Tibra Das Gupta, PhD

Professional Summary

· Experimental materials scientist with expertise in thin-film development and high-throughput screening.

· Certified Six Sigma Black Belt from Council for Six Sigma Certification.

· Certified in advanced materials characterization techniques: SEM, FIB, EBSD, TEM, XPS, XRD.

· 5+ years’ experience in PVD thin-film deposition and characterization, including microstructure, milling, and stress analysis via XRD and wafer-curvature instrumentation.

· Project experience in optimizing thin-film properties by minimizing stress and maximizing substrate adhesion.

· Served as principal contact at the University of Kentucky for preparation of metallic thin films and membranes.

· Supervised and trained users on magnetron sputtering and vacuum annealing systems.

Education

• Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering, University of Kentucky, USA. (April. 2025) Advisor: Dr. Thomas John Balk

• B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh (Feb. 2017)

Work experience

Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Kentucky (June 2025-Present)

• Fabricated nanoporous and impregnated Tungsten alloys for nuclear plasma-facing component material.

• Mentoring 5 PhD candidates in thin film deposition and characterization.

Graduate Researcher, University of Kentucky (Aug. 2019 – May 2025)

· Designed and built a custom lab-scale micro-specimen tester with PLC-controlled digital image tracking, enabling in-situ tensile testing of thin films and bulk samples.

· Developed a high-vacuum system with an integrated heating stage for thin-film thermal dealloying.

· Supervised and trained users on PVD instruments, vacuum thermal dealloying, arc melting, EDM, micro-specimen testing, tube furnace, and Gamry corrosion equipment.

· Collaborated with two internal and one external group to advance thin-film deposition research.

Process Engineer, Abul Khair Steel, Bangladesh (April 2017 – June 2019)

· Led a 10-member production and maintenance team at one of Bangladesh’s largest steel plants, under Statistical Process Control (SPC) frameworks for optimized operations.

· Applied the 5 Whys root cause analysis to investigate furnace roof pipeline cracking and water hose leakage.

· Implemented new processes that reduced oxygen overuse by 15%.

· Achieved a 30% reduction in delay time through training and continuous improvement initiatives.

· Coordinated with quality, supply chain, and maintenance teams to ensure uninterrupted production.

· Maintained accurate documentation for annual audits and compliance.