Pulkit Garg, Ph.D.
Bio
Dr. Pulkit Garg joined the Department of Mechanical, Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering at the University of Toledo as a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Fall 2026. He received his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Arizona State University in 2019 and his B.Tech./M.Tech. (Integrated Dual Degree) in Ceramic Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, India in 2014.
Prior to joining the University of Toledo, Dr. Garg was a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara, working with Prof. Irene Beyerlein. Previously, he worked as a Postdoctoral Scholar with Prof. Timothy Rupert in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of California, Irvine.
His research focuses on computational design of advanced structural and functional materials for extreme environments. His work integrates quantum-mechanical first-principles calculations (DFT), molecular dynamics (MD), and mesoscale phase-field dislocation dynamics (PFDD) to understand and predict material behavior across multiple length scales. His research interests include defect engineering, refractory multi-principal element alloys (MPEAs), nanocrystalline alloys, superconducting metals, and AI/ML-accelerated materials discovery.
At the University of Toledo, Dr. Garg leads the DECODE (Defect Engineering via Computational Design) Materials Lab, which develops defect-informed computational approaches for designing materials with enhanced properties for applications in aerospace, hypersonic systems, energy, defense and national security, and quantum technologies.
Research Interests
- Defect Engineering in Metals and Alloys
- Multiscale Computational Materials Modeling
- Refractory Multi-Principal Element Alloys (RMPEAs)
- Interface-Engineered Nanocrystalline Materials
- AI/ML Accelerated Materials Discovery
Teaching
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Materials Lab