About
Materials Scientist at UC Santa Barbara.
Growing up in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, I was always fascinated by the most basic aspects of the world around me—how the watch on my wrist knew when to tick; why water condensed on the outside of a glass on a hot day; or how our kitchen magnets always stayed stuck to the fridge—even when you weren't looking. As a materials scientist at the UC Santa Barbara Materials Research Laboratory, I now have the privilege of applying that passion toward the most promising next-generation materials. By building an understanding of the interplay between magnetism and mechanical properties in structural materials, I ultimately hope to make the world's infrastructure greener, safer, and higher performance.
Skills
Metallurgy
I leverage conventional metallurgy to design accurate phase diagrams and prepare high quality, single-phase materials.
Modeling
I use Phase Field Dislocation Dynamics (PFDD) to determine the character and structures of defects for a given material and simulate their motion under applied stress.
Mechanical testing
I specialize in small-scale testing methods—including nano-indentation and in situ micro-mechanical testing in an SEM and synchrotron beamlines—designed to probe localized mechanical properties.
Multi-scale Diffraction
I fingerprint my materials using electron and X-ray diffraction patterns, at multiple scales, and use the results to identify subtle differences in phase ordering.
Microscopy
I use advanced microscopy techniques to give unprescedented insights into the microstructures and defects governing the sub-micron landscape of materials.
Education
Graduate Education
UC Santa Barbara
Ph.D. Candidate, NDSEG fellow, Materials,
2020 – present
RESEARCH VISION: To develop a framework to understand and control the interplay between magnetism and mechanical properties. To design high strength, light weight alloys for application in the transportation industry, reducing carbon emissions. Through interdisciplinary coadvising by Professor Dan Gianola and Professor Irene Beyerlein, I am applying computational and experimental techniques in tandem to bridge the conventionally-disparate domains of mechanical and magnetic properties within intermetallic materials.
Undergraduate Education
Messiah University
B.S. Chemistry (with ACS certification) & Mathematics Minor
2016 – 2020
At Messiah I trained in surface science and materials physics under Professor Alison Noble and Professor Niklas Hellgren, graduating summa cum laude with College Honors
Oxford University
Visiting Scholar
Fall 2018
I was hosted as a visiting scholar within Trinity College of Oxford University to study Biochemistry, Linear Algebra, and Psychology.
University of Texas at Austin
NSF REU Fellow
Summer 2019
At UT Austin I studied colloidal nanocrystal dispersions with advising by Professor Delia Milliron and Professor Nathaniel Lynd.
Colorado State University
NSF REU Fellow
Summer 2018
I trained in inorganic synthesis under Professor Joe Zadrozny to study single-molecule magnets.
Awards & Fellowships
National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship (2023), Heeger Fellowship Award (2023), Academic Senate Doctoral Travel Award (2023), Graduate Student Association Travel Award (2023), UC Santa Barbara Graduate Scholar Program (2020 – 2021), Messiah College Presidential Scholarship (2016 – 2020), College Honors (2016 – 2020), Deans List (2016 – 2020), Southeastern Pennsylvania Section of the American Chemical Society (SEPSACS) Travel Award (2020), Messiah College Professional Development Award (2019), National Science Foundation Research Experience for Ungergraduates (NSF REU) Fellowship (2019), Ray H. Crist Research Fellowship (2019), SEPSACS Judith Bond Fellowship (2019), Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania, Women in Technology Scholarship (2019), SEPSACS Travel Award (2019), Messiah College Professional Development Award (2019), NSF REU Fellowship (2018) , Award for Outstanding Performance in Organic Chemistry (2018), Science Honor Scholar Award (2016), National Honors Society (2014 – 2016)
Publications.
Inducing skyrmion flop transitions in Co8Zn8Mn4 at room temperature.
Contact
Mailing Address:
Materials Research Laboratory
UC Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA
93106-5121
Office:
MRL 2218
Email:
baileyrhodes [at] ucsb.edu