Research Interests
Artificial Intelligence Materials Science; Autonomous Materials Design; Computational materials science; High-Entropy Disordered Systems; Materials for Energy Applications; Materials for Aerospace Applications. Prof. Curtarolo multidisciplinary research makes use of state-of-the-art techniques from fields like materials science, chemistry, physics, quantum mechanics, mathematics and computer science.
Bio
RESEARCH FIELDS
- Artificial Intelligence Materials Science
- Autonomous Materials Design
- Computational Materials Science
- High-Entropy Disordered and Amorphous Systems
- Materials for Energy Applications
- Materials for Aerospace Applications
- Materials for Deep Space Exploration
The research is multidisciplinary and makes use of state of the art techniques from fields like materials science, chemistry, physics, quantum mechanics, mathematics and computer science.
Education
- M.S. University of Padua (Italy), 1995
- M.S. University of Padua (Italy), 1998
- M.S. Pennsylvania State University, 1999
- Sc.D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2003
Positions
- Edmund T. Pratt Jr. School Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
- Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
- Director of the Center for Autonomous Materials Design
- Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Professor in the Department of Physics
Awards, Honors, and Distinctions
- High Performance, Computing Modernization Program Flagship Award. DOD-HPC. 2021
- Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher. Clarivate Analytics. 2021
- Distinguished Visiting Professorship. Max-Plank Society, Fritz-Haber Instittue, Berlin. 2018
- Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award. Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation. 2016
- DOD-MURI Award, The Science of Entropy Stabilized Ultra-High Temperature Materials. Duke University, NCSU, UCSD, UVA. 2015
- Fellow. American Physical Society. 2013
- Stansell Distinguished Research Award. Duke University. 2013
- DOD-MURI Award, Topological decompositions and spectral sampling algorithms for elements substitution in critical technologies. Duke University, UMD, UNT, CMU, BYU. 2013
- Best Paper Award. CALPHAD (Computer Coupling of Phase Diagrams and Thermochemistry). 2008
- MRS Silver Medal Graduate Student Award. Materials Research Society. 2008
- NSF Early CAREER Award. National Science Foundation. 2008
- ONR Young Investigator Program Award. Office of Naval Research. 2008
- Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program. National Science Foundation. 2007
- Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers. President of the United States of America. 2007
Courses Taught
- ME 592: Research Independent Study in Mechanical Engineering or Material Science
- ME 555: Advanced Topics in Mechanical Engineering
- ME 221L: Structure and Properties of Solids
- EGR 95FS: First Year seminar in Focus
- EGR 101L: Engineering Design and Communication
In the News
- Materials Scientist Stefano Curtarolo Elected to the European Academy of Sciences (Aug 13, 2024 | Pratt School of Engineering)
- Computational Method Discovers New Materials for Extreme Environments (Jan 11, 2024 | Pratt School of Engineering)
- Which Duke Scholars Made the Most Cited List? (Nov 16, 2023 | Duke Research Blog)
- Heat-Proof Chaotic Carbides Could Revolutionize Aerospace Technology (Oct 17, 2022 | Pratt School of Engineering)
- Duke Awards 22 Distinguished Professorships (Jun 28, 2021)
- Strengthened by Chaos, New Super-Hard Materials Will Stir Steel Together (Feb 25, 2021 | Pratt School of Engineering)
- Can artificial intelligence create the next wonder material? (May 5, 2016 | Nature)
- A Made-to-Order Materials Menu (Nov 17, 2014 | Duke Research Blog)
- How supercomputers will yield a golden age of materials science (Nov 22, 2013 | Scientific American)
Representative Publications
- Smith, S. M., W. G. Fahrenholtz, G. E. Hilmas, and S. Curtarolo. “Intermediate stage densification kinetics of high-entropy ceramics during spark plasma sintering (Accepted).” Journal of the European Ceramic Society 45, no. 5 (May 1, 2025). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2024.117136.
- McIlwaine, N. S., N. O. M. Rios, E. Zurek, D. W. Brenner, W. G. Fahrenholtz, S. Curtarolo, D. E. Wolfe, and J. P. Maria. “Bipolar HiPIMS kick-pulse for high hardness in high-entropy boride thin films (Accepted).” Journal of the American Ceramic Society 108, no. 3 (March 1, 2025). https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.20257.
- Hassan, R., W. G. Fahrenholtz, G. E. Hilmas, and S. Curtarolo. “Synergistic hardening in a dual phase high-entropy (Hf,Nb,Ta,Ti,Zr)C–(Hf,Nb,Ta,Ti,Zr)B2 ultra-high temperature ceramic (Accepted).” Journal of the American Ceramic Society 108, no. 2 (February 1, 2025). https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.20203.
- Smith, S. M., N. Gilli, W. G. Fahrenholtz, G. E. Hilmas, S. García-González, E. Jiménez-Piqué, S. Curtarolo, and L. Silvestroni. “Dual-phase ceramics based on multi-cation boride and carbide: Investigations at the nanoscale.” Journal of Materiomics 11, no. 1 (January 1, 2025). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmat.2024.06.002.
- Vecchio, K., S. Curtarolo, K. Kaufmann, T. J. Harrington, C. Oses, and C. Toher. “Corrigendum to “Fermi energy engineering of enhanced plasticity in high-entropy carbides” [Acta Materialia, 276 (2024) 120117] (Acta Materialia (2024) 276, (S1359645424004683), (10.1016/j.actamat.2024.120117)).” Acta Materialia 282 (January 1, 2025). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2024.120309.