CSE Distinguished Seminar | Vasily Bulatov

Abstract

The NNSA’s Advanced Scientific Computing (ASC) Program develops the high-fidelity computational tools necessary to predict the performance of the U.S. nuclear stockpile without physical testing. Central to this mission is understanding material behavior under extreme conditions—a task complicated by the vast range of length and time scales involved. Historically, researchers bridged the gap between atomic behavior and macro-scale performance by linking resolved atomistic models to coarse-grained mesoscopic descriptions. However, the relentless advancement of High-Performance Computing (HPC) is changing the playing field of materials simulations. In several critical contexts, the “scale gaps” have effectively closed, allowing direct, large-scale atomistic simulations to supersede traditional multi-scale methods. This talk presents key examples of my team’s work in material dynamics, demonstrating how previously unthinkable simulation scales are now attainable. I will conclude by discussing the emerging opportunities and technical hurdles presented by exascale-class simulations, specifically the management of unprecedented data streams.

Bio

Vasily Bulatov is a Senior Scientist and Distinguished Member of Technical Staff at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). A theoretical physicist, he holds a Ph.D. in Physics and Mechanics of Materials from the USSR Academy of Sciences. Dr. Bulatov’s research focuses on the physics of material strength and degradation, crystal dislocations, the impact of microstructure on material properties, efficient mathematical algorithms for computer simulations of complex processes, high-performance computing, uncertainty quantification, and the application of data sciences to engineering. Dr. Bulatov has authored over 200 journal articles and a monograph, edited several books, and serves on multiple editorial boards. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS), the UK Institute of Physics (IOP), and is a recipient of the LLNL Edward Teller Fellowship.