Mahmoud Mahrous

Dedicated researcher and educator with a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Material Sciences) from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and dual Master’s degrees in Civil Engineering and Geosciences. Published extensively in high-impact journals and presented at leading institutes. Experienced in teaching and mentoring, having designed and delivered courses in structural analysis, geology, and construction management at Texas Tech University and UCLA. Skilled in fostering hands-on learning environments and developing innovative curricula. 

MEMBER OF BECKMAN INSTITUTE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE | 09/2023 - Current

University Of Illinois Urbana-Champaign - Urbana, IL

• Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to guide strategic initiatives and foster innovation at the Beckman Institute, enhancing its

research impact and operational efficiency.

• Contributed to decision-making processes as a member of the Executive Committee, shaping policies and programs to support

cutting-edge research and interdisciplinary collaboration.

GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT | 08/2021 - Current

Department of Mechanical Engineering - University Of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL

• Conducted comprehensive material characterization using SEM, BSE, XRD, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, and nanoindentation to

evaluate irradiation-induced changes in metakaolin-based geopolymer for nuclear shielding applications.

• Investigated irradiation damage in stainless steel through ion irradiation experiments and advanced material characterization

techniques, revealing structural and mechanical differences between conventional and additively manufactured samples.

• Characterized irradiation-induced microstrain and dislocation density in 316H stainless steel using XRD and SEM, highlighting

superior stability of additively manufactured samples.

• Conducted large-scale molecular dynamics simulations using LAMMPS on high-performance computing clusters and employed

advanced data visualization techniques to investigate the effects of pore size distribution and PKA energies on defect dynamics,

dislocation evolution, and structural disorder in irradiated 316H stainless steel.

• Developed a custom Python-based analysis pipeline integrated with OVITO to detect and analyze radiation-induced defects in

additively manufactured porous materials with enhanced accuracy.

• Collaborated on the analysis of ATSP/carbon-fiber composites, employing failure analysis techniques such as X-ray tomography and

SEM to evaluate the impact of manufacturing methods, ply count, and fiber waviness on microstructural and mechanical properties.

University of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign - Urbana, Illinois, USA

Doctor of Philosophy, Civil Engineering with a concentration in Material Sciences Engineering, 05/2025

Dissertation: Multiscale Characterization and Irradiation Effects on Advanced Materials: Insights from Equine Hoof Wall, Metakaolin-Based

Geopolymer, and Additively Manufactured 316H Stainless Steel.

University of California - Los Angeles, California, USA

Master of Science, Civil Engineering with a concentration in Material Sciences Engineering, 01/2020

Texas Tech University - Lubbock, Texas, USA

Master of Science, Civil Engineering with a concentration in Transportation engineering materials, 12/2017

Texas Tech University - Lubbock, Texas, USA

Master of Sciences, Geosciences, 05/2017

Maters Thesis: Quantitative 3D Analysis for Natural Micro-Fracture in Woodford Shale, Southern Oklahoma, using Non-Destructive Micro

Computer Tomography Technique.

Texas Tech University – Lubbock, Texas, USA

Bachelor of Science, Geophysics, 01/2015