Faranak Rajabi

Faranak Rajabi

Computational Science Researcher
PhD Candidate in Mechanical Engineering
MS Student in Computer Science

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.

For Iran 🖤

These days, my heart is with my honorable compatriots, the mourning families of nearly 20,000 lives lost in the recent protests. Every single family is grieving for their loved ones.

The Supreme Leader rules over an ocean of blood. This is the largest massacre in modern Iranian history, and one of the deadliest crackdowns against a people fighting for freedom in the 21st century.

An end to the Islamic Republic. A free, secular, democratic Iran. Freedom after 47 (or maybe 1400!) years of oppression.

جاوید شاه

#IranRevolution #FreeIran #RezaPahlavi #JavidShah #SecularDemocracy #EndIslamicRepublic #IranProtests2025 #محمدرضا_پهلوی #جاوید_شاه #ایران

Faranak at protest

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.