My thesis research involved studies of various nucleation phenomena, both in metallic glass forming systems and in other alloy systems.  My primary project involved devitrification of rapidly quenched metallic glasses, wherein I studied the rates of formation of crystalline phases upon annealing.  Various alloys, such as Zr-Al-Ni-Cu and Al-Y-Fe, do not form a crystalline structure upon cooling from high temperatures.  When these alloys are annealed, they tend to form nanometer sized crystallites out of the amorphous matrix.  Through the use of transmission electron microscopy, these crystallites can be imaged and studied.  Other techniques employed to study this transformation are differential scanning calorimetry and resistivity measurements.  The experimental data collected are used in conjunction with computer simulations.  These simulations are designed to improve classical nucleation theory and to better understand phase transformations far from equilibrium. 
    I was also involved with various experiments in direct collaboration with NASA and DLR in Cologne, Germany, studying the nucleation properties of various Ti-based quasicrystal-forming systems.  We made extensive use of  various containerless processing facilities, such as electromagnetic levitators and the 105 meter drop tube at Marshall Space Flight Center.
    The ultimate goals of my research are a better understanding and prediction of microstructure controlled properties of metals and alloys, and also the improved utility of mathematical models for predicting materials properties.