Katsuyo Thornton
Associate Professor
Education:
Also:
Currently Teaching:
Research Interests:
My research focuses on computational and theoretical investigations of the evolution of microstructures and nanostructures during processing and operation. These investigations facilitate the understanding of the underlying physics of materials to aid us in designing advanced materials with desirable properties and in developing manufacturing processes that are the most cost-effective. The topics include coarsening in elastically stressed solids, evolution of topologically complex systems in three dimensions, simulations of electrochemical systems, and self-assembly of quantum dots and other nanoscale phenomena during heteroepitaxy of semiconductors using large-scale simulations.
Prior Experience:
2010 - Present Associate Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan
2004 - 2010 Assistant Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan
2001 - 2004 Research Assistant Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University
2001 Visiting Lecturer, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1999 - 2000 Visiting Scientist, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1997 - 2001 Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University
Awards and Service:
• Inaugural Chair, TMS ICME Technical Committee, 2009-2012.
• NSF CAREER Award, 2008.
• TMS Early Career Faculty Fellow Award, 2008.
• Elizabeth C. Crosby Research Award, University of Michigan ADVANCE, 2005.
• The Carl Sagan Award for Excellence in Teaching, Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The University of Chicago, 1995.
• The Gordon Danielson Award, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University, 1991.
• The Sam Legvold Award for Outstanding Academic Performance, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University, 1990.
• Highest Scholarship Student by Major, Iowa State University, 1991.
• Weatherspoon Scholarship for Women in Science and Engineering, Iowa State University, 1990.
• NASA National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program Senior Undergraduate Scholarship, Iowa Space Grant College Consortium, 1990.
• University Honors Program, Iowa State University, 1988-1991.
• Honor Societies: The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Golden Key National Honor Society, Pi Mu Epsilon National Mathematics Honor Society, Alpha Lambda Delta/Phi Eta Sigma Freshman Honor Societies.