Mechanical Engineering · Materials Research

Atiquzzaman
Bhuiyan

Research engineer specializing in materials characterization, aerospace systems, and AI-assisted analysis. New York University graduate, AMBER Lab researcher contributing to the Emirates Lunar Mission.

500k+ µCT images analyzed
93% Segmentation accuracy
6+ Testing techniques
2 Publications
Background

About Me

I'm a recent Mechanical Engineering graduate from New York University (May 2026, Full Merit Scholarship), currently working as a researcher at the AMBER Lab under Prof. Kemal Celik.

My research centers on µCT-based microstructural analysis of cementitious materials and lunar regolith simulants, with work affiliated with the Emirates Lunar Mission (MBRSC). I build ML pipelines for image segmentation and run physical testing under space-simulated conditions.

Outside the lab, I founded UrbanNerve — an AI-assisted emergency coordination platform — and led the Falcon Aerospace Engineering Club. I believe research credibility and entrepreneurial execution are two sides of the same coin.

Targeting graduate school (Fall 2027) in materials engineering or aerospace, with a long-term goal in AI-assisted materials diagnostics and smart infrastructure inspection.

µCT / NDT SEM XRD TGA / DTG Vacuum Testing Vibration Testing U-Net / FCN Python / PyTorch ANSYS Fluent SolidWorks HPC / SLURM ROS 2 / PX4 MATLAB React / Node.js
AMBER Lab · New York University · MBRSC

Research

Emirates Lunar Mission
Lunar Highland Simulant (LHS-1) Characterization

Characterizing lunar regolith simulant samples affiliated with the Emirates Lunar Mission (MBRSC). µCT-based volumetric analysis of particle morphology, void fraction, and pore structure — contributing materials validation data to the mission pipeline.

µCT LHS-1 MBRSC Particle Analysis
Journal Manuscript · Powder Technology
µCT Segmentation Methods for Lunar Simulant

Developing a novel multi-method segmentation comparison framework — manual thresholding vs. Multi-Otsu vs. ML-based — for particle size and morphology analysis of LHS-1 lunar simulant. Manuscript in preparation targeting Powder Technology (Elsevier).

Segmentation Multi-Otsu U-Net In Preparation
Deep Learning · HPC
AI-Assisted µCT Image Segmentation Pipeline

Designed and deployed a deep learning segmentation pipeline (U-Net, FCN) on NYUAD's Jubail HPC cluster. Achieved 93% accuracy on a 500,000-image µCT dataset — enabling 3D microstructural reconstruction of cracks, pore growth, and void evolution.

U-Net FCN 500k Images 93% Accuracy
OPC Cement · Thermal Damage
Microstructural Analysis of Thermally Damaged Cement

Morphological analysis of OPC cement paste µCT data across 25–1000°C thermal cycles. Quantified pore coarsening, porosity evolution (0.17–0.18%), and microcrack growth. Combined with TGA/DTG and XRD for full materials characterization suite.

OPC TGA/DTG XRD Thermal Analysis
Water Research Lab · Prof. Nidal Hilal
Electrospun PTFE Membrane Characterization

Engineered electrospun PTFE membranes and used deep learning on SEM images and XRD data to characterize pore morphology and crystalline behavior. Optimized performance for nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) applications.

PTFE SEM Nanofiltration Deep Learning
Aerospace Propulsion Lab
LES Combustion Simulation — Glow Plug Systems

Used high-fidelity Large Eddy Simulations (LES) to investigate thermochemical mixing properties of fluid elements contacting an electronically activated glow plug structure, simulating fuel-air mixing enhancement and combustion dynamics.

LES CFD Combustion Thermochemistry
Physical Testing Portfolio

Testing & Characterization

CT
µCT Scanning
Non-destructive volumetric inspection. Pore morphology, void fraction, crack evolution on 500k+ images.
~P
Vacuum Thermal Bake-out
Space-simulated conditions: 10⁻⁵ torr, 60°C, 24-hour hold. Pre/post mass to 0.0001g.
Hz
Random Vibration Testing
NASA GSFC Table 2.4-3. 20–2000 Hz sweep, qualification levels to 14.1 Grms.
SEM
Scanning Electron Microscopy
Fracture surface and microstructure imaging. Surface morphology analysis at nanoscale.
XRD
X-Ray Diffraction
Phase identification across 25–1000°C thermal cycles. Crystalline structure analysis.
TGA
Thermogravimetric Analysis
Thermal decomposition, mass-loss curves, and DTG peak analysis across temperature ramps.
Career

Experience

May 2024
Present

Research Assistant

AMBER Lab · New York University · Emirates Lunar Mission (MBRSC)
  • µCT-based NDT characterization of lunar highland simulant (LHS-1) and cementitious materials for Emirates Lunar Mission materials validation pipeline
  • Vacuum thermal bake-out testing at 10⁻⁵ torr, 60°C with full test record documentation
  • Random vibration qualification testing to NASA GSFC Table 2.4-3 (20–2000 Hz, 14.1 Grms)
  • ML segmentation pipeline (U-Net, FCN) on Jubail HPC cluster — 93% accuracy, 500k images
  • Co-authoring journal manuscript targeting Powder Technology (Elsevier)
Jun 2025
Dec 2025

Technical Innovation Trainee

NMI Skypace Engineering · Frankfurt, Germany
  • Scaled prototype testing of medical eVTOL outer shell at 5%, 10%, and 25% scale at European Wind Turbine Facility, Cologne
  • R&D data structuring and validation from wind tunnel trials; authored formal POC technical reports
  • Airfoil CFD simulation in ANSYS Fluent across varying Reynolds numbers and drag conditions
Sep 2023
Mar 2024

Research Assistant

Aerospace Propulsion Laboratory · New York University
  • High-fidelity LES investigation of thermochemical mixing in electronically activated glow plug structures
  • Fuel-air mixing simulation and combustion dynamics analysis contributing to propulsion system design
Aug 2023
Dec 2024

Founder & President

Falcon Aerospace Engineering Club · New York University
  • Founded and led 250-member aerospace community; organized workshops attended by 300+ students from 5 UAE universities
  • Led 10-member team for European Rover Challenge — designed rocker-bogie suspension, wheels, and gearbox
Work

Projects

01 · NASA HERC · Best Technical Innovation Award

Mars Rover — NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge

Led a 12-member team engineering a human-powered Martian rover from concept to race-ready prototype at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. 21% weight reduction, SF > 2.0, 100% mission task completion. Awarded Best Technical Innovation.

Carbon Fibre FEA SolidWorks NASA MSFC
02 · Senior Independent Research Project

Medical eVTOL — Emergency Pharmaceutical Delivery

Battery-electric five-rotor VTOL aircraft for remote clinic pharmaceutical delivery. Blade-element momentum theory + ANSYS Fluent CFD, honeycomb sandwich panel fuselage, autonomous ROS2/PX4 flight stack. 12% lift-to-drag improvement.

ANSYS Fluent ROS2 Honeycomb Panel PX4
View on GitHub
03 · Founder · Live at urbannerve.org

UrbanNerve — AI Emergency Coordination Platform

Full-stack AI-assisted emergency dispatch platform. React/Node.js web app deployed live, React Native mobile app (Android), real-time GPS tracking, SOS flow, and ETA prediction. Piloted in real-world conditions with structured bug logging.

React Native Node.js GPS AI-Assisted
Visit urbannerve.org
04 · Publication · ICGSS Berlin 2025

Sewing Robot: The Story of Unemployment in Bangladesh

Peer-reviewed research on the socioeconomic impact of automation in Bangladesh's garment industry. Presented at the International Conference on Global Social Science, Berlin, August 2025. Co-authored with Prof. Nancy Gleason.

Published ICGSS 2025 Berlin
Read Paper

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