Ph.D. Student Position in Numerical Studies and Fracture Analysis
The pavement research group led by Dr. Hasan Ozer at Arizona State University is seeking a highly motivated Ph.D. student to join in Fall 2026. This position comes with full financial support, including a stipend, tuition waiver, and health insurance.
Applicants who are residing in the U.S. will be prioritized.
Scope of Work
– Application of numerical modeling techniques, such as Finite Element Method (FEM) for pavement design and fracture analysis.
– Application of statistical and optimization techniques for developing simplified models based on calculated pavement responses from numerical simulations.
Preferred Qualifications
– M.Sc. in Civil Engineering
– Experienced or enthusiastic in applications of numerical methods and computational research
– Experienced in programming (e.g., Python, R, etc.)
– Strong communication skills in English (oral and written)
– Satisfies ASU admission requirements for graduate students
– Currently Residing in the United States
Facilities
ASU is among the largest universities in the United States of America (U.S.) with more than 73,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 U.S. states and more than 120 countries. ASU is consistently one of the top-ranked public, research universities in the country, offering over 430 undergraduate degrees and over 590 graduate programs led by expert faculty and top researchers in first-class facilities.
Advanced Pavement Laboratory (APL)
The Advanced Pavement Laboratory (APL) is a state-of-the-art facility that provides full capability for characterizing asphalt concrete mixtures and unbound materials, and complete asphalt binder characterization. The APL is considered one of the most advanced laboratories in the United States. The APL occupies over 4000 square feet in the Science and Technology Building II. The testing laboratory comprises different sections for binder testing, mixture design, and mixture performance.
Computing and Data Services
Arizona State University mainly provides computational assistance through Sol and Phoenix supercomputers.
Sol is a homogeneous supercomputer with over 18,000 CPU cores across 178 nodes and up to 2 TB of RAM. Sol provides GPU modes for 3-D modeling and developing machine learning models. The Top500 ranked Sol above Harvard, NYU, and Johns Hopkins. In addition, IO500 listed Sol among the world’s top-performing research supercomputers, including 10-node systems.
Advisor
Dr. Hasan Ozer is an Associate Professor at ASU’s School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Founding Director of Southwest Pavement Technology Consortium, and Director of the National Center of Excellence on Smart Innovations. Dr. Ozer also serves as Associate Director of AzTI. Dr. Ozer has more than 15 years of experience in teaching and research in the characterization of airfield and highway pavement materials, advanced modeling, and sustainability. Before he joined ASU, he served as a research faculty member at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Civil Engineering Department and the Illinois Center for Transportation. He has led or co-led more than 20 projects sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Illinois DOT, the Illinois Tollway, and private industry.
Application Process
Email [email protected] with your research background and CV. Unofficial transcripts and proof of English proficiency will be highly appreciated. Please send your email with the subject “Prospective PhD Student – Numerical – [Your Name]”.
