Thin-Film Materials Scientist & AI Process Engineer

MESUT YURUKCU, Ph.D., MBA, MPM

Materials Scientist & Process Engineer Thin-Film Deposition & Characterization Computational Modeling AI/ML

Leander, TX 713-***-**** ********@*****.*** U.S. Permanent Resident

linkedin.com/in/mxynano orcid.org/0000-0003-1315-9160 scholar.google.com/mesutyurukcu

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Interdisciplinary Materials Scientist and Process Engineer with a Ph.D. in Applied Physics and 12+ years of experience spanning thin-film deposition process development, nanostructured materials, and computational materials modeling. Deep hands-on expertise across physical and chemical vapor deposition methods (PVD, PECVD, ALD, sputtering, evaporation, PLD, MBE, GLAD), wet and dry fabrication techniques (etching, electroplating, electrodeposition), and multi-technique materials characterization (SEM, TEM, XRD, AFM, Raman, FTIR, EDS/EDAX, cyclic voltammetry). Combines experimental process work with computational modeling (Monte Carlo, COMSOL, DFT) using Python, C++, and high-performance computing (OpenMP, MPI, TACC). Track record of 12+ peer-reviewed publications, technical leadership as a startup CTO, and mentoring across academic and industry settings.

CORE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE

Thin-Film Deposition & Fabrication

PVD · PECVD · ALD · Sputtering · Evaporation · PLD · MBE · GLAD/SAD · Lithography · Spray/Spin Coating · Electroplating · Electrodeposition · Wet/Oblique-Angle Etching · Microfabrication

Materials Characterization

SEM · TEM · XRD · AFM · Raman · FTIR · EDS/EDAX · Cyclic Voltammetry · Accelerated Aging · Gas Chromatography · LabView

Computation & Data

Python · C++ · Monte Carlo Simulation · COMSOL · DFT · OpenMP / MPI · HPC (TACC) · Machine Learning · Data Science / Statistics · Quality Automation

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer Mina AI Labs 2025–Present

•Defined technology and product development roadmap for an early-stage DeepTech startup building AI-powered solutions for scientific and engineering applications.

•Designed scalable AI architectures and proof-of-concept applications; collaborated with cross-functional stakeholders, technical advisors, and prospective customers to define requirements.

Physics Subject Matter Expert (AI Training) Outlier AI 2024–Present

•Train generative AI models in the physics domain; evaluate and rank AI-generated responses for factuality, relevance, and reasoning quality.

Data Annotator — STEM Snorkel AI 2024–Present

•Perform AI model evaluation, theoretical reasoning validation, and logical-error detection; develop training data and LLM prompts for graduate-level reasoning tasks.

Physics Instructor BASIS Charter Schools 2023–Present

•Teach Honors and AP Physics; design inquiry-based, hands-on curriculum integrating real-world engineering applications.

•Mentor students in science fairs, Physics Club, and Science Olympiad (state championship, 2024); guide student research to peer-reviewed publication.

Coordinator, Youth Engineering Camp & Robotics Competition University of Texas Permian Basin, College of Engineering 2021–2023

•Coordinated the XTO/UTPB Summer Engineering Camp, hosting 75 middle and high school students with 10 faculty members over two weeks; organized FIRST TECH Robotics competitions.

Postdoctoral Researcher, Mechanical Engineering University of Texas Permian Basin 2020–2023

•Built 3D Monte Carlo and COMSOL simulation models on Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) high-performance computing resources to investigate particle-scale transport phenomena and fractal-theoretic correlations.

•Performed SEM-based sample analysis at the Texas Water Institute Research Lab in support of multidisciplinary engineering research.

Adjunct Faculty, College of Engineering University of Texas Permian Basin 2021–2023

•Taught Process Control & Dynamics, Introduction to Materials Science, and Engineering Projects Planning & Control (Engineering Project Management graduate certificate program).

Research Fellow Incendium Technologies 2019–2020

•Developed next-generation surface and interface materials using electroplating, electrodeposition, electroless, and vapor deposition techniques.

•Commercialized advanced-stage Thermal Interface Materials (TIMs) for microprocessors, mobile devices, and energy storage devices; developed nanocomposite TIMs combining metal-level cooling capacity with polymer mechanical compliance.

Visiting Postdoctoral Researcher Texas A&M University, National Center for Therapeutics Manufacturing 2018–2019

•Developed nanoporous WO thin films for medical diagnostic sensing applications; studied small-molecule formulation and nanocomposite-based sensors for biomedical diagnostics.

•Worked in the Pharmaceutical 3D Printing Laboratory on new material and 3D-printing process development for nanocomposites.

Graduate Research Assistant / Ph.D. Researcher, Applied Physics University of Arkansas at Little Rock 2012–2018

•Investigated conformality of PVD/sputter-deposited shell layers on GLAD-grown nanorod arrays via 3D Monte Carlo simulation, correlating deposition parameters with film conformality (2 first-author publications, MRS Advances).

•Developed Pt-Ni/WC and Pt-Ni core-shell nanorod array electrocatalysts for PEM fuel cells using GLAD/SAD deposition, achieving enhanced oxygen reduction reaction performance (ACS Catalysis, ACS Applied Energy Materials).

•Characterized thin films and nanostructures using SEM, TEM, EDS/EDAX, XRD, AFM, Raman, FTIR, cyclic voltammetry, and PEM fuel cell/battery test setups.

•Contributed to $300K NSF-funded research program on nanostructured PEM fuel cell catalyst materials; awarded Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant (2016, 2017).

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS (12+ PEER-REVIEWED; FULL LIST ON GOOGLE SCHOLAR / ORCID)

•Yurukcu, M., Yurtsever, F.M., Demirel, S., & Karabacak, T. (2020). Conformality of PVD shell layers on GLAD-nanorods investigated by Monte Carlo simulations. MRS Advances, 5(43), 2241–2248.

•Kariuki, N.N., Cansizoglu, M.F., Begum, M., Yurukcu, M., Yurtsever, F.M., Karabacak, T., & Myers, D.J. (2016). SAD–GLAD Pt–Ni@Ni nanorods as highly active oxygen reduction reaction electrocatalysts. ACS Catalysis, 6(6), 3478–3485.

•Yurtsever, F.M., Yurukcu, M., Begum, M., Watanabe, F., & Karabacak, T. (2018). Stacked and core-shell Pt:Ni/WC nanorod array electrocatalyst for enhanced oxygen reduction reaction in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. ACS Applied Energy Materials, 1(11), 6115–6122.

•Cansizoglu, H., Yurukcu, M., Cansizoglu, M.F., & Karabacak, T. (2015). Investigation of physical vapor deposition techniques of conformal shell coating for core/shell structures by Monte Carlo simulations. Thin Solid Films, 583, 122–128.

•Cansizoglu, M.F., Yurukcu, M., & Karabacak, T. (2019). Ripple formation during oblique angle etching. Coatings, 9(4), 272.

•Demirkan, M.T., Yurukcu, M., Dursun, B., Demir-Cakan, R., & Karabacak, T. (2017). Evaluation of double-layer density modulated Si thin films as Li-ion battery anodes. Materials Research Express, 4(10), 106405.

•Yurukcu, M., Cansizoglu, H., Cansizoglu, M.F., & Karabacak, T. (2017). Conformality of PVD shell layers on vertical arrays of rods with different aspect ratios investigated by Monte Carlo simulations. MRS Advances, 2(8), 465–470.

Also contributed 15+ book chapters (CRC Press, AGU Publications, Gulf Professional Publishing) on advanced materials, machine learning applications, and energy systems, and 15+ conference presentations (MRS, ACS, ECS, SPE).

EDUCATION

Ph.D., Applied Physics — University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 2018

M.S., Applied Physics — University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 2017

Post-Graduate Program, Data Science & Machine Learning — MIT IDSS, 2023

Post-Graduate Program, AI & Machine Learning: Business Applications — UT Austin, 2021

Master of Project Management — DeVry University, 2008

Master of Business Administration — DeVry University, 2007

B.S., Chemical Engineering — Osmangazi University, Turkey

GRANTS, HONORS & SERVICE

•Grant experience: $65K–$85K (Henry Corporation, Level Theory), $112.5K (Co-PI, Texas Reskilling Support Fund), $300K NSF fuel cell catalyst program (contributor).

•Awards: Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant (2016, 2017); Student Research & Creative Expo Award; Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.

•Service: MDPI Journal Reviewer (2019–present); Remote Sensing Journal Reviewer Board (2020–2023); Member, Materials Research Society and Sigma Xi.

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