Snezhana I. Abarzhi

                            Curriculum Vitae

Snezhana I. Abarzhi
F.A.P.S., Prof., Dr.
California Institute of Technology, USA
University of Western Australia, AUS
URL: Wikipedia
URL: This Site (2025-present)
URL: Prior Site (2008-2010)
E-mail: Contact Email

Research interests, expertise, and contributions

My research interests are in: Theoretical and Applied Physics - dynamics of plasmas, fluids, materials;
Applied Mathematics - applied analysis, partial differential equations, dynamical systems; Data Science.

My research expertise is in theoretical analysis of complex processes and their –
far from equilibrium, nonlinear, multi-scale, multi-phase, non-local, statistically unsteady – dynamics.
The focus is on fluid instabilities, unstable interfaces, and interfacial mixing.

My contribution to the field is the theory of far from equilibrium dynamics of interfaces and mixing.

My key results are: the new fluid instabilities; the inertial mechanism of interface stabilization; the special  self-similarity class; the order in Rayleigh-Taylor mixing; the theory of interface dynamics; the foundations of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities.

My key contributions to the community are: founding the scientific program ‘Turbulent Mixing and Beyond’; doing editorial work, organizing conferences, and serving professional boards, committees, and societies.

Degrees

1994. PhD in Physics and Mathematics. Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics and Kapitza Institute for Physical Problems, Academy of Sciences, RUS.

1990. MS in Theoretical Physics and Applied Mathematics. Moscow Institute for Physics and Technology, RUS.

1987. BS in Applied Mathematics and Physics, BS in Molecular Biology. Moscow Institute for Physics and Technology, RUS.

Education

1991-1994. PhD Student. Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics of the Academy of Sciences and Moscow Institute for Physics and Technology, RUS. Advisor - Prof. Sergei I. Anisimov.

1984-1990. Student. Moscow Institute for Physics and Technology, RUS. Graduated Suma Cum Laude.
Including also:
1988-1990. MS Student. Kapitza Institute for Physical Problems, Academy of Sciences.
1987-1988. Landau's Course on Theoretical Physics (‘Theoretical Minimum’). Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics, Academy of Sciences.

Employment

2016-present. Professor and Chair of Applied Mathematics. The University of Western Australia, AUS.  Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
Including also:
2024-present. Guest Professor. California Institute of Technology, USA. Division of Applied Science and Engineering.
2022-2023. Visiting Professor. Stanford University, USA. Center for Turbulence Research.
2021-2023. Consultant. Dassault Systèmes Simulia Corporation, USA.

2013-2016. Professor of Physics and Mathematics. Carnegie Mellon University, USA. Colleges: Mellon College of Science (MCS) and Carnegie Mellon University – Qatar (CMUQ).

2005-2013. Research Professor – Academic Faculty. University of Chicago, USA. Division of Physical Sciences.
Including also:  
2013-2013. Visiting Professor. Osaka University, JPN. Institute for Laser Engineering.
2012-2013. Professor Adjunct. University of Illinois at Chicago, USA. Department of Physics.
2012-2012. Consultant. Exa Corporation, USA.
2011-2011. Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Professor. Kyushu University, JPN. Department of Mathematics.
2006-2009. Associate Professor. Illinois Institute of Technology, USA. Department of Applied Mathematics.

2002-2005. Senior Fellow. Stanford University, USA. Center for Turbulence Research.
Including also:           
2004-2005. Professor Adjunct. San Francisco State University, USA. Department of Engineering.

2001-2002. Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Professor. Osaka University, JPN. Institute for Laser Engineering.
1999-2001. Research Associate Scientist. State University of New York at Stony Brook, USA. Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics.

1998-1999. Alexander von Humboldt Fellow. University of Bayreuth, DEU. Institute for Theoretical Physics.

1997-1998. Visiting Professor. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA. Department of  Mathematics.

1996-1997 (on leave 1997-2000s). Senior Research Scientist. High Energy Density Institute, Academy of Sciences, RUS.

1994-1995. Junior Research Scientist. Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics, Academy of Sciences, RUS.

Publications

The List of Publications contains:
The 192 peer-reviewed items, including edited research books, book chapters, research and review papers in leading journals.
Over 350 items in proceedings of conferences, workshops, summer schools.

 

Presentations

The List of Presentations contains:
Nearly 130 invited lectures, colloquia, seminars at leading scientific institutions worldwide.
Nearly 220 plenary and invited lectures, tutorials, talks and contributed presentations at high profile conferences.

Grants

The highly competitive 50 grants of $4186000, since 2006, as principal investigator / chief investigator include:
14 grants of $3686000 for support of research projects;
36 grants of $500000 for support of program ‘Turbulent Mixing and Beyond’.
The prestigious 6 fellowships supported the research program, before 2006.

Awards and Recognitions

Honors include: Fellow, the American Physical Society (2020); Fellow, the International Associations of Advanced Materials (2023).

Awards and Fellowships are: 2024, 2011 and 2001 Fellowships, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JPN); 2011 Award, the Academy of Sciences (RUS); 2007 Award, NASA (USA); 2002 Fellowship, Center for Turbulent Research, Stanford University (USA); 1998 Fellowship, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (DEU); 1995 Fellowship, the International Center for Theoretical Physics (ITA); 1994 Fellowship, the International Center for Fundamental Physics (RUS); 1993 Fellowship, KFA Institute fur Festkorperforschung (DEU).

Highlights include: 2023 Featured Papers, the American Institute of Physics (USA), 2019 Press Release, the National Academy of Sciences (USA); 2014 Highlights, the Institute of Physics Publishing (GBR); 2013 Research Highlight, the National Science Foundation (USA).

Recognitions are: 2023 Scientific Highlight, the American Institute of Physics; 2023 Science Medal, the International Association of Advanced Materials; 2022 Outstanding Editor Award, the Frontiers Publishing; 2022 and 2019 Releases of Invited Talks, the American Physical Society March Meetings (USA); 2021 Cover Image, Physics of Fluids; 2019 Cover image, Podcast and Video-interview, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA).

In public eye: 2020 and 2018 Media Release, the University of Western Australia (AUS); 2018 Media Release, Phys.org (GBR).

Synergistic activities

Founding scientific programs

Program ‘Turbulent Mixing and Beyond.’ co-Founder (2007-present).
http://www.tmbw.org/ http://www.tmbw.org/tmbconferences/

Serving professional societies

The American Physical Society. The Committee on Scientific Publications. Member (2022-2025).

Editorial work

Editor, Chief Section Editor, Member of the Editorial Board in:
Flow; Cambridge University Press.
Frontiers of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Frontiers.
Atoms, MDPI - Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute.
Discover Applied Sciences and Springer Nature Applied Sciences, Springer - Nature.
Physica Scripta, Institute of Physics Publishing.

Guest Editor in:

Research Topics in Frontiers of Applied Mathematics (2026, 2022).
Topical Collection in Springer Nature Applied Sciences (2025).
Special Issue of Atoms (2025).
Special Issue of Physics of Fluids (2022). Special Issue of Physics of Plasmas (2022).
Special Section in MATRIX Annals, Springer (2021).
Special Feature Issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA (2019).
Theme Issues of the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A (2013-II, 2013-I, 2010).
Focus Issues and Topical Issues of Physica Scripta (2021, 2017, 2914, 2013, 2010, 2008).
Proceedings of International Conferences ‘Turbulent Mixing and Beyond’ (2017, 2014, 2011, 2009, 2007).

Organizing conferences and symposia

Organizer / Coordinator of the International Conferences and Schools of:
The Program ‘Turbulent Mixing and Beyond’ (2017, 2014, 2011, 2009, 2007).

Organizer / Coordinator of the Symposia and Conferences invited by:
The American Mathematical Society and Joint Mathematical Meeting, USA (2025).
The Division of Plasma Physics of the Association of Asia Pacific Physical Societies, JPN (2025, 2021).
The Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, USA (2023).
The International Congress on Industrial and Applied Mathematics, JPN (2023).
The American Physical Society March Meeting, USA (2022, 2019).
The MATRIX Mathematical Sciences Institute, AUS (2019).
The Division of Plasma Physics of the American Physical Society, USA (2019, 2013).
The Ameri-Mech Symposium of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, USA (2017).
The US-Japan Fusion Program, JPN (2008).

Teaching and mentoring

Mentoring and training specialists (since 2017):
Faculty - 1 Associate Professor, 2 Assistant Professors.
Researchers - 5 Postdoctoral Researchers.

Graduate students - 12 PhD students.
Master students - 2 MS students.
Honor students - 5 Honor students.

Professional education - 2 tutorial courses.
Graduate education - 5 courses for students with major in Mathematics, Science, Engineering.
Undergraduate education - over 12 courses in Mathematics, Science, Engineering.