Welcome to Dr. Ma's Nanostructured Materials and Nanomechanics Lab. Ma’s research interests sit at the interface of materials science, mechanical engineering and sustainability.We are interested in fabrication and characterization of advanced materials that contain nanoscale microstructural features for high performance such as high specific strength, high ductility, improved reliability and lifetime. We perform mechanical testing at small scales and in localized regions such as boundaries and interface in the materials using cutting-edge nanoindentation technique. The objective is to uncover new processing-structure-properties correlation in advanced nanomaterials for next-generation structural, electronic, and energy components. Her recent research activities focus on multiscale hierarchical structured materials, functionally graded materials, low-work-function electrode materials, additive manufacturing (AM) and sustainability issues associated with metal AM. Please visit our Research and Publications pages to learn more about our current and future goals. (Archived News Stories...)