Advanced Computational Metallurgy Lab & Additive Composite Manufacturing Lab 

Overview

Welcome to the website of the Hargather Research Lab, the Advanced Computational Metallurgy Lab (ACML)!

The ACML is led by Dr. Chelsey Hargather at New Mexico Tech.  Our research involves developing and improving new metallic alloys using a variety of computational tools.  We currently focus on first-principles quantum mechanical calculations and are exploring thermodynamic modeling using the CALculation of PHAse Diagrams (CALPHAD) technique.   Current research projects involve calculating deformation properties in High Entropy Alloys and various types of diffusion coefficient calculations.

In 2018, ACML expanded to the Additive Composite Manufacturing Laboratory, (now ACML^2), and has had several projects on additive manufacturing of solid composite rocket propellant, and other energetics materials processing.

Recent News

October 2023 - Congratulations to Kayleigh Cameron for winning 1st place in the student speaking competition at the Rio Grande Symposium on Advanced Materials in Albuquerque, NM.  It was her first talk at a conference, and focused on combustion rates of energetic initiator inks. Way to represent Materials Engineering and NMT!

September 2023 - Dylan Purcell led ACML's first experimental paper on energetic materials.  It was accepted in the Propellants, Explosives, and Pyrotechnics journal!

June 2023 - Dr. Hargather presented her additive manufacturing work on energetic materials at the Defense Science Technology Group in Adelaide, South Australia.

May 2023 - Congratulations to Kayleigh Cameron for winning the Cramer Award at New Mexico Tech's 2023 graduation ceremony!  It is a fantastic honor for Kayleigh and the Materials Engineering Department is so proud!

May 2023 - Chris Lafferty successfully defended his MS thesis, the first graduate of Dr. Hargather's NSF CAREER award!

May 2023 - Gabriel Beltran joins ACML to work on HEA calculations.

May 2023 - Benito Silva (UG), Hannah Morgan-Smith Myers (MS), and Kayleigh Cameron (MS) are awarded research fellowships from NASA Space Grant Consortium for the 2023-2024 academic year.  What an amazing accomplish for each student, and an honor to have 3 ACML students recognized for their research excellence.  Congratulations!

March 2023 - Dr. Hargather and 7 ACML students attended the annual TMS Meetings in San Diego, CA.

January 2023 - Danielsen Moreno successfully passed his MS proposal defense.

December 2022 - Chris Lafferty successfully passed his MS proposal defense.

October 2022 - Dylan, Chris, Danielsen, Hannah, and Benito presented at the Rio Grand Symposium on Advanced Materials in Albuquerque, NM.

September 2022 - Dr. Hargather attended the 2022 IMAT conference hosted by ASM International in New Orleans.  She received her Bronze medal award and presented two talks, one on vacancy formation energy in HEAs and one on additive manufacturing of energetics.

April 2022 - Dr. Hargather receives tenure and promotion to Associate Professor at New Mexico Tech!  ASM International announced the news here.

April 2022 - Dylan Purcell successfully defended his MS, ACML's first experimental student to do so.  Congratulations on a job well done!

March 2022 - Dr. Hargather attended the TMS Annual Meeting in Anaheim, CA.  She gave a talk on Chris' work on defect calculations in HEAs.

January 2022 - Welcome Kayleigh Cameron to ACML!  She is joining the energetics projects.

October 2021 - Dr. Hargather visited Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX to kick of the DOE/NNSA project.  She gave an invited lecture on her various projects related to the additive manufacturing of energetics.

September 2021 - Dr. Hargather attended the 2021 IMAT conference hosted by ASM Interntional in St. Louis Missouri.  She presented two talks, one on non-dilute diffusion coefficients and the other on stacking fault energy in FCC and BCC high-entropy alloys.

August 2021 - Dr. Hargather received the 2021 Bronze Medal Award from ASM International.  It is an early career award and Dr. Hargather received it for "for technical contributions to materials science and engineering through dissemination of her scientific work and graduating students; and for developing herself and her students professionally through her service to ASM".

August 2021 - Welcome Chris Lafferty and Danielsen Moreno - they will be working on Dr. Hargather's NSF CAREER project!

May 2021 - Welcome Gabe Avilucea and Hannah Morgan-Smith Meyers to ACML!  Gabe will be leading the Army energetic ink project.

March 2021 - The paper led by Kristin Mackowski has been selected by Computational Materials Science as Editor's Choice! Great work, Kristin! 

March 2021 - Dr. Hargather gave an invited talk on HEAs in fcc and bcc systems at the virtual 2021 TMS Annual Meeting.

February 2021 - Dr. Hargather receives a prestigious NSF CAREER Award to continue her work on first-principles calculations of high-entropy alloys.  It is a five-year award given to junior faculty to "serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization".  Congratulations!

January 2021 - Dr. Hargather receives a TMS Young Leader Professional Development Award!

January 2021 - Welcome Chris Lafferty and Logan Franchell to ACML!  The team is excited to have you. 

October 2020 - ACML's first paper is officially published!  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtla.2020.100927

October 2020 - Dr. Hargather gave an invited talk at ASM's IMAT Virtual conference.

October 2020 - Congratulations to John "Mac" O'Connell for his successful MS defense!

October 2020 - Welcome Benito Silva to ACML!  Benito will be working on the Sandia project.

September 2020 - Dr. Hargather presented on the additive manufacturing project with X-Bow at the first virtual JANNAF propulsion meeting.

June 2020 - Welcome Zufuru Tejan-Kella to ACML! Zu will be working on the additive manufacturing project.

May 2020 - Congratulations to Matthew Hinton for completing his Master of Engineering.  Matthew will be working for X-Bow Launch Systems.

Mary 2020 - Congratulations to Dane Fradenburg for completing his BS in Chemical Engineering!  Dane will be working for X-Bow Launch Systems.

April 2020 - Kristin Mackowski successfully passed her MS thesis defense.  Excellent work!  She will be starting a fellowship with the NNSA in June.

February 2020 - Dr. Hargather and Kristin attended TMS in San Diego, CA.  Kristin participated in the graduate student poster competition.  Dr. Hargather co-organized the annual Fresh Coffee, Fresh Ideas: Diversity and Inclusion Breakfast event.

January 2020 - Joshua Strother successfully defended his MS thesis and is the second graduate from ACML!  Congratulations!

December 2019 - Kristin Mackowski successfully passed her MS Proposal Defense.  Great job!

October 2019 - Dr. Hargather attended the annual MS&T meeting in Portland, Oregon.  She officially joined the ICME committee!

June 2019 - ACML hosted its first REU student, Mackenzie Conkling, from Centre College to work on the additive manufacturing project.

May 2019 - Eric Galindo, Dane Fradenburg, Sabine Fuierer, and Javier Ambrose joined the lab to work on the additive manufacturing project.  Welcome!

March 2019 - Dr. Hargather, Joshua, and Mac attended TMS in San Antonio, Texas.  Josh and Mac gave excellent posters.

October 2018 - Dr. Hargather, Josh, Mac, and Kristin attended MS&T in Columbus, OH.  Josh's talk on BCC HEA stacking faults was well received.

August 2018 - Ali Scheer successfully passed her MS defense and is the first masters graduate of ACML!  Congratulations on a job well done.

May 2018 - Mac O'Connell passed his MS Proposal Defense.  Congratulations for an excellent talk!

May 2018 - Congratulations to Josh Strother for completing his BS in Materials Engineering!  He will join the lab as a graduate student in June.

May 2018 - Harrison Lee completed his BS degree and will pursue a PhD at RPI starting in August!  Farewell to ACML's first alum.

March 2018 - Ali Scheer, Mac O'Connell, Harrison Lee, and Joshua Strother attended TMS 2018 in Phoenix, AZ.  Shout out to Ali and Mac for successful presentations!

January 2018 - Ali Scheer passed her MS Proposal Defense.  Congratulations on a job well done!

December 2017 - Congratulations to Mac O'Connell for completing his BS in Materials Engineering!  He will join the lab as a graduate student in January.

October 2017 - Ali Scheer, Harrison Lee, Mac O'Connell, and Dr. Hargather attended the MS&T conference in Pittsburgh, PA.

September 2017 - ACML's first conference manuscript (authored by Ali Scheer) was accepted for TMS 2018!!  Good work!

August 2017 - Dr. Hargather visited Questek Innovations in Evanston, IL, where Josh Strother was doing a summer internship.

May 2017 - Congratulations to Ali Scheer for completing her BS in Materials Engineering!  She will join the lab as a graduate student in August.