Meet Abhinav (Abhi) Ramkumar (VIPER '21)

How it Started…

Hometown

Carmel, Indiana

Degrees

Bachelor of Arts in Physics and Astronomy (Minor in South Asia Studies)

Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Materials Science and Engineering

Post-Penn Plans

PhD at Purdue University in School of Mechanical Engineering

Penn Experiences

My time at Penn in the VIPER program was an enriching experience that allowed me to freely explore and figure out my interests through a captivating combination of academic coursework, research experiences, and extracurricular involvements. I pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Physics, with a minor in South Asia Studies, and Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Materials Science and Engineering. In addition, I extended my curriculum by taking upper-level courses in computational science and applied mathematics that motivated new perspectives in my research, while learning languages used in Carnatic music. My current research interests lie in the intersection of statistical physics, network science, and machine learning to design complex physical systems with desired properties. In addition, our senior design project was a culmination of significant extracurricular involvement, along with my curiosity in music technology and its connections to what I learned in physics and materials science. In short, the main takeaway from the program was being empowered to create new opportunities for myself through a combination of taking coursework outside my comfort zone, seeking out new opportunities within existing ones (ie. making use of my college house and emailing faculty at other universities), and most importantly, leveraging the support of the VIPER student community. All this support was truly invaluable in both my personal and academic growth, and ultimately gave me a better sense of purpose and helped me come to terms with my multiple interests. Surprisingly enough, these ideas resonated among faculty members, and have helped me realize new possibilities going forward in graduate school. At Purdue, I will be able to work on fundamental research in complexity science in connection to energetic material systems, while also potentially innovating new technologies in music technology and acoustics systems. The future is ripe with strong connections with Penn faculty and students, coupled with my curiosity and creativity, which will be crucial in my pursuit to make the world a better place.

Research Interests

In my research, I hope to develop and use methods derived from statistical physics and computational science to model complex systems for various interdisciplinary applications. During my time at Penn, I have explored predominantly theoretical and computational research projects across a wide range of academic domains, including biophysics, materials science, deep learning, and most recently with the COVID epidemic. During graduate school, I hope to work on a diverse set of applications using my background in physics, materials science, and computer science. I highlight my research experiences below:

Computational Biophysics Research

Spring 2015 – Present, Horia I. Petrache:

I have worked with Prof. Petrache on computational biophysics research. My first project when I was in high school was looking at the interaction of ATP/ADP/AMP on membrane surfaces using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations (CHARMM, VMD, NAMD, etc.), where we discovered that AxP molecules aggregate on membrane surfaces depending on counter-ion concentration. As a follow up to this work, starting my senior year of high school, I did a second project using MD simulations where I studied lipid membranes, performed membrane order parameter analysis, and worked on adapting a mean-torque model based on statistical mechanics. We also worked with experimentalists who use NMR and X-Ray Scattering to make measurements, including collaborating with Prof. Michael Brown at University of Arizona. I didn’t have much time to work on this when I started undergrad at Penn, so I came back to this lab group during the summer of 2019 as a part of an REU program to work some more on this project. I recently went this past February to the Biophysical Society Conference in San Diego to present my work. I am currently working this summer to publish a paper on membrane order parameters, and specifically about observations of chain confinement due to the presence of upturns in lipid chains.

Associated Honors/Recognitions:

  1. Siemens Competition Regional Finalist (Top 30 in US)
  2. Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) Finalist
  3. Finalist in Undergraduate Poster Competition at Biophysical Society Annual Meeting, 2020
  4. Expected publication of paper on membrane order parameters (writing manuscript over this summer)

 

Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics

Fall 2017 – Summer 2019, Andrew M. Rappe:

I worked with Prof. Rappe on computational chemistry research during my freshman and sophomore years at Penn. Specifically, I worked on developing a Bond-Valence based potential to perform classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using LAMMPS on Barium Titanium Oxide and model it’s phase transitions. In addition, we were interested in exploring the effects of epitaxial strain on the temperatures corresponding to phase transitions by running simulations where we applied tensile and compressive strain on the system.

 

Physics Informed Machine Learning & Deep Learning

Fall 2019 – Present, Paris Perdikaris & Talid Sinno:

During the Fall 2019 semester, I took a course with Prof. Perdikaris on Machine Learning (ENM 360), where I got to do a final project related to sampling complex mathematical functions using deep learning and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC). I am currently extending this final project into a research project, where we hope to make a Boltzmann generator using a Generative Adversarial Neural (GAN) Network. This Boltzmann generator is based on work done by Frank Noe. I am currently continuing this research over the summer and am hoping to interface a Python based MD code called JAX with deep learning. Currently we are working with Lennard-Jones potentials to see agreement between simple particle systems and hope to expand this to more complicated potentials.

 

Internship at Center for Nonlinear Studies at Los Alamos National Laboratory

Summer 2020

Abhinav Ramkumar, R. A. Mansbach, and Gnana Gnanakaran:

Employing Boltzmann Generators to Study Conotoxin Disulfide Isomers

My summer work at LANL unfortunately got precluded just recently due to the COVID pandemic, and difficulty to onboard new students this summer to work virtually using their computing resources. However, I do intend to work there at the very least next summer before graduate school. In short, what I was hoping to do this summer at LANL was work with Boltzmann generators to more effectively sample different metastable states of Conotoxins, which are disulfide-rich peptides produced by the family Conidae of aquatic cone snails. The outcome of this work would be a generalizable tool for the study of multiple conotoxins, including those with much more complex disulfide-bond patterns, and a greater understanding of the effects of covalent disulfide bonds on energy landscapes.

 

COVID-19 Pandemic Modelling – Patterns and Mobility in City of Philadelphia:

Summer 2020 (Have been involved in this project instead given these circumstances, but lots of useful learning is currently happening).

Victor Preciado, Duncan Watts, & Jorge Barreras Cortes

This work is currently under progress, but in short, the goal of this project is to identify visits to sites using cellphone data and figuring out where they come from in the city of Philadelphia. The hope is to develop more robust algorithms to count visits, while also gleaning more useful information from cellphone ping without compromising the privacy of individuals. Although this project is quite different from the others, there is quite a surprising overlap of physics concepts, especially from statistical physics when modelling mobility in the city and determining effective metrics. I am working with team of other undergraduate students at the University of Pennsylvania, who are focused on (1) counting visits to sites and find homes (on this team), (2) identifying polygons and shapefiles for different locations and sites.

 

Using Novel Materials for Adaptable Acoustics

Senior Design/President Innovation Prize Project

Fall 2019 – Present, Jordan R. Raney:

[Description from Sach Grant Website]: Bridging the gap between fundamental scientific research, modern computational techniques, and music, Abhinav Ramkumar and William Deo will be developing novel materials and devices that can be used to produce adaptable acoustics. These adaptable acoustics materials are such that they can be manipulated in real time using electronic controllers to produce amplified audio output. The project hopes to integrate these adaptable acoustics into existing instruments, which would allow for maintaining tuning, greater acoustic manipulation, and broader possibilities for musicians. Additionally, they are looking to develop a mechanism for fine control of the material properties in real time, which can lead to enhanced acoustics in performance, and music education. The impact of this project goes beyond developing experimental technology: working with researchers ranging from materials science to machine learning, all the way to music, Ramkumar and Deo hope that this project will enable them to pursue their passion for integrating STEM with music. The goal is to integrate this project into the construct of senior design and apply for the President’s Innovation Prize.

Awards & Funding:

  1. Netter Center Shah Prize for Innovative Undergraduate Projects ($5000)
  2. Sachs Student Arts Innovation Grant ($5000)
  3. College House Music Fellowship ($1000)
  4. College House Research Fellowship ($1500)
  5. Year of Data Grant ($1000)

Why did you choose VIPER?

The VIPER program is truly a one of a kind, immersive and enriching experience. I would say the primary reason this program stood out to me when I was applying to college was the ability to study both the basic and applied sciences, while being able to get involved in dense research experiences as an undergraduate, which is a premature taste for graduate school. I also liked the focused and small group of students in this program, which promoted a constant exchange of ideas and the ability to learn about different fields of research. More importantly the community of students, researchers, and mentors I have gained in this program have been invaluable to me in shaping the directions and contours of my Penn experience, and find ways to bridge my personal interests into the arena of STEM over these years, which has allowed me to really develop a more nuanced sense for truly what I hope to study going forward.

What are three words you would use to describe VIPER?

Exciting, Supporting, and Encouraging

What is your favorite aspect about the program?

My favorite aspect of this program was the first summer during my freshman year, where I got the opportunity to interact on a weekly basis with my cohort and get a sense into how doing research was with the entire group. Additionally, an aspect I have discovered over these years was how invaluable the diverse skillsets and interests of my VIPER class is, especially in bouncing off ideas and questions both in the context of class, research, and senior design.

How do you see VIPER integrating into your future goals?

To be honest, I am still figuring out the answer to this question as we speak, but I would say that more than anything else, the skills I have gained over these years through my research and academics at Penn will be a powerful combination going into the future. As of now, I am hoping to pursue graduate school focusing on the nexus of statistical physics and computational science, however the specific flavor of the research applications remains elusive and perhaps a self-selecting process. In addition, I am also exploring the possibility of pursuing fellowships and other short-term opportunities before enrolling in a graduate program. In parallel, I am working with 4 other students in my VIPER cohort to develop a senior design project focused on adaptable acoustics for music applications, which has proven to be an amazing way to intersect my scientific and personal interests through the diversity of the VIPER program.

How do you like to spend your free time? Are you involved in any organizations in or out of Penn?

During my free time, I love singing Carnatic music, playing the violin, while also taking runs along the Schuylkill river, watching NBA games, and enjoying the amazing food scene in Philadelphia. On campus, I am involved in Penn Sargam, a South-Asian fusion music band focused on integrating classical music from the Indian-subcontinent, and pursuing creative collaborations with pop, jazz, and film music. Additionally, I have lived all my time at Kings Court English College House (KCECH), having various leadership roles in my house including Biosphere Manager, Cultural Arts Manager, and am currently going to be a resident advisor during my senior year. Finally, over this past year, Will and I have been working together to do a project that bridges between STEM and music, and we have developed an all VIPER team for our senior design project.

What advice would you give to incoming VIPER students?

My advice would be to not confine yourself to your majors as science and engineering converges in so many ways, and understanding those intersections allows you to make a greater impact. Furthermore, finding research experiences that often connect with your coursework is a great way to have a deeper connection with your PI and research, and is often a way to pursue original work. Finally, in terms of extracurriculars, it’s totally OK to do a few things and be very involved those things, as those activities form your community for your four years at Penn.

… How It’s Going

Current Job?

PhD Candidate in Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University

Awards and Achievements

  • National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (DoD NDSEG) Fellow (2022-2025)
  • National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF-GRFP) Honorable Mention (March 2022)
  • William R. Graham Materials Science and Engineering Senior Design Award - Judge’s Choice Award (April 2021)
  • Netter Center Shah Prize for Innovative Undergraduate Student Projects Recipient (January 2020)

Why did you join VAB?

I joined VAB to make an impact on the journeys of current VIPER students and to remain engaged with the program. VIPER has provided me with such a strong multifaceted foundation that is helping me accomplish my goals as a graduate student and beyond. I’m especially passionate about mentoring current VIPER students and VAB provides me with an opportunity to share the insights that we have gained and expand the success we are already seeing in this program.

What part of the energy industry are you most excited about?

I’m excited about the application of statistical physics and network science in the context of granular materials, which is the second most manipulated material in industry after water. I’m especially excited about utilizing multiscale materials modelling in solving energy-related the challenges as it can make an impact on efficiency of manufacturing materials and in designing resilient sociotechnical systems.

What is something that you're interested in?

During my free time, I love singing Carnatic (Indian Classical) music, playing the violin, and pursuing creative collaborations with pop, jazz, and film music. I am also interested in music technology, which a couple of fellow VIPER student and I explored as a part of our senior design project on adaptive acoustic materials.

What is one of your nerdiest interests?

Network Science: my favorite aspect of this interdisciplinary field is how we can capture the important properties of so many different systems in a general way, which is something that excites me about using it to connect vastly different problems through a unifying framework.