Devendra Verma- Featured Graduate Student, College of Engineering

Devendra Verma is a PhD candidate in the school of Aeronautics and Astronautics working with Dr. Vikas Tomar on microstructure dependent dynamic fracture prediction and interface strength measurements.

At times, he thinks of himself as a charismatic (with humility of course) and almost successful person/researcher whereas at other times (like his fellow grad students) wonders where his life is going. His life revolves around two basements, one in ARMS where he spends most of his days (and nights) nurturing his brain and the other one in Purdue Corec nurturing his other muscles.

While doing so, he has been fortunate enough to have a successful time in the graduate school. His two latest achievements are, 1) Publishing a book ‘Multiscale Characterization of Biological Systems: Spectroscopy and Modeling’ with his advisor Dr. Vikas Tomar and other colleagues and 2) he recently woke up to welcome his ‘little’ abs after a yearlong chiseling in the gym.

Apart from this, he has published 10 journal papers and has received several awards such as Outstanding Service Scholarship (2015), Graduate Student Excellence Award (2014), and travel awards from SES, ASME, USACM, NSF.

He says that he is having a wond

erful time at Purdue and feels blessed to have so many friends from different walks of life.