower-mantle boundary. In her free time, Katarina enjoys running, hiking, and traveling.
Project Title: Ab initio Investigations into Material Properties Under Planetary Mantle/Core Boundary and Inertial Confinement Fusion Conditions
Ioannis Pagiazitis is a PhD student at the University of Rochester in the Mechanical Engineering Department. He completed his B.S. degree in Physics with a minor in Mathematics at Queens College, City University of New York. He joined the HEDP-Theory Group under the supervision of Dr. Suxing Hu in 2023. He is interested in exploring quantum computing for high-energy-density–physics research.
Migara Hetti is a PhD student in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Rochester. He completed a B.S. in Engineering Physics from the University of Colombo in 2021. Migara joined LLE’s HEDP Theory Group in the spring of 2024. His research with Prof. Niaz Abdolrahim and Dr. Shuai Zhang involves developing machine-learning interatomic potentials for materials under extreme conditions. In his free time, Migara enjoys hiking and traveling.
Kaan Aytekin is an undergraduate student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Rochester. Kaan joined the HEDP Theory Group in Spring 2023 as a Project Assistant. He currently works with Dr. Nathaniel Shaffer researching plasma-screening effects in laser absorption. He will graduate with a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering in May 2026.
Cian Baldwin is an undergraduate student at Yale University studying Applied Mathematics. Cian will join the HEDP Theory Group for a Summer 2023 project with Dr. Nathaniel Shaffer to research novel simulation methods and algorithms for hybrid fluid-kinetic modeling of inertial confinement fusion and high-energy-density plasmas. He will graduate with a B.S. degree in May 2026.
Lianming Hu joined the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Rochester as a transfer undergraduate student in 2020, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. Lianming joined the HEDP Theory group at LLE in fall 2021. His research with Dr. Shuai Zhang and Dr. Suxing Hu focuses on performing the DeepMD-Kit with materials, which involves deep learning, quantum computation, and molecular dynamics. Lianming will graduate with two Bachelor’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering in May of 2023 and will continue his academic career with a Master/PhD program in the future.
Marcos Ibáñez is an undergraduate student at the University of Rochester. As a project assistant in the HEDP group, Marcos is helping with the development of the MELIORA project with Dr. Suxing Hu utilizing high-performance computing to study HED physics using real-space DFT code. He will graduate with a B.S. degree in Computer Science and a B.S. degree in Applied Mathematics in May 2026 and will continue his academic career with a Master’s or PhD program in the future.
Mingrui Liu is an undergraduate student in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Rochester, primarily interested in relativistic quantum information and quantum field theory. Mingrui joined the HEDP Theory Group in Spring 2023, led by Dr. Suxing Hu, studying the process of radiation levitation in HED astrophysical objects. He will receive Bachelor’s degrees in Physics and Mathematics in 2024, and will continue to pursue a Ph.D. degree in theoretical physics.
Aliza Panjwani is an undergraduate student at the University of Rochester interested in physical chemistry. She is currently working in the High-Energy-Density Physics Theory Group at LLE under Dr. Shuai Zhang. Aliza will be studying the transition state between body-centered cubic and hexagonal close-packed iron in high-pressure/high-temperature conditions. She will graduate with Bachelor’s degrees in Chemistry and Physics and Astronomy in May of 2023.
Jiacan Yu is an undergraduate student in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Rochester, pursuing majors in physics and math. Jiacan is currently working with Dr. Suxing Hu’s group as a Project Assistant on radiation lifting in high-energy-density astrophysics settings. He is also interested in theories about AI. He will graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in December 2024.
Annie Maloney is an undergraduate student at the University of Rochester in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. As a Project Assistant in the HEDP Theory Group, Annie works with Dr. Suxing Hu studying and simulating the process of radiative levitation inside stellar structures. Annie will graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Physics and Astronomy in May of 2025, after which they plan to pursue a PhD.
Courtney Palmeri is an undergraduate student in the Chemical Engineering Department at the University of Rochester interested in renewable energy technologies, optics, and materials science. By working with Dr. Shuai Zhang, Courtney hopes to apply her research involving the effect of defects in materials under extreme pressures to further develop solar technologies in the future. She will graduate with a B.S. Degree in Chemical Engineering in May of 2026.
Cody Reeth is an undergraduate student at the University of Rochester. Currently working as a project assistant in the HEDP group with Dr. Suxing Hu, Cody is helping with the development of the MELIORA project utilizing high-performance computing to study HED physics using real-space DFT code. He will graduate with a B.S. degree in Computer Science and a B.A. degree in Physics in May 2026.