Nicole Wiles is from Cedar Rapids, Iowa and obtained her B.A. in Physics and Mathematics from Coe College. At Cornell, she works in Professor Baker’s group. Her PhD research focuses on plastic deformation in silicate glasses, particularly the family of glasses used in displays for smart devices. Plasticity in metallic glasses has become reasonably well understood in the last few decades, however plasticity in oxide glasses is not understood despite oxide glass’ prevalence in our lives for many millennia.
Nicole’s research focuses on the atomic mechanisms of plasticity through the use of experimental techniques like indentation in conjunction with Raman spectroscopy and computational techniques like molecular dynamics. She hopes to contribute to the fundamental understanding of the atomic mechanisms of plasticity in glasses and to understand the unexplored connection between the stress state of glasses under loading and their resulting plastic deformation.
Outside of the lab, Nicole does ballet and enjoys quilting in addition to maintaining and racing classic BMWs.
Ph.D. student Lainie Eisner was drawn to Cornell specifically for its relationship with Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. Read more about Investigating degenerative tendon disease and repair
Alex Cruz is a doctoral student in biomedical engineering from New Jersey. He studies tissue engineering approaches to calcific aortic valve disease under the guidance of Jonathan Butcher at Cornell. Read more about Using tissue engineering approaches to better understand cardiovascular disease
This collection of stories, published in celebration of Earth Day and Sustainability Month at Cornell, highlights recent examples of faculty and students engaged in developing tangible, groundbreaking solutions to save the planet. Read more about Cornell Engineering: Committed to a better, more sustainable Earth
