Our People

Dr. Conrard Tetsassi Feugmo

Group leader and Assistant Professor

The state of a really big system does not at all have to have the symmetry of the laws that govern it; in fact, it usually has less symmetry. An outstanding example of this is the crystal: Built from a substrate of atoms and space according to laws that express the perfect homogeneity of space, the crystal suddenly and unpredictably displays an entirely new and very beautiful symmetry.

Philip W. Anderson, More is Different Science 177, 393

Arjun is a postdoctoral fellow in the Feugmo research group, where he focuses on phase field crystal modeling and traditional phase field methods to address materials science challenges, particularly deformation-induced microstructure evolution. Currently, he is developing a phase field crystal model for multicomponent systems. Arjun completed his PhD at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay under the guidance of Prof. M P Gururajan and Prof. Prita Pant, where his dissertation explored the effects of dislocations on phase separation and coarsening using phase field models. In addition to his expertise in phase field modeling, Arjun has experience with other mesoscale approaches, such as discrete dislocation dynamics, and atomistic scale techniques like molecular dynamics and density functional theory.

Xander is a master’s student studying solid-state electrolytes, which have the potential to represent the next generation of battery technology. Specifically, he is developing new computational tools that will allow us to better understand how these materials work and how they can be improved. He graduated with the University Medal in Physics from Dalhousie University in 2023 and is expected to complete his MSc in Chemistry here at Waterloo in 2025.

Agnes is a Chemistry MSc student focusing on investigating corrosion of high entropy alloys in molten salt using computational approaches, namely ab-initio molecular dynamics. Her ultimate goal is to better understand the mechanisms governing corrosion of alloys in salt and screen potential materials for corrosion resistance and the ability to withstand high temperatures for use in molten salt reactors. She holds a BSc in Honours Biochemistry from the University of Waterloo. 

Toby McConville is a master's student focused on solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs), which offer a promising avenue for efficient hydrogen production and renewable energy storage. His research involves developing computational methods to optimize and study the performance of SOECs for real-world applications. Toby completed his undergraduate degree in Materials and Nanoscience in 2024 and is expected to complete his master’s program at Waterloo in 2026. 

Yichen Jin (CHEM 494) , is a third-year undergraduate in the Honours Materials and Nanosciences Regular program with a minor in Computer Science. Her research focuses on simulating and analyzing the optical properties of molecules using GROMACS for molecular dynamics simulations and Gaussian for predicting electronic structures and transition energies. She employs the Bethe-Salpeter Equation to model optical excitation energies, aiming to acquire detailed spectral data on absorption and emission properties. In her free time, Yichen enjoys swimming.

Jiashu Zhou (CHEM494), is a senior undergraduate student at the University of Waterloo, majoring in Materials and Nanoscience with a minor in Computing. His research focuses on deep learning and Gas sensor 

Jiaren (Volunteer)  is entering her second year in the Honors Chemistry CO-OP program with a computational specialization. Her current work involves creating tutorials for multiple computational software, including GAMESS and Quantum ESPRESSO, molecular dynamics simulations using LAMMPS, and Monte Carlo simulations with SPPARKS. Her research focuses on optimizing formation energies and stability in Ni-Al binary alloys through cluster expansion and density functional theory. Outside of her academics, Jiaren is a big Harry Potter fan.

Mohid Farooqi (Volunteer)  is a second-year Mathematical Physics student at the University of Waterloo. His academic interests include quantum gravity, quantum information, information theory, and advanced machine learning techniques. As part of the group, He focuses on exploring the theoretical foundations of these fields, contributing to the team's efforts in developing mathematical frameworks to address challenges in these areas.