• Farah Kandalaft, Ph.D. Student

• Ege Cura, Ph.D. Student

• Selam Andu, Ph.D. Student

• Jeffrey Bordengo, Ph.D. Student

• Edmond Al Hawi, Ph.D. Student

• Akshay Vaidya, Ph.D. Student

• Gaurab Neupane, Ph.D. Student

• Yash Mewada, Research Intern

• Jessica Gionta, Undergraduate Research Assistant

• Fletcher Allyn, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Figure: Celebrating Ivan's graduation.

Akshay Vaidya is a Ph.D. candidate in the RIVeR and ORG lab. Akshay’s research focuses on various topics ranging from robotics, optimization and additive manufacturing.

Akshay’s primary research focuses on leveraging robotics for additive manufacturing. Specifically, using a cold spray system coupled with a 6 DOF robotic arm to generate accurate and high-quality sprays. The goal is to determine complex robotic paths using optimization techniques to generate dimensionally accurate parts.

In addition, Akshay’s secondary projects focus on assisting the design and manufacturing of soft robotic grippers. This work focuses on utilizing spectroscopy for multimodal sensing.

Ege Cura is a Ph.D. candidate in Mechanical Engineering at Northeastern University, concentrating in Thermofluids within the Ozdemir Research Group. His research integrates multiphase computational fluid dynamics with machine-learning–assisted design to understand and optimize cold spray processes and supersonic nozzle geometries. He earned his BSc in Mechanical Engineering from Bilkent University (Ankara, Turkey), where he worked in a microfluidics laboratory. His broader interests span aerospace and high-speed thermal–fluid systems, with ongoing efforts in multiphase CFD modeling, data-driven surrogate modeling, and nozzle shape optimization. 

Gaurab Neupane is a Ph.D. candidate in Mechanical Engineering at Northeastern University, Boston. He grew up in Nepal, a country known for its rich culture, natural beauty, and the Himalayas, which inspired his curiosity and drive to explore new horizons. He earned his undergraduate degree from SRM Institute of Science and Technology in Chennai, India, and his master’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. His research focuses on plasma arc additive manufacturing, integrating computational modeling and experimental studies to optimize thermal behavior and weld pool dynamics for advanced manufacturing applications. Outside of research, Gaurab enjoys singing, traveling, and playing sports. 

Farah Kandalaft is a Ph.D. candidate in Mechanical Engineering at Northeastern University, part of the Ozdemir Research Group. Her research focuses on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of advanced manufacturing processes, with an emphasis on wire arc additive manufacturing. Her work aims to develop simulation models that are broadly applicable and less reliant on process-specific calibration. Prior to joining Northeastern University, she earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Balamand in Lebanon. 

Edmond Al Hawi a Ph.D. candidate in Thermofluids also pursuing an interdisciplinary Master's Degree in Materials Science. His research is centered in the Additive Manufacturing process of Vacuum Cold Spray. Investigating high energy multiphase flow through numerical and experimental methods, we aim to develop advanced functional materials with niche applications. 

Selam Ghirmai Andu is a Ph.D. candidate in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in thermofluids. She holds a B.Sc. degree in Aeronautical Engineering Technology. Her current research focuses on blood flow dynamics, using computational modeling and fluid dynamics to investigate how red blood cells and platelets interact under various flow conditions. The ultimate goal of her work is to better understand how blood cell dynamics contribute to the formation of thrombosis. 

Kerem Dülger completed his Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at Bilkent University, where his research focused on developing machine learning–based surrogate models to predict complex fluid dynamics phenomena. At Northeastern University, he is pursuing his PhD with a focus on aeroacoustics and the application of machine learning to cold spray processes. His current research interests lie at the intersection of high-performance computing, fluid mechanics, and artificial intelligence, aiming to enable efficient simulation and predictive modeling of additive manufacturing and multiphysics systems.