Faculty Focus on Professor Marat Khafizov

Faculty Focus introduces you to our talented scholars who continue to attract the best and brightest engineering students and whose insights and research keep us at the leading edge of innovation and discovery.

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Marat Khafizov

Assistant Professor
Director, Thermal Properties of Materials for Extreme Environments

 

What is the focus of your research and why is it significant?

My research is focused on the understanding of physical properties of materials utilized in various energy and information processing technologies, including understanding the physical properties of materials used in nuclear energy applications.  Damage caused by radiation can significantly impact the performance of various components.  Our experimental approach is to utilize ion beam accelerators to introduce damage and measure the effect on properties like thermal conductivity, volumetric swelling, fission gas behavior and mechanical properties. The results of our studies allow design of systems that insure safe conversion of nuclear energy into electricity.      

Another area of research is investigation of thermal transport at micro and nanoscale.  Thermal management of functional components is important for long-term operation of devices in electronics and energy applications. For example, ever increasing demand for faster electronics pushes the dimensions of devices to be on the order of few nanometers. At these small dimensions, heat dissipation is limited not only by the small geometrical size but also by the fact that heat transport mechanisms is impacted by finite dimensions. Here, we use laser-based approaches for measuring thermal transport with micron scale resolution. Understanding heat transport mechanisms at nanoscale helps to design strategies for thermal management of electronic devices, allowing them to operate more efficiently.

 

Why should a prospective student consider nuclear engineering?

Utilization of energy from nuclear processes is an attractive energy solution due to its high energy density and practically zero green gas emissions. A concern with the implementation of nuclear energy is radiation and its environmental footprint.  Therefore, a major focus of technology development has been to design systems that ensure safe, yet economic extraction of energy that can be converted into electricity or used in various manufacturing processes.  The need for nuclear engineers who can design solutions for waste disposition and develop advanced reactors with improved safety is critical.

 

What do you like most about your job?

I like educating students about scientific and engineering principles that help them to become productive citizens. As a researcher, I enjoy developing models to explain physical phenomena that are important for improving performance of engineering components.   

 

What advice would you give students considering an engineering career?

In the past, calculators took away the opportunity to perform simple calculations in our mind and educators have been struggling with this.  Today, engineering software are limiting our ability to develop conceptual thinking and application of analytical solutions to engineering problems. My recommendation is that students develop strong mathematical skills early in their education and apply them to analytical problem-solving.

 

What hobbies or interests do you most enjoy? 

I like doing sports and gardening. I enjoy playing tennis, soccer and ice hockey. I also like downhill skiing but unfortunately, there are no mountains in Columbus!