Dr. Kaushik Bhattacharya

Professor

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Biography

Professor Kaushik Bhattacharya studies the mechanical behavior of solids, specifically using theoretical approaches to guide the development of new materials. His current research focuses on three broad areas: (i) Active materials, such as shape-memory alloys and ferroelectrics, and applications in liquid crystal elastomers; (ii) Heterogeneous materials, designing materials with unprecedented properties by exploiting material heterogeneities; (iii) Coarse-grained density functional theory to understand defects in solids. He holds a B.Tech. from the Indian Institute of Technology (1986) and a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota (1991). After serving as an Assistant Professor at Caltech from 1993 to 1999, he became an Associate Professor in 1999, and subsequently a Professor in 2000. He has also served as the Executive Officer from 2007 to 2016 and became the Vice Provost in 2016, a role he continues to hold.

Research Interests

Courses

AM/ACM 127 – Calculus of Variations Ae/Ge/ME 160 ab – Continuum Mechanics ME/MS/AM 221 – Effective Properties of Heterogeneous Meta-Materials CE 201 – Advanced Topics in Civil Engineering ME 201 – Advanced Topics in Mechanical Engineering

Requirements for California Institute of Technology

Doctorate Program
Requirements
TOEFL
Total
Required:100
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree or equivalent Strong background in mathematics and physical sciences
Application Checklist
  • Online Application
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Three Letters of Recommendation
  • Transcripts
  • Resume/CV
Specialization Notes

Most Caltech graduate programs are PhD-only. GRE General and Subject tests vary by department; many have made them optional or no longer accept them.