Our Team
Prof. Vikram Sudhir Deshpande (FREng FRS)
Group Leader
Vikram Deshpande is an engineer who has made significant contributions in fields ranging from the design of micro-architectured materials to modelling soft and active materials. His innovations have helped define the modern frontiers of solid mechanics. Examples of his work include:
- invention of a new class of architected materials for diverse applications including lightweight structures, energy absorption and shock mitigation.
- development of theories to exploit fluid-structure interaction effects to enhance the blast resistance of land and sea vehicle.
- creation of computational tools for interrogating the high-temperature performance of alloys used in engine.
- unravelling the role of entropic forces in mechano-transduction within living cells and
- analysing the failureof solid electrolyte lithium ion batteries.
Dr Zhiqiang Meng
Research Associate
Zhiqiang joined the group as a Research Associate in March 2025. His current research focuses on the development of ceramics with high-strength and fracture toughness, as well as the application of EXRD to measure 3D strain field. He received his PhD from Tsinghua University in June 2023 for his work on multistep deformation mechanical metamaterials. His research interests range from the optimization of conventional mechanical properties to the realization of intelligent functionalities within materials.
Dr Akash Pandey
Research Associate
Akash joined the group as a Research Associate in June 2025. His research focuses on understanding the deformation behaviour of micro-architected metamaterials. After a decade of work experience with the Indian Space Research Organization, he joined the Ph.D. program at the University of Rhode Island. He received his Ph.D. in May 2025 for studying the dynamic response of composite and metallic structures under extreme loading environments. He is interested in applying experimental techniques to study the mechanics of materials and structures.
Dr. Z. Hooshmand-Ahoor
Research Associate
Zahra joined the group as a Research Associate in November 2024. She is currently working on experimental studies using XCT and X-ray diffraction methods on silicone rubbers and carbon fiber composites. She received her PhD from École Polytechnique in 2023 for her work on random composites and porous materials and later focused on magnetorheological elastomer foams. Her research interests range from random composites to finite strain modeling of materials.
Dr. Hao Yin
Research Associate
Hao joined the group as a Research Associate in July 2024. He is currently working on evaluating the capability of full-field FETC measurements using machine learning, and developing numerical models to investigate size effects in architected metamaterials. He received his PhD from Northwestern University in December 2023 for his work on discrete modeling of fracture and flow in porous quasi-brittle materials. His research interests lie in computational modelling and complex lattice systems.
Dr. Mirac Onur Bozkurt
Research Associate
Onur joined the Cambridge Solid Mechanics group in January 2025 as a Research Associate. His current research focuses on constitutive modelling of multiphase silicon rubbers and experiments involving full-field strain measurement techniques. He earned his PhD from Imperial College London in January 2025, where he worked on data-driven homogenisation of the mechanical response of solids. Prior to that, he completed his MSc at METU with his research on experimental and numerical investigation of low-velocity impact damage in composite laminates. His research interests range from experimental characterisation to computational modelling of advanced engineering materials
Dr. Ben Amir
Research Associate
Ben joined the Cambridge Solid Mechanics group in October 2024 as he received the Blavatnik Fellowship. He is currently working on the experimental development of flux-enhanced tomography for measuring the 3D strain field. His PhD from Ben Gurion University focused on dynamic mechanical properties in additively manufactured alloys, and his research at the Technion focused on fracture analysis of elastoplastic materials.
Valentina Ortiz
PhD student
Valentina joined the group as a PhD student in October 2024. Before beginning her doctoral studies, she worked as a Tamayyuz (Excellence) Research Fellow at New York University Abu Dhabi, where she also completed her BSc in Mechanical Engineering. Her research focuses on understanding and addressing the mechanical challenges that arise in next-generation lithium solid-state batteries, with the aim of enabling safer, more reliable, and longer-lasting energy storage technologies. Outside the lab, Valentina enjoys music, rowing, and salsa dancing.
Taka Suzuki
PhD student
Taka joined the Cambridge Solid Mechanics Group in July 2025 after earning a BS in Aerospace Engineering with a second major in Materials Science from the University of Virginia. His research explores the mechanical behaviour of materials through X-ray tomography and DVC, with the ultimate aim of advancing the frontiers of aerospace in general. Beyond the lab, he enjoys walking and sketching.
Jingyuan Tang
PhD student
Jingyuan joined the Cambridge Solid Mechanics Group in October 2025 as a PhD student. She is currently working on the fatigue behavior of materials by using EDXRD method. She received her master’s degree form Xi’an Jiaotong university in June 2025 for her work on the fracture and fatigue of soft materials. Outside the laboratory, she enjoys swimming.
Hilde Hambro
Group Administrator
Hilde started to work for the
Cambridge Solid mechanics group in 2018. She has worked for Cambridge
University since 2016. Before joining the University, she had a varied career
as a Civil Servant translator, courier, teacher, and shop worker. She has a can-do
attitude and can turn her hands to anything and everything. A native of Norway she is interested in wool, and she has mastered
how to live in both England and Scotland.