Dr. Salil Bavdekar
- About
Biography
Dr. Bavdekar joined Illinois State University in 2024 as a founding assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering. His research in the interconnected fields of engineering mechanics and materials science focuses on understanding and manipulating the behavior of materials under extreme conditions, with applications in aerospace, defense, and energy technologies. He applies a combination of theoretical analyses, computational simulations, experimental investigations, and data-driven approaches to uncover the links between material chemistry, microstructure, mechanical properties, and engineering performance.
Teaching Interests & Areas
Mechanics of Materials, Materials in Engineering, Dynamic Behavior of Materials, Computational Materials Science, Engineering Programming
Research Interests & Areas
Thermomechanics is the study of the interaction between heat and mechanical energy. It encompasses concepts like thermodynamics, heat transfer, shock physics, and the mechanical properties of materials. A key area of investigation for Dr. Bavdekar’s group is the modeling, testing and characterization of materials that can withstand extreme pressures, temperatures, and harsh chemical and radioactive environments. These conditions, encountered during hypersonic flight, explosions, and material processing, pose significant challenges for material design and performance.
Material informatics leverages data science and computational methods to accelerate the design, discovery and development of new materials. By integrating experimental data, theoretical calculations, and machine learning techniques, Dr. Bavdekar’s group aims to identify and design novel materials with tailored properties (e.g., lightweight structural materials), improve the performance of existing materials, and reduce the time and cost associated with the material development cycle.