Zachary R. Atkins ☕️
Zachary R. Atkins ZAK-uh-ree AT-kinz
(he/they)

Graduate Research Assistant

About Me

Zachary R. Atkins, who goes by Zach, is a computer science PhD student at the University of Colorado Boulder specializing in high-performance computing, computational solid mechanics, and matrix-free linear algebra for finite element methods.

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Interests
  • Computational Solid Mechanics
  • Contact Mechanics
  • Finite Element Methods
  • Material Point Methods
  • Matrix-Free Methods
Education
  • PhD Computer Science

    University of Colorado Boulder

  • BSc Mathematics, Highest Distinction & Honors

    University of Kansas

  • BSc Computer Science, Highest Distinction

    University of Kansas

📚 My Research

I’m a graduate research assistant focusing on performance, scalability, efficiency, and accuracy for simulations of complex physical systems. I contribute to open-source and publicly funded software packages for numerical linear algebra, partial differential equations, and computational mechanics.

My particular interests include finite-element-based implicit contact mechanics and implicit material point methods.

Please reach out to collaborate 😃

Featured Projects
ChordDyn featured image

ChordDyn

ChordDyn is a software library and collection of scripts written in Python 3 and Julia to generate novel chord progressions using chaotic trajectories overlaid onto a Tonnetz. To …

Ratel-Runner

Ratel-Runner is a tool for optimized building and running of Ratel on high-performance computing systems.

Ratel Implicit Material Point Method (iMPM) featured image

Ratel Implicit Material Point Method (iMPM)

Ratel iMPM is a fast, powerful material point method solver implemented in the Ratel application, capable of simulating billions of material points on thousands of GPUs.

libCEED featured image

libCEED

libCEED is a fast and portable matrix-free finite element code. It allows the same kernels to be run on CPU and GPU without rewriting source code. My contributions include …

Recent Publications
(2024). Modifying the Asynchronous Jacobi Method for Data Corruption Resilience.
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(2023). Resilient s-ACD for Asynchronous Collaborative Solutions of Systems of Linear Equations.
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(2021). Distribution system voltage prediction from smart inverters using decentralized regression. 2021 IEEE Power & Energy Society General Meeting (PESGM).
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Recent & Upcoming Talks
Grain-Resolving Simulation of Mock-High-Explosives with Ratel Implicit MPM featured image

Grain-Resolving Simulation of Mock-High-Explosives with Ratel Implicit MPM

Abstract: Ratel is a matrix-free, high-order, implicit finite element (FEM) and material point method (MPM) solid mechanics package. In this work, Ratel is used to simulate …

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Zachary R. Atkins
Addressing Numerical Challenges in Frictional Contact Simulation for Finite-Deformation Solid Mechanics featured image

Addressing Numerical Challenges in Frictional Contact Simulation for Finite-Deformation Solid Mechanics

Abstract: The numerical simulation of contact phenomena in implicit, finite-deformation solid mechanics codes presents significant challenges due to the introduction of nonlinear …

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Zachary R. Atkins
The Algorithmic Development of a Fully Asynchronous Conjugate Gradient Method featured image

The Algorithmic Development of a Fully Asynchronous Conjugate Gradient Method

Abstract: Decentralized computing environments (DCE), or environments, such as edge computing, which utilize spatially distributed, non-hierarchical, and potentially heterogeneous …

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Zachary R. Atkins
Using Decentralized Learning to Reduce Communication in Column-Partitioned, Multi-Agent Systems featured image

Using Decentralized Learning to Reduce Communication in Column-Partitioned, Multi-Agent Systems

Abstract: Multi-agent systems introduce new challenges to distributed computing, such as unreliability and a need for data localization, which require robust decentralized learning …

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Zachary R. Atkins