About

Mostafa Hussein is an Assistant Professor of Judaic Studies at the University of Michigan's Department of Studying Religion. He holds a PhD from Brandeis University. His work focuses on the intellectual and cultural intersections between Jews and Arabs in modern Israel/Palestine and the Middle East. Specifically, he investigates how Arabo-Islamic culture contributed to the development of Jewish thought in Palestine and Israel during the late nineteenth and mid-twentieth centuries. His research examines perceptions of Jews in Arabic-speaking countries and the evolution of Jewish imageries from the late nineteenth to late twentieth centuries. Dr. Hussein's current research centers on a book project titled 'Islam and Jewish Culture in Palestine, 1881-1948,' which explores the influence of Arabo-Islamic civilization on Jewish intellectual development during this period. He emphasizes how Jewish scholars engaged with Islamic and Arabic sources to forge a unique Jewish culture and highlights the often-overlooked role of indigenous culture in Palestine's nation-building process. Additionally, he is working on a forthcoming book, 'Refiguring Loss: Jews Remembered in Maghrebi and Middle Eastern Cultural Production,' co-authored with Brahim El Guabli, which examines Jewish-Muslim memories through literature and film, focusing on the societal impact of Jewish emigration from North Africa and the Middle East and how these communities are remembered and represented in contemporary cultural production.

Research topics

• Physics
• Optics
• Computer Science
• Condensed matter physics
• Classical mechanics
• Engineering ethics
• Computational physics
• Quantum mechanics
• Data science
• Materials science
• Engineering
• Geometry
• Psychology

Selected publications

• Scatterless interference: Delay of laminar-to-turbulent flow transition by a lattice of subsurface phonons

  Proceedings of the Royal Society A Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences · 2026-05-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Abstract Wave interference has historically relied on scattering objects placed within the wave domain. Here, we introduce a fundamentally new mechanism: scatterless interference induced by a lattice of subsurface phonon motion beneath a smooth wall interfacing with an unstable laminar channel or boundary-layer flow. The subsurface consists of a wall-parallel lattice of wall-normal frequency-dependent phononic structural units, each designed to locally respond in an out-of-phase manner to a flow perturbation that is growing along the streamwise direction, dynamically influencing it at the point of interaction. Collectively, the lattice induces an interference effect that causes the kinetic energy (KE) of the flow instability to decay downstream, thereby delaying laminar-to-turbulent transition. To guide the design of the phononic subsurface (PSub) lattice, a Bloch-wave unit-cell analysis is developed for flow perturbations, and direct numerical simulations (DNS) validate the concept. This work establishes scatterless interference as a distinct physical phenomenon, marking a paradigm shift in the design philosophy for aerodynamic and hydrodynamic surfaces across aircraft, marine vessels, ground vehicles and other applications. This shift moves beyond streamlined shaping, leveraging subsurface phonon engineering for drag reduction and enhanced performance.

  PublisherDOI

• The dispersion of harmonic generation in a nonlinear wave

  2026-03-31

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Wave motion lies at the heart of many disciplines in the physical sciences and engineering. For example, problems and applications involving light, sound, heat, or fluid flow are all likely to involve wave dynamics at some level. While the theory of linear waves is fairly established, nonlinear wave motion remains a complex, often mysterious, object—particularly when the nonlinearity is strong. For example, an unbalanced nonlinear wave distorts acutely as it travels and appears to ultimately fully lose its original shape, and in many instances the final outcome is onset of a form of instability. Inherent to this distortion is an intricate mechanism of harmonic generation manifesting in intensive time-varying exchange of energy between the harmonics that matches the wave’s ongoing nonlinear evolution in space and time. In this work, a general theory is presented for the dispersion of these generated harmonics as they emerge and develop in a traveling nonlinear wave. The harmonics dispersion relation−derived by the theory−provides direct and exact analytical prediction of the collective harmonics spectrum in the frequency-wavenumber domain, and does so without prior knowledge of the spatial-temporal solution. Despite its time-independence, the new relation is shown to be applicable at any temporal state of evolution of the nonlinear wave as long as the wave is balanced or has not yet reached its breaking point. The theory is applied to nonlinear elastic waves in a homogeneous rod and an extension is demonstrated to rods with a periodic array of property modulation (phononic crystal) or intrinsic resonators (elastic metamaterial). Finally, the theory is shown to provide a rigorous explanation of the foundational mechanisms of solitary waves.

  PublisherDOI

• Optimization of Phononic Subsurfaces for Hypersonic Boundary Layer Disturbance Reduction

  2026-01-08

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Metamaterials and Fluid Flows

  Nature Communications · 2026-03-04 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access

  Understanding and controlling the dynamic interactions between fluid flows and solid materials and structures-a field known as fluid-structure interaction-is central not only to established disciplines such as aerospace and naval engineering, but also to emerging technologies such as energy harvesting, soft robotics, and biomedical devices. In recent years, the advent of metamaterials has provided exciting opportunities to rethink and redesign fluid-structure interactions. The idea of engineering the internal structure of materials that interface with fluid flows opens a new horizon for the precise and effective manipulation and control of coupled fluidic, acoustic, and elastodynamic responses. This review focuses on this relatively unexplored interdisciplinary theme with broad technological significance. Salient potential applications, such as reduction of fuel consumption in transport systems, efficiency of renewable energy extraction, noise mitigation, and resilience against structural fatigue, depend on controlling interactions among flow, acoustic, and vibration mechanisms. Flow control, for example, which spans a wealth of regimes such as laminar, transitional, turbulent, and unsteady separated flows, is strongly influenced by fluid-structure interaction. This review surveys and discusses conceptual frameworks that describe the interplay between fluids and elastic solids, with a focus on contemporary and emerging concepts. The paper is organised into three main sections: fluid-structure and flow-phonon interactions, flow-induced acoustic interactions with metamaterials, and exotic metamaterial concepts with potential impact on fluid-structure interaction. It concludes with perspectives on current challenges and future directions in this rapidly expanding area of research.

  PublisherDOI

• Correction: Effects of Grooved Walls on High-Speed Boundary Layer Transition on a Slender Cone — Simulations and Experiments

  2026-01-12

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Vacancy-free cubic superconducting NbN enabled by quantum anharmonicity

  Communications Materials · 2025-11-21 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Niobium nitride is renowned for its exceptional mechanical, electronic, magnetic, and superconducting properties. The ideal 1:1 stoichiometric δ -NbN cubic phase, however, is known to be dynamically unstable, and repeated experimental observations have indicated that vacancies are necessary for its stabilization. In this work, we demonstrate that when the structure is fully relaxed and allowed to distort under quantum anharmonic effects, a stable cubic phase with space group $$P\bar{4}3m$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mi>P</mml:mi> <mml:mover> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>4</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> <mml:mo>¯</mml:mo> </mml:mover> <mml:mn>3</mml:mn> <mml:mi>m</mml:mi> </mml:math> emerges — 65 meV/atom lower in free energy than the δ phase. This discovery is enabled by state-of-the-art first-principles calculations accelerated by machine-learned interatomic potentials. To evaluate the vibrational properties with quantum anharmonic effects accounted for, we use the stochastic self-consistent harmonic approximation and molecular dynamics spectral energy density methods. Electron-phonon coupling calculations based on the anharmonic phonon dispersion yield a superconducting transition temperature of 20 K, which aligns with experimentally reported values for near-stoichiometric NbN. These findings challenge the long-held assumption that vacancies are essential for stabilizing cubic NbN and point to the potential of synthesizing the ideal 1:1 stoichiometric phase as a route to achieving enhanced superconducting performance in this technologically significant material.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Correction: Exploration of Phononic Subsurfaces for Hypersonic Boundary Layer Disturbance Reduction

  2025-07-29

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Correction: Exploration of Phononic Subsurfaces for Hypersonic Boundary Layer Disturbance Reduction

  2025-07-29

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Metamaterials and Fluid Flows

  ArXiv.org · 2025-09-04

  preprintOpen access

  Understanding and controlling the dynamic interactions between fluid flows and solid materials and structures—a field known as fluid-structure interaction—is central not only to established disciplines such as aerospace and naval engineering, but also to emerging technologies such as energy harvesting, soft robotics, and biomedical devices. In recent years, the advent of metamaterials has provided exciting opportunities to rethink and redesign fluid-structure interactions. The idea of engineering the internal structure of materials that interface with fluid flows opens a new horizon for the precise and effective manipulation and control of coupled fluidic, acoustic, and elastodynamic responses. This review focuses on this relatively unexplored interdisciplinary theme with broad technological significance. Salient potential applications, such as reduction of fuel consumption in transport systems, efficiency of renewable energy extraction, noise mitigation, and resilience against structural fatigue, depend on controlling interactions among flow, acoustic, and vibration mechanisms. Flow control, for example, which spans a wealth of regimes such as laminar, transitional, turbulent, and unsteady separated flows, is strongly influenced by fluid-structure interaction. This review surveys and discusses conceptual frameworks that describe the interplay between fluids and elastic solids, with a focus on contemporary and emerging concepts. The paper is organised into three main sections: fluid-structure and flow-phonon interactions, flow-induced acoustic interactions with metamaterials, and exotic metamaterial concepts with potential impact on fluid-structure interaction. It concludes with perspectives on current challenges and future directions in this rapidly expanding area of research.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Vacancy-free cubic superconducting NbN enabled by quantum anharmonicity

  ArXiv.org · 2025-06-27

  preprintOpen access

  Niobium nitride (NbN) is renowned for its exceptional mechanical, electronic, magnetic, and superconducting properties. The ideal 1:1 stoichiometric $δ$-NbN cubic phase, however, is known to be dynamically unstable, and repeated experimental observations have indicated that vacancies are necessary for its stabilization. In this work, we demonstrate that when the structure is fully relaxed and allowed to distort under quantum anharmonic effects, a previously unreported stable cubic phase with space group $P\bar{4}3m$ emerges - 65 meV/atom lower in free energy than the ideal $δ$ phase. This discovery is enabled by state-of-the-art first-principles calculations accelerated by machine-learned interatomic potentials. To evaluate the vibrational and superconducting properties with quantum anharmonic effects accounted for, we use the stochastic self-consistent harmonic approximation (SSCHA) and molecular dynamics spectral energy density (SED) methods. Electron-phonon coupling calculations based on the SSCHA phonon dispersion yield a superconducting transition temperature of $T_\text{c}$ = 20 K, which aligns closely with experimentally reported values for near-stoichiometric NbN. These findings challenge the long-held assumption that vacancies are essential for stabilizing cubic NbN and point to the potential of synthesizing the ideal 1:1 stoichiometric phase as a route to achieving enhanced superconducting performance in this technologically significant material.

  PublisherOA PDF

Recent grants

• A Building Block Approach to Controlling Phonon Dynamics in Nanostructures

  NSF · $270k · 2009–2013

• IDR: Phononic Surfaces for Flow Control

  NSF · $518k · 2011–2015

• CAREER: Nonlinear, Dissipative Mechanics of Phononic Materials: An Integrated Research and Education Plan

  NSF · $400k · 2013–2018

• Material with Tunable Constitution for Elastodynamic Deformation

  NSF · $365k · 2015–2019

Frequent coauthors

• Hossein Honarvar

  20 shared

• Bruce L. Davis

  18 shared

• Romik Khajehtourian

  ETH Zurich

  16 shared

• Osama R. Bilal

  14 shared

• Michael J. Frazier

  University of California, San Diego

  13 shared

• Gregory M. Hulbert

  University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

  11 shared

• Massimo Ruzzene

  University of Colorado Boulder

  10 shared

• Ihab El-Kady

  Sandia National Laboratories California

  10 shared