Yuheng

Hello! My journey into materials science began with hands-on research experience at Nankai University, where I worked on the refractive properties of electromagnetic glass and investigated Tungsten Oxide as an alternative light shield. This exploration involved experimenting with its voltage-dependent refractive index, which culminated in an award-winning report. Later, an internship with China Southern Airlines gave me the chance to dive deeper into high-temperature materials. There, I studied advanced alloys for a GTF engine project, simulating material properties using COSMOL, and analyzed how Nickel-Aluminum alloys and their FCC structures can enhance ductility under high temperatures—a quality that can be improved with boron doping. Resources like Stuff Matters by Mark Miodownik and MIT’s OpenCourseWare on physical metallurgy provided invaluable insights during this time.

This initial exposure to material behavior and manipulation fueled my desire to continue experimenting. Through a research program with Dr. Profundo at UC Santa Cruz, I took on the challenge of designing spaceship materials. My project involved modeling a thin-walled pressure vessel, derived for membrane stress, and calculating ideal Young’s moduli. When I extended this model to consider cylindrical shapes and non-negligible wall thicknesses, I found myself in the realm of Lame’s equations. I became intrigued by how materials like CFRP and quartz-fiber composites perform under unique stresses, learning about their high strength-to-weight ratios and suitability for aerospace applications.

Following this, I delved into the realm of non-destructive testing (NDT) with Dr. Zhang at MIT, where I conducted a literature review on ultrasonic NDT. Through studies on ultrasonic transducer models and computational imaging, I explored how these methods assess material integrity and learned about the limitations when measuring certain thermal and electrical properties.

These diverse experiences have shaped my ambition to pursue a career in materials science—a field where I feel truly inspired. As I began studying physics at UCL, I realized my drive to solve practical problems aligns more with materials science than general physics. I’m excited to engage in projects focused on energy storage and renewable energy materials, particularly in solar technology, which I believe holds potential in addressing climate change.