Catalin Picu

Catalin Picu is a Professor and Associate Head for Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). He holds a B.S. from the Polytechnic Institute of Bucharest (1989) and a Ph.D. in Applied Mechanics from Dartmouth College (1995). His research focuses on nanomechanics, multiscale modeling of materials, and computational mechanics. He leads the Computational Nanomechanics Lab and is affiliated with RPI’s Multiscale Science and Engineering Center (MSEC) and Scientific Computation Research Center (SCOREC).

Dr. Picu’s work explores the mechanical behavior of materials at micro- and nanoscales, including polymers, aluminum alloys, and fiber networks. He has authored over 115 journal articles, co-authored two books, and advised 13 doctoral students. In 2011, he was named a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) for contributions to deformation and fracture mechanics.

His research emphasizes linking molecular structure to macroscale material properties through computational modeling and experimentation. Key areas include viscoelasticity in polymers, polymer nanocomposites, and dynamic strain aging in aluminum alloys. He is also an editorial board member of the International Journal for Multiscale Computational Engineering and has co-edited conference proceedings and special journal issues.

Dr. Picu’s accolades include the ASME Fellowship and recognition for pioneering work in nanomechanics. His labs focus on advancing materials science through multiscale approaches, with applications in electronics manufacturing and biomedical engineering.