Ghatu Subhash

Professor Ghatu Subhash is the Newton C. Ebaugh Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at University of Florida (UF), Gainesville, FL. Before joining UF, he was a faculty at Michigan Technological University from 1993-2007. He obtained his MS and PhD degrees from University of California San Diego and conducted post-doctoral research at California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA.

Professor Subhash has made seminal contributions to the field of deformation behavior of structural ceramics. His contributions include development of (i) a new processing scheme to synthesize net shaped UO2 fuel pellets at significantly lower temperatures (1100°C versus 1700°C ) and shorter processing times (0.5 hours versus 14 hours), (ii) a new nomenclature to define equivalent polymorphs in boron carbide (B4C), (iii) a method for quantification of spatial distribution of amorphization intensity beneath a high-pressure event, (iv) a mechanism for amorphization of boron carbide by considering thermal effects, and(v) a universal model to predict failure behavior of structural ceramics at pressures well beyond the Hugoniot Elastic Limit. Most recently, he developed multiaxial failure envelopes for new generation nuclear fuel cladding tubes made of SiCf/SiCm woven composites and quantified uncertainty in their properties. His major co-authored publications include a Feature Article in the Journal of the American Ceramic Society, an Editor Invited Viewpoint Article in Scripta Materialia, a 68-page article in Progress in Materials Science, and a 358-page monograph titled ‘Dynamic Behavior of Advanced Ceramics’ (Wiley Publishers, 2021). Prof. Subhash has co-authored more than 300 scientific articles, 7 book chapters, 6 patents, and 2 books (10,400 citations and h-index of 57). He has mentored 41 PhD students, 15 MS students, 7 post-doctoral fellows, and more than 40 undergraduate students in their research endeavors.

Professor Subhash’s contributions have been recognized by both materials and mechanics communities. He received the ‘B.J. Lazan Award’ from Society for Experimental Mechanics (SEM) for innovative contributions to experimental mechanics and development of in-depth understanding of multiaxial dynamic response of ceramics and ‘Best Paper’ award from Journal of Engineering Materials and Technology. He received the Frocht Award from the SEM which recognizes the “Experimental Mechanics Educator of the Year”. For developing a processing technique for net-shaped UO2 ceramic fuel, he received ‘Significant Contribution Award’ from the Materials Science and Technology Division of the American Nuclear Society. His innovative research was also recognized by the University of Florida’s Technology Innovator Award and UF Research Foundation Professorship. For his outstanding mentorship of students, he was awarded the University of Florida Doctoral Dissertation Advisor/Mentoring Award. He was also awarded ‘Teacher/Scholar of the Year’ from the College of Engineering at UF. For initiating numerous activities to promote ASME and enhance the art and science of mechanical engineering, he was awarded ‘ASME Student Section Advisor Award’. In recognition of significant contributions to teaching, research and student development he was recognized by the ‘Ralph R. Teetor Educational Award’ from the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and ‘Outstanding New Mechanics Educator’ from the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). For extraordinary contributions to Michigan Higher Education, he was recognized as ‘A Distinguished Faculty Member’ by the Michigan Association of Governing Boards of State Universities and received ‘Commendation Letters’ from the Governor (Mr. John Engler) and the Michigan Legislature. His inspirational guidance, genuine interest in students, and scholarly leadership, was recognized by ‘Distinguished Teaching Award at Michigan Tech.

Prof. Subhash currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief of Mechanics of Materials and as an Associate Editor of J. of the Am. Ceram. Soc. He is a Fellow of ACerS, ASME, and SEM.