Education

      UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA, Orlando, Florida.                                December 2007

      Ph.D. in Material Science and Engineering, Cumulative GPA: 3.91 / 4.00                         

Specializations: Neutron diffraction, Shape memory alloys, Actuators, Cryogenic materials

Dissertation: “Low Temperature NiTiFe Shape Memory Alloys: Actuator Engineering and Investigation of Deformation Mechanisms using in situ Neutron Diffraction at Los Alamos National Laboratory”

   UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA, Orlando, Florida.                                         April 2004

      M.S. in Material Science and Engineering, Cumulative GPA: 3.84 / 4.00                             

      Specializations: Shape memory alloys, Actuators, Cryogenic materials

Thesis: “Design, Fabrication and Testing of a Shape Memory Alloy based Cryogenic Thermal Conduction Switch”

      SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, Syracuse, New York.                                                December 2001
      M.S. in Manufacturing Engineering, Cumulative GPA: 3.81 / 4.00                                         

      Specializations: Lean manufacturing, Design for manufacturing

      UNIVERSITY OF KERALA, College of Engineering, Trivandrum, India.          September 1996

      B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering, First Class                                                        

      Minor: Aerospace Engineering

Awards and Honors

·        Member of Florida Delta Chapter of Tau Beta Pi (National Engineering Honor Society).

·        Received U.S. patents in March 2007 and November 2005 regarding propulsion using combustion detonation of solid propellants.

·        Winner of Research Poster Competition during Engineering Week 2006, conducted by Dean Student Advisory Council at College of Engineering and Computer Science, University of Central Florida.

·        Featured in the “Council of Florida Graduate Deans News letter”, November 2005.

·        Co-winner for the best student poster representing research conducted at Los Alamos Neutron Science Center at LUG7 (7^th LANSCE User Group Meeting) September 11-13, 2005.

·        Selected as the College of Engineering and Computer Science (University of Central Florida) winner of 2004-05 award for the outstanding master’s thesis and was recommended for the university award.

·        Student member of ASM, TMS, AIST, ACerS and AIAA.

·        Winner of Quality Improvement Suggestion Program at ConMed Corporation, Utica, NY and received $500 Savings Bond as incentive.

Summary of Experience

·        3 years of industry experience, 6 years of research experience.

·        Expertise in product development starting from concept to final fabrication, including materials and mechanical designing.

·        Expertise in shape memory alloys, from alloy fabrication by melting and thermomechanical treatments to design of devices / actuators.

·        Experience in stress and thermal analysis using FEM (Finite Element Method).

·        Experience in cryogenic and vacuum designing.

·        Experience in neutron diffraction measurements in a wide variety of material systems at temperatures (high, room and cryogenic temperatures) and stresses, and Rietveld refinement using GSAS (General Structure Analysis System).

·        Experience in layout of machineries, especially cellular layout and application of lean manufacturing.

·        Experience in writing manufacturing procedures / work instructions, and validating machines and products.

Patents, Publications and Presentations

      Patent Applications: 

·        Co-inventor – Provisional patent application “Shape Memory Thermal Conduction Switch” – December 2007. 

·        Co-inventor – Provisional patent application “A Shape-Memory Alloy Based Debris-Less and Spark-Free Release Mechanism” – December 2007. 

Patents: 

·        Inventor – “Propulsion from the combustion of solid propellant pellet-projectiles” (Patent # US 7,194,852 B1) – March 2007. 

·        Inventor – “Propulsion from the combustion of solid propellant pellet-projectiles” (Patent # US 6,968,676 B1) – November 2005. 

        Completed Manuscripts: 

·        Vinu B. Krishnan, Timothy R. Woodruff, Sara Shmalo, Chandrasen R. Rathod, Bjørn Clausen, Donald W. Brown, Mark A.M. Bourke, William U. Notardonato & Raj Vaidyanathan, “In situ neutron diffraction investigation of deformation mechanism in cryogenic NiTiFe shape memory alloys”, (to be submitted to Nature Materials).

·        V.B. Krishnan, B. Clausen, D.W. Brown, M.A.M. Bourke and R. Vaidyanathan, “Real Time Two-Stage Recovery under Stress in Cryogenic Shape Memory NiTiFe Investigated by In Situ Neutron Diffraction”, (to be submitted to Applied Physics Letters).

·        V.B. Krishnan, B. Clausen, D.W. Brown, M.A.M. Bourke and R. Vaidyanathan, “Deformation Behavior of Shape Memory NiTiFe Investigated using Neutron Diffraction Spectra Acquired In Situ during Mechanical Loading at 92 K”, (to be submitted to Acta Materialia).

·        T.R. Woodruff, V.B. Krishnan, B. Clausen, D.W. Brown, T. Sisneros, M.A.M. Bourke, and R. Vaidyanathan, “Experimental Setup for the Measurement of the Thermo-mechanical Response of Solid Crystalline Materials while Exposed to Variable Temperature and Stresses in the Cryogenic Realm.”, (to be submitted to Review of Scientific Instruments).

·        Vinu B Krishnan, William U Notardonato and Raj Vaidyanathan, “Design, fabrication and testing of a shape memory alloy based cryogenic thermal conduction switch”, (to be submitted to Sensors and Actuators A).  

Peer Reviewed Publications: 

·        V.B. Krishnan, C. Bewerse, W.U. Notardonato and R. Vaidyanathan, “A Thermal Conduction Switch Based on Low Hysteresis NiTiFe Shape Memory Alloy Helical Springs”, Advances in Cryogenic Engineering (2008, in press). 

·        V.B. Krishnan, R. Mahadevan Manjeri, B. Clausen, D.W. Brown and R. Vaidyanathan, “Analysis of Neutron Diffraction Spectra Acquired in situ during Low Temperature Loading of Shape Memory NiTiFe”, Material Science & Engineering A (2008, in press).

·        J.L. Lemanski, V.B. Krishnan, R. Mahadevan Manjeri, W.U. Notardonato and R. Vaidyanathan, “A Low Hysteresis NiTiFe Shape Memory Alloy based Cryogenic Thermal Conduction Switch”, Advances in Cryogenic Engineering, American Institute of Physics, 2006.

·        V.B. Krishnan, J.D. Singh, T.R. Woodruff, W.U. Notardonato and R. Vaidyanathan, “A Shape Memory Alloy based Cryogenic Thermal Conduction Switch”, Advances in Cryogenic Engineering, Vol. 50, American Institute of Physics, 2004. 

Non Peer Reviewed Publications: 

·        Vinu B. Krishnan, “Propulsion from the Pulse Detonation of Solid Propellant Pellet-Projectiles”, 42^nd AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit, Sacramento, CA, AIAA Paper 2006-4628, 2006.

      Oral Presentations: 

·        Vinu B. Krishnan, S. Shmalo, B. Clausen, D.W. Brown, M.A.M. Bourke and R. Vaidyanathan, “Neutron diffraction measurements during loading at cryogenic temperatures in NiTiFe Shape Memory Alloys”, Cryogenic Engineering Conference and the International Cryogenic Materials Conference, Chattanooga, TN, July 16-20, 2007.

·        Shipeng Qiu, V.B. Krishnan, R. Bharani, J. Carver, B.V. Sankar, B. Clausen, D.W. Brown and R. Vaidyanathan, "Neutron Diffraction Measurements in Graphite/Epoxy Composites during Loading at Cryogenic Temperatures", Cryogenic Engineering Conference and the International Cryogenic Materials Conference, Chattanooga, TN, July 16-20, 2007.

·        Vinu B. Krishnan, B. Clausen, D.W. Brown, M.A.M. Bourke and R. Vaidyanathan, “Deformation Behavior of Shape Memory NiTiFe at 92 K”, LUG8 (Los Alamos Neutron Science Center User Group Meeting), Santa Fe, NM, June 10-12, 2007.

·        Shipeng Qiu, V.B. Krishnan, B. Clausen, D.W. Brown and R. Vaidyanathan, “Texture, Strain and Phase Fraction Measurements During Tensile-Compressive Cycling of Superelastic NiTi”, LUG8 (Los Alamos Neutron Science Center User Group Meeting), Santa Fe, NM, June 10-12, 2007.

·        Vinu B. Krishnan, B. Clausen, D.W. Brown, M.A.M. Bourke and R. Vaidyanathan, “Low Temperature Behavior of Shape Memory NiTiFe”, Graduate Research Forum, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Fl, April 3, 2007.

·        Shipeng Qiu, V.B. Krishnan, D.W. Brown, B. Clausen and R. Vaidyanathan, “Texture, Strain and Phase Fraction measurements during Tension-Compression Cycling in Superelastic NiTi”, Graduate Research Forum, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Fl, April 3, 2007.

·        Vinu B. Krishnan, B. Clausen, D.W. Brown, M.A.M. Bourke and R. Vaidyanathan, “Low Temperature Behavior of Shape Memory NiTiFe”, TMS2007- 136^th Annual Meeting & Exhibition, Orlando, FL, February 25- March 1, 2007.

·        Shipeng Qiu, V.B. Krishnan, D.W. Brown, B. Clausen and R. Vaidyanathan, “Texture, Strain and Phase Fraction measurements during Tension-Compression Cycling in Superelastic NiTi”, TMS2007- 136^th Annual Meeting & Exhibition, Orlando, FL, February 25- March 1, 2007.

·        Vinu B. Krishnan, “Propulsion from the Pulse Detonation of Solid Propellant Pellet-Projectiles”, 42^nd AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit, Sacramento, CA, July 9-12, 2006.

·        Vinu B. Krishnan, S. Shmalo, T.R. Woodruff, B. Clausen, T. Sisneros, D.W. Brown, M.A.M. Bourke, W.U. Notardonato and R. Vaidyanathan, “Cryogenic Neutron Diffraction Measurements during Loading and Heating in NiTiFe Shape Memory Alloys”, Graduate Research Forum, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Fl, March 29, 2006.

·        Vinu B. Krishnan, S. Shmalo, T.R. Woodruff, B. Clausen, T. Sisneros, D.W. Brown, M.A.M. Bourke and R. Vaidyanathan, “Cryogenic Neutron Diffraction Measurements during Loading and Heating in NiTiFe Shape Memory Alloys”, LUG7 (Los Alamos Neutron Science Center User Group Meeting), Los Alamos, NM, September 11-13, 2005.

·        V.B. Krishnan, J. Singh, T. Woodruff, W. Notardonato and R. Vaidyanathan, “A Shape Memory Alloy Based Cryogenic Thermal Conduction Switch: Design, Construction and Materials Development”, 41st Space Congress, Cape Canaveral, FL, April 27-30, 2004.

·        V.B. Krishnan, J. Singh, T. Woodruff, W. Notardonato and R. Vaidyanathan, “A Shape Memory Alloy Based Cryogenic Thermal Conduction Switch: Design, Construction and Materials Development”, Cryogenic Engineering Conference and the International Cryogenic Materials Conference, Anchorage, AK, September 22-26, 2003.

      Poster Presentations: 

·        V.B. Krishnan, C. Bewerse, W.U. Notardonato and R. Vaidyanathan, “A Thermal Conduction Switch Based on Low Hysteresis NiTiFe Shape Memory Alloy Helical Springs”,  Cryogenic Engineering Conference and the International Cryogenic Materials Conference, Chattanooga, TN, July 16-20, 2007.

·        V.B. Krishnan, S. Shmalo, T.R. Woodruff, B. Clausen, T. Sisneros, D.W. Brown, M.A.M. Bourke and R. Vaidyanathan, “Neutron Diffraction Measurements in NiTiFe Shape Memory Alloys During Loading at Cryogenic Temperatures”, Research Poster Competition during Engineering Week 2006, conducted by Dean Student Advisory Council at College of Engineering and Computer Science, University of Central Florida (Winner).

·        V.B. Krishnan, S. Shmalo, T.R. Woodruff, B. Clausen, T. Sisneros, D.W. Brown, M.A.M. Bourke and R. Vaidyanathan, “Neutron Diffraction Measurements in NiTiFe Shape Memory Alloys During Loading at Cryogenic Temperatures. Part II: Constrained Recovery”, Conference on Stress Evaluation MECA-SENS III, Santa Fe, NM, October 17-19, 2005.

·        S. Shmalo, V.B. Krishnan, T.R. Woodruff, B. Clausen, T. Sisneros, D.W. Brown, M.A.M. Bourke and R. Vaidyanathan, “Deformation Studies in NiTiFe Shape Memory Alloys During Mechanical Loading at Cryogenic and Room Temperatures”, LUG7 (Los Alamos Neutron Science Center User Group Meeting), Los Alamos, NM, September 11-13, 2005 (Co-winner in graduate student category).

Experience

      Advanced Materials Processing and Analysis Center (AMPAC)            February 2005 to Present

      Orlando, Florida

      – Research Assistant

·        Supervised successfully an undergraduate team in their senior design project, for developing shape memory alloy based debris-less separation mechanism for space applications (patent pending).

·        Developed a superior version of shape memory alloy based cryogenic thermal conduction switch (patent pending).

·        Attended short course on metals and alloys as part of Cryogenic Engineering Conference and the International Cryogenic Materials Conference, Chattanooga, TN, July 16-20, 2007.

·        Attended intensive course on neutron scattering experiments for structural materials research at the University of Tennessee, November 6-10, 2006.

·        Experience in working with DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimeter) and Dilatometer.

·        Exposure in TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy) on Philips Technai.

      Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE)                               June 2005 to November 2007

      Los Alamos, New Mexico

      – Experimental User

·        Experience in in-situ neutron diffraction measurements (SMARTS diffractometer) at temperature and stress in materials including NiTiFe shape memory alloys (cryogenic temperature), NiTiPd high temperature shape memory alloys, aluminum-alumina composites, nano crystalline glasses, graphite-epoxy composites (cryogenic temperature) and directionally solidified nickel based super-alloys (high temperature).

·        Principal Investigator to two fast access proposals (both accepted for HIPPO and NPDF diffractometers).

·        Period of visits: June 13-20, 2005; August 25-28, 2005; September 11-13, 2005; May 08-13, 2006; August 07-14, 2006; October 1-19, 2006; November 28-December 02, 2006; August 22-28, 2007; September 26-October 03, 2007; October 29-November 02, 2007.

·        Experience is Rietveld refinement of diffraction data using GSAS (General Structure Analysis System), including in the presence of texture, strain and different phases.

      Advanced Materials Processing and Analysis Center (AMPAC)           August 2002 to April 2004

      Orlando, Florida

      – Research Assistant

·        Developed successfully (design, construction & testing) two different versions of shape memory alloy based cryogenic thermal conduction switch for NASA Kennedy Space Center (for future Mars missions).

·        Expertise in the design of shape memory alloy devices/actuators using springs, strips or wires as actuator elements.

·        Experience in NiTi based shape memory alloys starting from fabrication of alloy ingot by inert gas arc melting to subsequent th