Computer hardware specialist Evan Reed has died

Evan J. Reed, an associate professor of materials science and engineering at Stanford University and a recognized leader in the burgeoning field of computational materials science, died at his Stanford home on March 19. He was 46 years old.

Evan Reed, 1976-2022 (Image credit: LA Cicero)

Reed used machine learning, a branch of artificial intelligence, and supercomputers to mathematically scour the universe of available materials in search of new and better candidates for a myriad of applications. Reed did not create new materials. He theorized about them and modeled them on a computer in hopes of saving time and money for other engineers in their experimental endeavours.

“Evan single-handedly put our department on the map in the field of computational materials science,” said his colleague Alberto Salleo, chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. “He was recognized by our community for his academic depth and as someone who got it right in a field with a lot of background noise. He had a real talent for working at the intersection of the interesting and the important.

Far-reaching impact

His work was extensive. He developed a type of graphene that twisted and twisted when shaken with electricity. He then imagined using this material to make computer switches that were almost unbelievably thin. At another time, he worked to develop safer lithium-ion batteries.

Reed combined the physicist’s insight into how materials work at the atomic level with the computer scientist’s knowledge of data analysis. He used these skills to become one of the world’s foremost materials experts. And he did it in a very short time. According to Salleo, Reed was an “experimenter theorist”. He made predictions that were constructible, testable, and had potential impact on the ground.

“Brainstorming with Evan was an event we all looked forward to. Evan had this magic power to frame and simplify complex issues, cut through the hype and focus on essential insights,” William Chueh recalls , colleague and frequent contributor, professor of materials science at Stanford “Evan’s office was frequently filled with heated discussions between students and postdocs, and his enthusiasm was felt even when his sliding door was closed.

Reed published a remarkable number of studies in peer-reviewed journals during his short life – Google Scholar lists him as author or co-author on 229 cited publications, the first in 2001 when he was a graduate student at MIT. Reed, in turn, became known as an extraordinarily caring mentor and teacher to students in his sphere, investing his time in their progress and success, and ensuring they understood the material they were learning.

Professionally, he was recognized with the Young Investigator Program Award from the Office of Naval Research in 2015. In 2014, he won the CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation. And the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency awarded Reed its Young Faculty Award in 2012.

“His boundless passion for education and eagerness to explore new topics has led to Evan’s enormous impact in the field of computational materials science. We have lost a learned giant and he will be greatly missed,” Chueh said.

“Evan’s presence has enriched everyone he has worked with, and the Stanford community is a better place because he was there,” said former student Austin Sendek, adjunct professor in the science group of materials. “His humility was remarkable. He encouraged students to follow their passions and rooted them wholeheartedly. He would often step out of the spotlight and defer to a student leading the project.

‘Lionheart’

Evan John Reed was born on February 14, 1976 in Rochester, Minnesota. He received his BS in Applied Physics from Caltech in 1998. He received his PhD in Physics from MIT in 2003. After his PhD, Reed worked as a postdoctoral researcher at MIT for a year, then as an EO Lawrence Fellow and, later a researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for the next five years. He joined the Stanford faculty in 2010. Reed was a licensed pilot at age 16 and a licensed flight instructor on multi-engine aircraft. He was also a long-distance runner and enjoyed cycling, hiking, DIY, and motorcycles.

“It was always a pleasure working with him. He was so easy to work with,” recalls Salleo. “To share his insightful insights or have a flash of laughter at his dry sense of humor was special. He left much too soon.

“Evan was the most decent of men. I never heard him speak ill of anyone or anything. He showed me a courage that I really didn’t think could exist in a single person,” recalls his colleague David Barnett, professor emeritus of materials science, whose office was next to Reed’s and who maintained a close friendship with his young colleague until the end. “He was a quiet man with the heart of a lion.”

Reed is survived by his wife, Sabrina Yan, and daughter, Remy Reed, of the San Francisco Bay Area; his mother, Johnnie Sue Reed, and his sister, Sally Kohlmeyer, and her husband, Dan, and their sons Ryan and Reed Kohlmeyer, all of Rochester, Minnesota. He was predeceased by his father, John Walter Reed. The family has arranged a private service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Evan J. Reed’s name be made to a charity of the donor’s choosing.

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