Dr. Priya Vashishta

Biography

Priya Vashishta is a Dean's Professor specializing in Materials Science, Computer Science, Physics, and Astronomy at the University of Southern California (USC). She is the director of the Collaboratory for Advanced Computing Simulations and has edited or co-edited 11 books and authored over 390 papers. Her research focuses on high-performance computing, computer-aided design of high-temperature materials, multimillion-atom simulations of materials and devices, bio-nano interfaces, and immersive interactive visualization of billion-atom systems. Vashishta's team investigates the effects of extreme conditions on everyday materials, which has led to the development of newer and better-designed products, particularly in areas like computer chips and materials that are susceptible to corrosion and oxidation. Collaborating with colleagues such as Rajiv Kalia and Aiichiro Nakano, her research utilizes supercomputers to simulate atomic and molecular behaviors in complex materials. Vashishta is committed to education and mentoring, particularly for underrepresented groups, and oversees an annual computational science workshop for undergraduates. Previously, she served as a Cray Professor of Computational Science at Louisiana State University and was a senior research scientist at Argonne National Laboratory. She has received multiple awards, including the University of Southern California Associates Award for Creativity in Research in 2010 and the Senior Faculty Research Award from the Viterbi School of Engineering in 2007.

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Experience

Awards