Vahid Tac

PhD candidate at Purdue University working under Dr. Adrian Buganza Tepole.

My research focuses on integrating physics into machine learning models as hard constraints. In my PhD, I developed machine learning models of material behaviors like hyperelasticity, viscoelasticity and damage using machine learning methods in a way that the underlying physics is always satisfied. Recently, I used diffusion, a mathematical model used in Generative AI, to construct a generative framework for physics-informed hyperelasticity.

I am a Melosh medalist and I have won a number of other recognitions during my PhD.

news

Apr 2, 2024	I arrived in Palo Alto today as part of the TRACER award. I will be collaborating with the group of Dr. Ellen Kuhl at Stanford University for the next ~2 months.
Oct 10, 2023	I presented a poster as part of the `Future Faculty Symposium` within the SES 2023 conference in Minneapolis.
Oct 8, 2023	The preprint of our work on generative hyperelasticity with physics-informed diffusion is out on arXiv.
Oct 4, 2023	I had an interview with Purdue Grad School to explain the impacts of my research on surgery to lay audiences. Access the video here.
Aug 30, 2023	Today I received news that I am one of 5 PhD students and postdocs to be awarded Purdue’s newly initiated TRAvel for CollaborativE Research (TRACER) grant. I will be using this grant to travel to Stanford University to work with Dr. Ellen Kuhl for 2-3 months. Edit: Announcement on Purdue Website.
Aug 2, 2023	I received a travel award from Society of Engineering Science (SES) to attend the Inaugural SES Future Faculty Symposium, to be held during the 2023 SES Annual Technical Meeting in Minnesota.
Jul 26, 2023	I gave a talk and presented a poster at the 17th U.S. National Congress on Computational Mechanics (USNCCM17) in Albuquerque, New Mexico this week. Click here to view my slides.
Jun 4, 2023	Our paper on benchmarking data-driven models of hyperelasticity is published in Computational Mechanics!
May 3, 2023	I presented a poster at the 2023 Spring Reception of the Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs at Purdue.
Apr 21, 2023	Our paper on data-driven anisotropic viscoelasticity with Neural ODEs is published in Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering!
Apr 13, 2023	I gave an invited talk in Flex Lab Seminar series at Purdue.
Apr 7, 2023	I gave a talk at the Workshop on establishing benchmarks for data-driven modeling of physical systems. Click here to view my slides.
Feb 8, 2023	Our preprint on data-driven viscoelasticity is out on arXiv.
Jan 30, 2023	A short article I wrote summarizing my work is featured on the cover of Purdue’s InnovatED magazine.
Jan 20, 2023	Our collaborative work with Prof. Ellen Kuhl’s lab in Stanford University is out on arXiv.
Dec 1, 2022	I am honored that I received the Lambert Teaching Fellowship from Purdue University.
Nov 17, 2022	Happy to have received the Ben M. Hillberry Scholarship from Purdue University.
Oct 22, 2022	I received the Robert J. Melosh Medal.
Jul 31, 2022	I presented my work on Developing Data-Driven Models of Anisotropic Hyperelasticity with Neural ODEs at the World Congress on Computational Mechanics 2022. The conference was in fully virtual format and presenters uploaded recorded presentations. My presentation video can be watched here.
Nov 9, 2021	I gave a presentation at CILAMCE-PANACM 2021 about my work on modeling hyperelastic behavior of materials with Neural ODEs.
Oct 28, 2018	I presented a poster at the 9th International Conference on Multiscale Material Modeling in Osaka, Japan. Click here to view the poster.