Vikram Gavini

Vikram Gavini is a tenured professor at the University of Michigan's College of Engineering, holding joint appointments in the Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering. He leads the Computational Materials Physics Group, focusing on quantum-mechanical simulations and multi-scale modeling of materials.

• Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, Caltech (2007)
• M.S., Applied Mechanics, Caltech (2004)
• B.Tech., Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras (2003)

His research spans electronic structure calculations at macroscopic scales, quantum transport in materials, and high-performance computing (HPC) for density functional theory (DFT). Key areas include:

• Multi-scale modeling of materials defects
• Time-dependent DFT algorithms
• Tensor-structured numerical methods
• Exchange-correlation functional development

Recent publications highlight advancements in:

• Quasicrystal stability analysis
• Machine learning for DFT functionals
• Exponential propagators for time integration
• GPU-accelerated DFT frameworks

Scientific accolades include:

• 2023 ACM Gordon Bell Prize
• NSF CAREER Award (2011)
• Humboldt Research Fellowship (2012)
• AFOSR Young Investigator (2013)
• Gallagher Young Investigator Award (2015)
• Institute Silver Medal (2003)
• Allan Acosta Fellowship (2003)

His group has produced influential open-source software like DFT-FE and trained numerous students now at institutions including Intel, LANL, and Stanford University.