Nandish Vora

Nandish Vora

I am a PhD student at the University of Pennsylvania in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. I am advised by Prof. Paulo Arratia and Prof. Douglas Jerolmack (Penn Sediment Dynamics Laboratory). My research is about understanding the slow sub-yield deformation, called creep, in soft materials with a focus on earth systems. I use tools like rheometry and confocal microscope imaging to understanding the dynamics of creep. I also have experience working with swimming microorganisms. Prior to this I was an undergraduate researcher in BurtonLab at Emory University studying glaciers. I graduated from Emory University with a B.S. in Physics and Applied Mathematics in 2023.

 

Projects

  1. Understanding sub-yield deformations in model earth systems
  2. Connecting microstructural dynamics to bulk rheology during creep in athermal amorphous materials

Selected Publications

  1. Nissanka, N. Vora, J. Méndez Harper, J.C. Burton, J.M. Amunson, A.A. Robel, Y. Meng, C.Y. Lai (2025). “Laboratory Experiments Reveal Transient Fluctuations in Ice Mélange Velocity and Stress During Periods of Quasistatic Flow”. JGR Earth Surf. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JF008071

Selected Presentations

  1. Vora, R. Ran, S. Pradeep, P.E. Arratia (2025). “Stretching Field Statistics in Time Periodic Flows with Dilute Bacterial Suspensions”. APS Global Physics Summit. Anaheim, CA, 16-22 March 2025
  2. Vora, R, Ran, S. Pradeep, P.E. Arratia (2025). “Dispersion of Swimming Microorganisms in Spatially Heterogenous 2D Flows” APS 78th Annual Meeting of the Division of Fluid Dynamics. Houston TX, 23-25 November 2025
  3. Vora. “Dynamics of Creep in Model Earth Systems”. Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics – Program: Soft Earth Geophysics, Jan 5- Mar 26, 202. Chalk talk given on Jan 27, 2026. https://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/softearth26/. University of California: Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA.

Previous Experience

  • Undergraduate Researcher, Justin C. Burton (BurtonLab), Emory University, 2021-2023

Certificates

  • University of Pennsylvania – Teaching Certificate (2024)

Contact Information

  • Please contact me by email: nkvora@sas.upenn.edu