Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering
Dr. Reza and Georgianna Khatib Endowed Chair
Research Expertise
Dr. Ruiz Pestana is an expert in molecular modeling and simulation and his research is focused on understanding the amazing properties of nanostructured materials.
Teaching and Mentoring
Dr. Ruiz Pestana teaches courses in engineering mechanics and molecular modeling. He mentors graduate students in diverse fields such as engineering mechanics, computational chemistry, and statistical physics, and thus prepares his students to be successful in a myriad of professional and academic careers. He is a passionate researcher and enjoys teaching basic science to students and the broader public.
Education
| 2019 | Post Doctoral , Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and University of California, Berkeley |
| 2015 | Ph.D. Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Northwestern University |
| 2009 | B.S. Civil Engineering,, University of Cantabria, Spain |
Career Summary
Dr. Ruiz Pestana earned his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Cantabria in Spain and obtained his Ph.D. from the Theoretical and Applied Mechanics program at Northwestern University under the mentorship of Sinan Keten. After his Ph.D., he became a postdoctoral fellow at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of California, Berkley, where he worked with Teresa Head-Gordon. Dr. Ruiz Pestana has made an impact in a variety of nanoscience topics ranging from the development of computational models to investigate the mechanics of graphene assemblies to understanding the desalination potential of supramolecular peptide nanotubes.
