People

Shajedul (Shajed) Hoque completed his Ph.D. in Materials Science and NanoEngineering at Rice University in the Summer, 2024, under the supervision of Dr. Maksud Rahman and Dr. Pulickel Ajayan. His thesis was titled “Additive Manufacturing of Bio-inspired Sustainable Composites” and is currently focusing on the 3D printing of sustainable bio-nano-composites for waste reduction. Shajed received his B.Sc. in mechanical engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, where he worked on deep learning, molecular dynamics, functionally graded nanomaterials, and nanoscale thermal transport. Enthusiastic about bio-inspired design and deep learning, Shajed envisions a transformative role in AI for the materials industry, pushing the boundaries of materials science.

Md Tofazzal Hossain is a Doctoral Student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Houston under the supervision of Dr. Maksud Rahman. His key research area is advanced manufacturing and characterization of biodegradable materials, aiming for a sustainable future. Hossain is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Production Engineering at Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology, Bangladesh. Hossain received his M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh, in 2022, where he worked on finite element modeling of the left ventricle of the human heart to prognosis heart failure due to acute myocardial infarction. Hossain received his B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh, in 2017, where he worked on numerical modeling of a residential building to optimize the design and induce the natural ventilation effect. Driven by a passion for a sustainable and green world, Hossain envisions machine learning as a catalyst that will revolutionize advanced manufacturing and expand the frontiers of materials science.

Mir Mohammad Fahad is a PhD student in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at University of Houston, supervised by Dr. Maksud Rahman. He received his BSc in Textile Engineering from Bangladesh University of Textiles, Bangladesh in 2018 and his MS in Advanced Materials Engineering for Information and Electronics from Kyung Hee University, South Korea in 2022. Fahad specializes in the fundamental studies of polymer science and its applications in textile chemistry, hybrid composites, biomedical sensors/ energy harvesting devices, and thermodynamics driven cryopreservation. He is currently developing protein-based nanocomposite films for preserving agro-products under Dr. Rahman’s supervision.

Chen Shi joined Dr Maksud’s group at Rice in June 2021. His research involves 3D printing of nano materials and 2D material coating. He was mainly working on the development nano-ceramic materials during his B.S. in physics. 

M.A.S.R. Saadi completed his BS in Materials and Metallurgical Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), during which he studied the effect of multi-scale reinforcement particle size on mechanical and thermal properties of polymer composites. During his MS in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the George Washington University, his work focused on nanomechanics and electronic structure of organic photovoltaics and 2D materials. He is currently pursuing a PhD degree in Materials Science and NanoEngineering at Rice University, where he is working on the development of sustainable bionanocomposites for multifunctional application with particular focus on energy, water and food nexus.

Mohammed Intishar Nur completed his BS in mechanical engineering from the Islamic University of Technology. Subsequently, he pursued an MS in Manufacturing Technology at Technical University Dortmund, where his research focused on predicting fatigue life in additively manufactured alloys and investigating the impact of fiber orientation and pin implant in a CFRP-hybrid using finite element analysis. At Rice University, Nur has immersed himself in diverse projects. His focus lies in materials science, additive manufacturing, and structural analysis, showcasing significant contributions to the fabrication and characterization of polymer nanocomposites.