Radhika Barua is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering in the College of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. She holds a Ph.D. and M.S. degree in Chemical Engineering (specializing in Materials Science) from Northeastern University, a M.S. degree in Biotechnology from the University at Buffalo (State University of New York) and a B.E. degree in Chemical Engineering from Visveswaraiah Technological University in India. Her research interests are focused on the development of advanced functional magnetic materials and devices for diverse applications in the power and energy sector, including magnetic refrigerators, thermal energy harvesting devices, sensors/actuators for harsh environments and permanent magnets. In service to the scientific community, she serves as the chair of the Richmond Chapter of the IEEE Magnetics Society.