Research Team

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Hamid Abdolvand 
Canada Research Chair and Associate Professor, Ph.D., P.Eng.  

Employment 
2023- present:Canada Research Chair
2022- present: Associate Professor 
2017- 2022: Assistant Professor 
2013- 2016: Postdoc at the University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. Supervisor: Prof. Angus Wilkinson 
2012- 2013: Postdoc at the University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. Supervisor: Prof. Philip Withers 

Education 
2008- 2012: PhD, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada. Supervisor: Prof. Mark Daymond 
2001- 2007: MSc and BSc, Iran University of Sceince and Technology.
Research Mechanics of materials across length and time scales- both modeling and experiment. Fatigue, fracture, and (irradiation) creep.   Finite element, crystal plasticity, and dislocation dynamics. Synchrotron x-ray, neutron, and electron diffraction/tomography.
External Links

 

 

 

Google scholar ;  Research gate ; 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact

Email: hamid.abdolvand@uwo.ca
Tel:   +1 (519) 661 2111 Ext 88016
Fax: +1  (519) 661 3020

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Sandeep Kumar Sahni

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Email: ssahni23@uwo.ca
Co-supervisor N/A
Research Dr. Sandeep Kumar Sahni is a computational materials scientist specializing in molecular dynamics simulations and the mechanical behavior of materials. He completed his PhD in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur in 2024, focusing on the sintering and deformation behavior of Fe-Ni alloys. Proficient in simulation tools like LAMMPS and Atomsk, he is passionate about exploring the physical and mechanical properties of materials through advanced computational methods. Sandeep’s research at MSDL focuses on micromechanics of deformation and fracture of multi-layered ceramics for Small Modular Nuclear Reactors. 
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Masoud Taherijam

PhD Candidate 

Email: mtaherij@uwo.ca
Co-supervisor N/A
Research Masoud is currently working on advanced CPFE modeling of hydrogen diffusion in metals and alloys. He obtained his MSc in Structural Engineering from Sharif University of Technology, and his BSc in Civil Engineering from K. N. Toosi University of Technology. Before joining MSDL, he studied augmented continuum mechanics and wave propagation in solids.
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Amirhosein Mozafari

PhD Candidate (Direct PhD program)

Email: amozafa4@uwo.ca
Co-supervisor N/A
Research Amirhosein's current project focuses on additive manufacturing of nickel superalloys used in gas turbines and advanced finite element modeling. Before joining MSDL in September 2022, he studied and published papers in the area of energy absorption and crashworthiness behaviour of thin-walled structures.
Mahta

Mahta Mahboubi

PhD student (Direct-PhD program)

Email: mmahbou2@uwo.ca
Co-supervisor  N/A
Research

Mahta earned her B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST). Her research focuses on deformation mechanisms of zirconium alloys using experimental and modeling techniques. She joined MSDL in September 2025.
Hala

Hala Elsharif

PhD student (Direct-PhD program)

Email: helshari@uwo.ca
Co-supervisor

 N/A
Research

Hala earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Khartoum in November 2023. Following graduation, she worked as a research assistant for Sudanese Material Scientists and Engineers (SMSE), where she investigated the mechanical behavior of age-hardened duplex stainless steel using in situ tensile testing and high angular resolution electron backscatter diffraction (HR-EBSD). She is currently working on the mechanics of polycrystalline materials using HR-EBSD and finite element modeling. 
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Ala Amin

PhD student 

Email: aamin68@uwo.ca
Co-supervisor N/A
Research Ala joined MSDL from the University of Windsor and received her BSc from Al-Zahra University. Her research focuses on the temperature-dependent diffusion of atoms in anisotropic polycrystals. She received her MESc degree in September 2026 and studied hydrogen embrittlement in titanium alloys.

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Srijan Yadav

PhD student (Direct-PhD program)

Email: syadav58@uwo.ca
Co-supervisor N/A
Research

Srijan's current research focuses on hydrogen embrittlement of Zr and Ti alloys using synchrotron X-ray diffraction methods and crystal plasticity modeling. He completed his B.Tech from Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur, in May 2026 and joined our Direct PhD program in Sept 2026.
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Nicole Martyniak

MESc student 

Email: nmartyni@uwo.ca
Co-supervisor Prof. Yolanda Hedberg
Research Nicole’s research focuses on stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of candidate alloys for small modular nuclear reactors (SMR). Nicole has a BSc in chemistry from Western University where she did her thesis on corrosion protection of steel. She joined MSDL in September 2024. 
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Cheng-Hao Liang

MESc student 

Email: clian6@uwo.ca
Co-supervisor 

Prof. Sterling St Lawrence
Research

Cheng-Hao’s research focuses on the micromechanics of zirconium hydrides. He received his BESc from the National Taiwan Ocean University, and joined MSDL in September 2023.
Irina

Irina Olivares

MESc student 

Email: iolivar@uwo.ca
Co-supervisor  N/A
Research Irina’s research currently focuses on the impact of CANDU pressure-tube manufacturing routes on their microstructure and performance. Irina received a BESc in Mechanical and Materials Engineering from Western University. Before joining MSDL in September 2026, she worked in environmental consulting.

MEng studnet: 

 Odi Osungwu
Resarch assistants:  Owen Bennett, Advait Kona, Catherine Ovanes (2025-2026)
Undergraduate student 

Angus Ricketts (2025-2026)

Previous members of the Group
Student Year Degree/Role Supervisors  Project Destination
Saiedeh Marashi 2025-2026 Postdoc Abdolvand Hydrogen embrittlement  Candu Energy Inc
Zahra Zaiemyekeh 2025-2026 Postdoc Abdolvand Fracture of TRISO fuels PDF, U. Alberta 
Darshan Chalapathi 2023-2024 Postdoc Abdolvand High temperature testing for SMRs Alleima (Sweden)
Bolin Fu 2021-2025 PhD Abdolvand/Klassen Nanoindentation and temperature effects  Candu Energy Inc
Saiedeh Marashi 2021-2025 PhD Abdolvand Micromechanics of fracture of polycrystals  PDF, Western Univeristy 
Karim Louca 2019-2024 PhD Abdolvand  3D-XRD of notched Zr Canadian Light Source
Alireza Tondro 2019-2023 (Direct)PhD Abdolvand CPFE of zirconium hydrides   Canadian Nuclear Labs 
Omid Sedaghat 2018-2022 PhD  Abdolvabd  A nonlocal CPFE model  PDF, McMaster University 
Ala Amin 2024-2026 MESc Abdolvand Hydrogen embrittlement of Ti alloys  PhD student, Western U. 
Brandon Kuo 2023-2026 MESc Abdolvand Hydrogen embrittlement of Zr-2.5Nb  Western U.
Khaled El-sobahi 2021-2025 MESc Abdolvand Insitu nanoindentaiton of hydrides Candu Energy Inc
Ahmed Aburakhia 2020-2022 MESc Abdolvand Additve manufacturing of Hasetlloy-X PhD, Western U.
Prashant Shelar 2019-2021 MESc Abdolvand/Butler Dental materials N/A
Abdulla Alawadi 2018-2020 MESc Abdolvand Residual stresses in CANDU pressure tubes Moalajah plant, UAE
Karim Louca 2018-2019 MESc Abdolvand 3D-XRD and stress analysis of HCPs PhD, Western U.
Colin Versnick 2017-2019 MESc Abdolvand/Sun Deformation of all solid-state batteries E-One Moli Energy (Canada) 
Some of the previous MEng and undergraduate students (total of 17 students)
David Ilgert 2021-2022 MEng Abdolvand Modeling zirconium hydrides Wolfe Heavy Equipment
Yufie He 2021-2022 MEng Abdolvand EBSD analysis of HCP alloys Manaflex, Taicang, China
Harshal Gala 2018-2019 MEng Abdolvand Design of a multiaxial deformation rig  Veoneer
Brooke Bidyk 2021-2022 BSc Abdolvand Modeling the interaction of hydrides Kinectrics 
Ivan Ho 2020-2021 BSc Abdolvand  Modeling hydrogen diffusion  Ontarion Power Generation 
Ahmad Al-Mutairi 2019-2020 BSc Abdolvand Formation of delta Zirconium hydrides Imperial Oil
David Kim 2018-2019 BSc Abdolvand Hydrogen and zirconium Bruce Nuclear Generating Station
Dylan Harris 2017-2018 BSc  Abdolvand Hydrogen and zirconium Royal Military College of Canada
Gamal Assad 2017-2018 BSc Abdolvand Hydrogen and zirconium Orgashell