Ivan Oleynik, Ph.D. is a Professor of Physics in the College of Arts and Sciences. As a computational physicist, Dr. Oleynik has made key contributions in several scientific disciplines: condensed matter physics, materials science and chemistry. Dr. Oleynik's interdisciplinary research-at the intersection of chemistry, physics, planetary science and engineering-involves studying materials at the atomistic and electronic structure levels. He investigates how the matter responds to extreme conditions of high pressure, high temperature, and high strain rates by developing and applying new simulation methods to predict materials behavior. His work has also increased understanding of two-dimensional materials, molecular electronics and magnetic tunnel junctions, the novel systems where quantum-mechanical effects are being explored to provide new functionalities to electronic devices. Dr. Oleynik is recognized as a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS) and the American Vacuum Society, and was recently elected to lead the APS Topical Group on Shock Compression of Condensed Matter. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, and a Ph.D. from Institute of Chemical Physics of Russian Academy of Sciences.