Ramathasan Thevamaran

Professor Ramathasan Thevamaran is a Mechanical Engineering faculty member at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with additional affiliations in Materials Science & Engineering and Nuclear Engineering & Engineering Physics. He holds a PhD from the California Institute of Technology (2014) and a BS from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka (2008). His research focuses on structured materials' mechanical behavior, including hierarchical carbon nanotube foams, gradient-nano-grained metals, and non-Hermitian metamaterials. Experimental techniques like laser-enabled microballistics and vibration testing are central to his work, with applications in impact protection and wave control.

Research interests span dynamic properties, nanomaterials, and wave propagation, leveraging both experimental and computational methods. His work emphasizes material design principles for advanced engineering applications. He has received notable awards, including the Vilas Early Career Investigator Award (2024) and NASA Early Career Faculty Award (2022).

• Education: PhD (Caltech, 2014), MS (Caltech, 2010), BS (University of Peradeniya, 2008)
• Key Lab Focus: Experimental Mechanics, Material Synthesis, and Computational Modeling
• Recent Research Themes: Supersonic impact dynamics, nonlinear metamaterials, and gradient nanostructured metals

Teaching responsibilities include advanced mechanics courses (Elasticity, Finite Elements) and supervises student research through independent studies and thesis work. His lab explores frontiers in material science with applications ranging from aerospace to nuclear engineering.