Hi, I’m Faranak 👋

I’m a fourth-year PhD candidate in Mechanical Engineering with a concurrent Master’s in Computer Science at the Computational Applied Science Laboratory (CASL) at UC Santa Barbara. My research interests lie at the intersection of computational physics, high-performance computing, and multiscale modeling, with applications to complex biological systems.

Currently, I’m developing a multiscale continuum framework for protein aggregation in high-concentration biotherapeutic formulations. This work bridges molecular-scale protein dynamics with continuum PDEs to predict long-term stability of therapeutic proteins using level-set methods, adaptive mesh refinement, and parallel computing. I also work on stochastic optimal control of neural oscillators with applications to Parkinson’s disease.

Prior to my PhD, I obtained my BS in Aerospace Engineering from Sharif University of Technology, Iran. I’m also passionate about teaching scientific computing, having instructed 1000+ students, and offer consulting in computational methods and programming.

Please feel free to reach out if our work or interests align! Schedule a meeting or email me.

On the Job Market 🎯

I’m actively seeking positions in computational science, scientific software development, and applied mathematics. If my profile aligns with opportunities at your organization, I’d love to connect!

📣 News

• [November 2025]: Our paper CASL-HJX: A Comprehensive Guide to Solving Deterministic and Stochastic Hamilton-Jacobi Equations was published in Computer Physics Communications! [Paper] [Code]

• [October 2025]: Our paper Magnitude-Constrained Optimal Chaotic Desynchronization of Neural Populations was published in Frontiers in Network Physiology! [Paper]

• [October 2025]: Our paper Nearly Optimal Chaotic Desynchronization of Neural Oscillators was accepted to IEEE CDC 2025! [Preprint]

• [May 2025]: Presented at SIAM Conference on Applications of Dynamical Systems in Denver, CO.

• [March 2025]: Our paper Optimal Control for Stochastic Neural Oscillators was published in Biological Cybernetics! [Paper]

• [December 2024]: Passed my PhD candidacy exam! 🎓 [Slides]

• [September 2023]: Started concurrent Master’s degree in Computer Science at UCSB.

• [June 2023]: Poster received 3rd place award at AAAS Pacific Division Conference in San Diego! 🏆

• [May 2023]: Passed my secondary PhD screening exam in Dynamical Systems, Robotics and Control (DSRC)!

• [November 2022]: Passed my primary PhD screening exam in Computational Science and Engineering (CSE)!

• [January 2022]: Started PhD in Mechanical Engineering at UC Santa Barbara.

• [July 2021]: Graduated with BS in Aerospace Engineering from Sharif University of Technology, Iran.