Kaylan Wessels - UCSB College of Engineering - University of ...

Kaylan M. Wessels
kwessels@engineering.ucsb.edu | (805) 893-4723
Engineering Materials Department, Building 503 Room 1355
University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5050
Education
Graduate
• M.S./Ph.D. Candidate in Materials Department, Structural Materials Concentration
• The University of California, Santa Barbara: Santa Barbara, CA
• September 2010 – present
◦ Cumulative GPA: 3.67/4.0
Undergraduate
• B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering, Ceramics and Metals Double Option
• The Pennsylvania State University: University Park, PA
• August 2006 – May 2010
◦ Cumulative GPA: 3.68/4.0
High School
• Ligonier Valley High School: Ligonier, PA
• August 2002 – June 2006
◦ GPA: 4.07/4.0
◦ Class Rank: 3/114
International Experience
University of Sussex: Falmer, East Sussex, UK
• July 2007 – August 2007
• Coursework: Field Archaeology
Work Experience
Internship with GE Aviation
• Airfoil Materials Development internship involving research into novel thermal barrier
coating systems
• GE Aviation: Evendale, OH
• June 2011 – August 2011
◦ 40 hours/week
• Supervisors: Dr. Douglas G. Konitzer, Dr. Bangalore A. Nagaraj, and Julie Chapman
• Duties Involved
◦ Analyzed the feasibility of a novel damage mitigation coating
◦ Performed thermal cycling excursions to reproduce damage and assess hypotheses
◦ Examined field-tested hardware for performance and reliability of thermal barrier
coating system
◦ Evaluated lab and field tested specimens for reaction products and phase stability
◦ Executed theoretical calculations to help predict material behavior
◦ Designed oxidation study and phase stability to aid in temperature measurements and
prediction of failure of hardware and coatings in engine service
◦ Assessed performance of coated specimens with regards to condition and coating
thickness
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Research Experience
Graduate Research Assistantship in Materials
• Thermal barrier coating research in cooperation with GE Aviation and sponsored by the
Office of Naval Research and in part by The National Science Foundation
• The University of California, Santa Barbara: Santa Barbara, CA
• September 2010 – present
◦ 40 hours/week
• Supervisors: Dr. Carlos G. Levi and Dr. Tresa M. Pollock
• Duties Involved
◦ Analyzing new damage mechanism in the bond coat layer of the thermal barrier
coating system on advanced gas turbine airfoils, resulting from melting and
infiltration of environmental deposits
◦ Preparing cross sections for analysis through grinding and polishing
◦ Obtaining microstructural and elemental information using the scanning electron
microscope and focused ion beam
◦ Performing analytical and numerical modeling in Wolfram Mathematica ® and
Abaqus FEA ® to aid in determining mechanism behind degradation
Undergraduate Thesis Research in Materials Science and Engineering
• Ceramic composite research sponsored by the Army Research Lab and Kennametal
• The Pennsylvania State University: University Park, PA
• May 2009 – August 2010
◦ 30-35 hours/week
• Supervisor: Dr. Elizabeth C. Dickey
• Duties Involved
◦ Prepared various composite samples through polishing, grinding, and milling
◦ Serially sectioned composite materials using focused ion beam
◦ Obtained quantitative 3D microstructural information using scanning electron
microscope
◦ Integrated 2D image slices into 3D array with MATLAB ®
◦ Analyzed properties and performance of materials’ 3D microstructure using
COMSOL Multiphysics ® finite element software
Undergraduate Research in Astronomy & Astrophysics
• Astronomy research sponsored by an REU grant
• The Pennsylvania State University: University Park, PA
• May 2008 – Jan. 2009
◦ 40 hours/week
• Supervisor – Dr. Jane C. Charlton
• Duties Involved
◦ Examined electromagnetic absorption spectra of quasars to study intervening
absorbers’ compositions
◦ Measured equivalent width of absorption lines in spectra
◦ Discovered evolutionary trend in metallicities of absorbers as a function of age
◦ Presented poster at 213th American Astronomical Society meeting and coauthored
paper for publication
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Publications
1. P.R. Hidalgo, K.M. Wessels, J.C. Charlton, A. Narayana, A. Mshar, A. Cucchiara, and T. Jones,
“Evolution of the Population of Very Strong Mg II Absorbers,” Monthly Notices of the Royal
Astronomical Society, 427 [3] 801-1815 (2012).
Oral and Poster Presentations
1. K.M. Wessels (presenter), R.W. Jackson, D.G. Konitzer, M.R. Begley, T.M. Pollock, C.G. Levi,
“Bond Coat Cavitation under CMAS-Infiltrated Thermal Barrier Coatings,” Oral Presentation, 143 rd
TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition, San Diego, CA, February 2014.
2. K.M. Wessels (presenter), R.W. Jackson, D.G. Konitzer, M.R. Begley, T.M. Pollock, C.G. Levi,
“Bond Coat Cavitation under CMAS-Infiltrated Thermal Barrier Coatings,” Poster Presentation,
Winter Study Group on High Temperature Coatings, Santa Barbara, CA, January 2014.
3. K.M. Wessels (presenter), R.W. Jackson, D.G. Konitzer, M.R. Begley, T.M. Pollock, C.G. Levi,
“Bond Coat Cavitation under CMAS-Infiltrated Thermal Barrier Coatings,” Poster Presentation,
Physical Metallurgy Gordon Research Conference, Biddeford, ME, July 2013.
4. K.M. Wessels (presenter), D.G. Konitzer, T.M. Pollock, C.G. Levi, “Characterization of Bond
Coat Cavitation under CMAS-infiltrated TBCs,” Poster Presentation, Superalloys, Champion, PA,
September 2012.
5. K.M. Wessels (presenter), R.W Jackson, D.G. Konitzer, T.M. Pollock, C.G. Levi, “Bond Coat
Cavitation under CMAS-Infiltrated TBCs,” Oral Presentation, International Conference on
Metallurgical Coatings and Thin Films, San Diego, CA, April 2012.
6. K.M. Wessels (presenter), R.W. Jackson, D.G. Konitzer, T.M. Pollock, C.G. Levi, “Bond Coat
Cavitation under CMAS-infiltrated Thermal Barrier Coatings,” Poster Presentation, Winter
Workshop on High Temperature Coatings, Santa Barbara, CA, January 2012.
7. K.M. Wessels (presenter), R.M. White, E.C. Dickey, “Modeling Residual Stresses in B 4 C-TiB 2
Directionally Solidified Eutectic Composites,” Poster Presentation, Materials Engineering: Building
on the Legacy of Tony Evans, Santa Barbara, CA, September 2010.
8. K.M. Wessels (presenter), P.H. Rodriguez, J.C. Charlton, A. Narayanan, A. Mshar, A. Cucchiara,
“Alpha-Enhancement in Strong and Weak MgII Absorbers,” Poster Presentation, 213th Meeting of
the American Astronomical Society, Long Beach, CA, January 2009.
Volunteer Experience
PSU Materials Camp: Student Mentor
• Sponsored by the ASM Materials Education Foundation
• July 2009 and July 2010
• Supervisors: Dr. R. Allen Kimel and Dr. Jeffrey Brownson
• Duties Involved
◦ Assisted high school students interested in materials science and engineering to
perform experiments related to the field, with a focus on renewable energy
◦ Supervised students throughout the weeklong camp
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Professional Societies/Awards/Activities
• Science and Industry Exchange for Women, UCSB, student member (2012-2014)
• American Society of Metals (ASM International) student member (2008 – 2014)
• The American Ceramic Society (2008 – 2014)
• The Association for Iron and Steel Technology (2008 – 2014)
• The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (2008 – 2014)
• Material Advantage Member, Penn State Chapter (2008 – 2010)
• Membership in the Keramos Honors Fraternity, Penn State Chapter (2008 – 2010)
• Penn State Dean’s List: Fall 2006, Spring 2008 through Spring 2010
Scholarships
• Schreyer Honors College Scholarship (2006 – 2008)
• Charles G. and Donna H. Carson Scholarship in Materials Science and Engineering (2008)
• Pennsylvania Ceramics Association Award in the Department of MatSE (2009)
• Glass Container Industry Research Corporation Scholarship (2009 – 2010)
• Norris B. McFarlane Scholarship (2009 – 2010)
References are available upon request.
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