About

Ashley Bucsek is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan with a courtesy appointment in Materials Science and Engineering. She has held several prestigious positions including being a President's Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Minnesota, a visiting scientist at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, an NSF Graduate Research Fellow at Colorado School of Mines, and an NSF EPSCoR Undergraduate Research Fellow at the University of Wyoming. Her research and professional activities are deeply embedded in the study of materials science and engineering, particularly focusing on shape memory and superelastic technologies. Professor Bucsek is actively involved in the scientific community, serving as the President-Elect of the ASM International Organization for Shape Memory and Superelastic Technologies. She also contributes as an Editorial Advisory Board member of the journal Shape Memory and Superelasticity. Additionally, she participates in several scientific committees and panels including the APS Imaging/Microbeam Proposal Review Panel, the APS Users’ Organization Steering Committee, the CHESS User Executive Committee, and she is the Community Development Officer for the IUCr Commission on Diffraction Microstructure Imaging. Her leadership and expertise in these roles highlight her commitment to advancing research and collaboration in her field. In recognition of her contributions, Ashley Bucsek was awarded the NSF CAREER award in 2022, underscoring her impact and promise in mechanical engineering and materials science research. Her work integrates advanced microscopy and diffraction techniques to explore the behavior and properties of structural and shape memory alloys, contributing to the understanding and development of innovative materials with significant technological applications.

Research topics

• Materials science
• Composite material
• Chemistry
• Condensed matter physics
• Crystallography
• Thermodynamics
• Physics
• Optics
• Optoelectronics
• Geology
• Mathematics
• Nanotechnology
• Medicine
• Engineering physics

Selected publications

• Developing Coupled Sample Environment Capabilities for In-Situ DFXM on ID03

  Open MIND · 2026-02-16

  dataset1st authorCorresponding

  The scientific motivation for this Long-Term Proposal (LTP) is to use in-situ dark-field X-ray microscopy (DFXM) to develop fundamental understanding and predictive capability for the coexisting pathways of different deformation mechanisms in materials essential to next-generation low-carbon technologies when subject to coupled sample environments. This LTP will focus on metallic materials for hydrogen aircraft propulsion systems, lightweight automotive structures, and solid-state aerospace actuators. The developmental goal is to develop a versatile sample environment for in-situ DFXM at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility’s Extremely Brilliant Source (ESRF-EBS) flagship beamline ID03. The product will be a versatile coupled sample environment that resides on ID03 so that the DFXM user community can utilize it for scientific cases including but not limited to thermomechanical behavior, hydrogen embrittlement, fatigue, and stress-assisted corrosion.

  DOI

• Slip system-specific critical resolved shear stress values and size effects for CP–Ti versus Ti–7Al

  Materials Science and Engineering A · 2026-03-07

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Cross-slip and easy-glide CRSS in titanium: Theoretical predictions and in-situ TEM measurements

  International Journal of Plasticity · 2026-01-02 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Three-dimensional nucleation and growth of deformation twins in magnesium

  Science · 2025-08-07 · 16 citations

  articleSenior authorCorresponding

  At two-thirds the weight of aluminum, magnesium alloys have the potential to reduce the fuel consumption of transportation vehicles. These advancements depend on our ability to optimize the desirable versus undesirable effects of deformation twins, which are three-dimensional (3D) microstructural domains that form under mechanical stresses. Previously only characterized through surface or thin-film measurements, we present 3D in situ characterization of deformation twinning inside an embedded grain over mesoscopic fields of view using dark-field x-ray microscopy supported by crystal plasticity finite element analysis. The results revealed the role of triple junctions on twin nucleation and the sequence and irregularity of twin growth and showed that twin-grain junctions, twin-twin junctions, and twin boundaries were the sites of localized dislocation accumulation.

  PublisherDOI

• Detecting grain-scale plastic deformation events with time-resolved far-field high-energy diffraction microscopy

  Journal of Applied Crystallography · 2025-08-27 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Far-field high-energy diffraction microscopy (ff-HEDM) bridges a critical gap between microscale and macroscale plasticity by enabling three-dimensional (3D) time-resolved observations of grain-scale deformation. It can be used to measure the grain-averaged elastic strain tensor, crystallographic orientation, centroid and relative volume of each individual grain. Researchers have also proposed methods to extract information about grain-scale plastic deformation from time-resolved ff-HEDM measurements, using e.g. signature changes in a grain's equivalent or resolved shear stress, orientation or diffraction peak width. However, the accuracy of these different methods is largely unexplored due to the absence of an independent ground truth, particularly for plastic deformation that occurs prior to the macroscopic yield point. In the present work, we evaluate four methods for detecting grain-scale plastic deformation events using ff-HEDM: (i) equivalent stress relaxation, (ii) resolved shear stress relaxation, (iii) orientation change and (iv) diffraction peak shape evolution. Using ff-HEDM data from room-temperature creep tests of a Ti–7Al alloy, we cross-validate these approaches. The achieved high validation rates support confidence in the identified events. Two types of stress relaxation are observed among the detected events – fast and large versus gradual and small – suggesting different deformation mechanisms. The spatiotemporal distribution of plastic events is also captured, revealing clustered activity and intergranular propagation. These findings open avenues for future studies to explore the initiation and propagation of plasticity among grains.

  PublisherDOI

• Characterization of Recrystallized Grains During Static Recrystallization of Hot-Compressed Mg–Zn–Ca Alloys Using In Situ Far-Field High-Energy Diffraction Microscopy

  Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A · 2025-07-02

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract In this study, we explored the effect of Zn content on the static recrystallization of three 80 pct hot-compressed alloys, Mg–0.5Zn–0.1Ca wt pct (ZX050), Mg–1Zn–0.1Ca wt pct (ZX10), and Mg–3.2Zn–0.1Ca wt pct (ZX30), using far-field high-energy microscopy (ff-HEDM). Individual recrystallized grains were tracked and their 3D centroid, relative volume, and grain-averaged crystallographic orientation were measured during annealing. These measurements were used to compare the recrystallization kinetics and texture evolution of recrystallized grains in ZX alloys as a function of the Zn content. Fully recrystallized microstructures were observed for the ZX30 and the ZX10 alloys after annealing at 230 °C and 330 °C, respectively. In contrast, only a partially recrystallized microstructure for the ZX050 alloy was observed after > 1 hour of annealing at 430 °C. The resistance to recrystallization with decreasing Zn content was also confirmed by detecting faster growth rates of recrystallized grains in the ZX10 and ZX30 alloys, and slower growth rates in the ZX050 alloy. The significant recrystallization texture weakening of the ZX10 and ZX30 alloys and the development of a basal texture in the ZX05 alloy were described based on the orientation dependency of nucleation and growth of recrystallized grains. The analysis demonstrated that texture weakening was associated with increasing Zn content in Mg–Zn–Ca alloys.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Taking three-dimensional x-ray diffraction (3DXRD) from the synchrotron to the laboratory scale

  Nature Communications · 2025-04-29 · 9 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Three-dimensional x-ray diffraction (3DXRD), a rotating x-ray diffraction technique, is a powerful tool for studying the micromechanical behavior of polycrystalline materials, capable of measuring the volume, position, orientation, and strain of thousands of grains simultaneously. However, its application has been historically limited to synchrotron facilities. Here, we present the first demonstration of laboratory-scale 3DXRD (Lab-3DXRD) using a liquid-metal-jet source. Lab-3DXRD achieves accuracy comparable to synchrotron-based 3DXRD, as validated against laboratory diffraction contrast tomography (LabDCT) and synchrotron-3DXRD. Over 96% of the grains detected with Lab-3DXRD are cross-validated, particularly for coarse grains (> ~60 μm), while the results suggest that finer grains should be accessible by taking advantage of high-efficiency detectors. We further demonstrate that its sensitivity to finer grains is enhanced by incorporating pre-characterization into the analysis. This study establishes Lab-3DXRD as a practical alternative to synchrotron techniques, making 3DXRD accessible to a wider range of academic and industrial researchers. 3D x-ray diffraction (3DXRD) is a powerful technique for studying the mechanical behavior of polycrystalline materials. Historically limited to synchrotrons, here, we present the first demonstration of 3DXRD at the laboratory scale (Lab-3DXRD).

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Integrated experiment and simulation co-design: A key infrastructure for predictive mesoscale materials modeling

  Mechanics of Materials · 2025-08-30 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Machine Learning-Assisted Nano-imaging and Spectroscopy of Phase Coexistence in a Wide-Bandgap Semiconductor

  ArXiv.org · 2025-07-23

  preprintOpen access

  Wide bandgap semiconductors with high room temperature mobilities are promising materials for high-power electronics. Stannate films provide wide bandgaps and optical transparency, although electron-phonon scattering can limit mobilities. In SrSnO3, epitaxial strain engineering stabilizes a high-mobility tetragonal phase at room temperature, resulting in a threefold increase in electron mobility among doped films. However, strain relaxation in thicker films leads to nanotextured coexistence of tetragonal and orthorhombic phases with unclear implications for optoelectronic performance. The observed nanoscale phase coexistence demands nano-spectroscopy to supply spatial resolution beyond conventional, diffraction-limited microscopy. With nano-infrared spectroscopy, we provide a comprehensive analysis of phase coexistence in SrSnO3 over a broad energy range, distinguishing inhomogeneous phonon and plasma responses arising from structural and electronic domains. We establish Nanoscale Imaging and Spectroscopy with Machine-learning Assistance (NISMA) to map nanotextured phases and quantify their distinct optical responses through a robust quantitative analysis, which can be applied to a broad array of complex oxide materials.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Integrated Experiment and Simulation Co-Design: A Key Infrastructure for Predictive Mesoscale Materials Modeling

  arXiv (Cornell University) · 2025-03-12

  preprintOpen access

  The design of structural & functional materials for specialized applications is being fueled by rapid advancements in materials synthesis, characterization, manufacturing, with sophisticated computational materials modeling frameworks that span a wide spectrum of length & time scales in the mesoscale between atomistic & continuum approaches. This is leading towards a systems-based design methodology that will replace traditional empirical approaches, embracing the principles of the Materials Genome Initiative. However, several gaps remain in this framework as it relates to advanced structural materials:(1) limited availability & access to high-fidelity experimental & computational datasets, (2) lack of co-design of experiments & simulation aimed at computational model validation,(3) lack of on-demand access to verified and validated codes for simulation and for experimental analyses, & (4) limited opportunities for workforce training and educational outreach. These shortcomings stifle major innovations in structural materials design. This paper describes plans for a community-driven research initiative that addresses current gaps based on best-practice recommendations of leaders in mesoscale modeling, experimentation & cyberinfrastructure obtained at an NSF-sponsored workshop dedicated to this topic. The proposal is to create a hub for Mesoscale Experimentation and Simulation co-Operation (hMESO)-that will (I) provide curation and sharing of models, data, & codes, (II) foster co-design of experiments for model validation with systematic uncertainty quantification, & (III) provide a platform for education & workforce development. It will engage experimental & computational experts in mesoscale mechanics and plasticity, along with mathematicians and computer scientists with expertise in algorithms, data science, machine learning, & large-scale cyberinfrastructure initiatives.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• CAREER: Understanding the Origins of Mechanical Hysteresis and Functional Fatigue in Martensitic Phase Transforming Materials

  NSF · $720k · 2022–2027

Frequent coauthors

• Aaron P. Stebner

  15 shared

• Darren C. Pagan

  13 shared

• Richard D. James

  11 shared

• Andrea Alù

  9 shared

• Michele Cotrufo

  CUNY Advanced Science Research Center

  9 shared

• C. Detlefs

  European Synchrotron Radiation Facility

  8 shared

• Bharat Jalan

  University of Minnesota

  8 shared

• Lee Casalena

  Thermo Fisher Scientific (United States)

  8 shared

Labs

• Bucsek GroupPI

Awards & honors

• William N. Findley Award
• E. & M.. Ulsoy Citation Leader Award
• Young Investigator Research Program award (2022)
• NSF CAREER Award (2022)