Current Students
Alex Abelson
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Matt Law
Research Focus: Use of nanomaterials for solar energy conversion using a variety of materials processing and characterization techniques to study the self-assembly and charge transport properties of PbSe quantum dot superlattices, an exciting material system that is expected to combine the unique photophysics of quantum dots with the efficient charge transport of bulk semiconductors.
B.S. in Physics from Oregon State University
Katherine A. Acord
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Julie Schoenung
Research Focus: Understanding the process-structure-property relationship of energy storage ceramic materials prepared using the additive manufacturing technique, laser powder bed fusion.
B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from University of California, Davis
Sakshi Bajpai
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Diran Apelian
Research Focus: Effect of Processing Phenomena and Kinetics on the Evolution of Microstructure in High Entropy Alloys.
B.T. in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur
Calvin H. Belcher
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisors: Enrique Lavernia and Timothy Rupert
Research Focus: Processing and Synthesis of Magnetic Metal Alloys.
B.S. in Materials Science & Engineering from University of California, Irvine
Justin Cortez
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Julie Schoenung
Research Focus: Processing-structure-property relationships of High Entropy Oxides, with specific focus on mechanical behavior.
B.S. in Materials Science & Engineering from University of California, Riverside
Cameron M. Crook
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Lorenzo Valdevit
Research Focus: Scalable Nanomanufacturing, Mechanical Metamaterials, and Effects of Oxidation on Cold Spray Powders.
B.E. in Robotics and Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Tingwei Deng
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Jered Haun
Research Focus: Nano materials, biomedical and fluorescent diagnosis.
B.E. in Poly Materials and Engineering from South China University of Technology
M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University
Chaojie Du
Degree Objective: M.S.
B.E. in Material Science and Engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Salma A. El-Azab
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Julie Schoenung
Research Focus: Additive manufacturing of WC-Co via laser engineered net shaping.
B.S. in Materials Engineering from Purdue University - West Lafayette
Brandon Fields
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Lorenzo Valdevit
Research Focus: Additive manufacturing of metals for energy absorption applications.
B.S. in Physics from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Xin Fu
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Albert Yee
Research Focus: Development of sustained drug delivery system for ocular diseases.
B.E. in Macromolecule Materials & Engineering from Beijing Institute of Technology
M.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of California, San Diego
Alyse R. Gonthier
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisors: Ali Mohraz and Elliot Botvinick
Research Focus: Use of morphologically unique bijel-templated materials in subcutaneous biomedical devices and study the impact of those materials on cell response, physically and computationally.
B.S. in BioEngineering/Materials Science and Engineering from University of California, Berkeley
Jairo I. Gonzalez Gonzalez
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: William Bowman
Research Focus: Pulsed laser deposition of electrochemical ceramics.
B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Arizona State University
Anna Gonzalez Rosell
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Stacy Copp
Research Focus: Structure and photophysical properties of DNA-stabilized silver nanoclusters.
B.S. in Chemistry from Universitat Ramon Llull
Chloe Groome
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Regina Ragan
Research Focus: Investigating the effects of molecular-scale electronic and magnetic fields on chemical reactions supported by engineered surfaces for sensing and catalysis applications.
B.S. in Physics from University of California, Los Angeles
Sierra-Elainna J. Gross
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisors: Ali Mohraz and Daniel Mumm
Research Focus: Energy storage technologies and the effects of morphology and chemistry on performance.
B.E. in Chemical Engineering from University of California, Irvine
Huiming Guo
Degree Objective: M.S.
Thesis Advisor: William Bowman
Research Focus: Electrode/electrolyte interface mechanism of all solid-state batteries (ASSBs) with electrochemical analysis and advanced TEM technique.
B.E. in Materials Chemistry from Changzhou University
Haoyang He
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Julie Schoenung
Research Focus: Green engineering and sustainability assessment of emerging materials, technologies, and products.
B.E. in Functional Materials from Huazhong University of Science & Technology
Ethan J. Heffernan
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Shane Ardo
Research Focus: Designing porous materials to convert alternating electronic polarization into net ionic transport for water desalination.
B.A. in Physics from Occidental College
Yang Hu
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Timothy Rupert
Research Focus: Probing interesting grain boundary phenomena in metals and alloys using atomistic simulations.
B.E. in Materials Science and Engineering from University of Northwestern Polytechnical
Ying Huang
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Iryna Zenyuk
Research Focus: X-ray imaging on battery, Platinum group metal-free catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction.
B.E. in Materials Science and Engineering from South China University of Technology
M.S. in Materials Science & NanoEngineering from Rice University
Huaixun Huyan
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Xiaoqing Pan
Research Focus: Study of topological structures in oxide thin films.
B.S. in Materials Science & Engineering from Purdue University - West Lafayette
M.S. in Materials Science & Engineering from University of Southern California
Sen Jiang
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Julie Schoenung
Research Focus: Additive manufacturing of Ni based metal matrix composites.
B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of California, Santa Barbara
Thomas M. Kaufman
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Xiaoqing Pan
Research Focus: Using in situ TEM experiments to characterize grain boundary structure and kinetics based on disconnection theory.
B.S. in Materials Science & Engineering from University of California, Irvine
Rylan J. Kautz
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Shane Ardo
Research Focus:
B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from University of Washington
Kaustubh B. Khedekar
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Iryna Zenyuk
Research Focus: Durability of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells for automotive applications.
B.E. in Polymer Engineering from Maharashtra Institute of Technology, Pune University
Hauna Krekemeyer
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Jered Haun
Research Focus: Develop a comprehensive breast cancer diagnostic imaging library utilizing nanotech probes and Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIM).
B.S. in Nano Engineering from University of California, San Diego
Devashish S. Kulkarni
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Iryna Zenyuk
Research Focus: Understanding the transport processes and other phenomena in PEM electrolyzers by using X-ray computed tomography and electrochemical characterization to engineer high performance electrolysis for sustainable hydrogen production.
B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Pune
Tom Lee
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Xiaoqing Pan
Research Focus: Study of Lithium/Sodium-ion battery anode materials.
B.S. in Chemical Biology from University of California, Berkeley
M.S. in Material Science & NanoEngineering from Rice University
Griffin Lentsch
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Vasan Venugopalan
Research Focus: Microscopic imaging for non-invasive assessment of skin biology and disease.
B.A. in Biology from Grinnell College
Ao Li
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: James Earthman
Research Focus: After treatment with Nanobubble.
B.E. in Polymer Materials and Engineering from East China University of Science and Technology
M.S. in Materials Science from University of Southern California
Panyiming Liu
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Alon Gorodetsky
Research Focus: Bioinspired large-area thermoregulatory and camouflage composites.
B.E. in Polymer Materials and Engineering from East China University of Science and Technology
B.S. in Materials Physics from University of Science and Technology of China
Yujia Liu
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Marc Madou
Research Focus: Carbon electrodes for biomedical applications.
B.E. in Materials Science and Engineering from Shanghai Jiaotong University
Jingyi Luo
Degree Objective: M.S.
Thesis Advisors: Albert Yee and Xiaoqing Pan
Research Focus:
B.S. in Materials Science & Engineering from University of California, Irvine
Alvin Ly
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Plamen Atanassov
Research Focus: Advanced Platinum-based Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction.
B.S. in Geology/Paleobiology from University of California, Los Angeles
Peter M. Mastracco
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Stacy Copp
Research Focus: Use of Machine Learning for the Predictive Design of Materials.
B.S. in Physics from SUNY at Binghamton
Arturo A. Meza
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Julie Schoenung
Research Focus: High entropy ceramics, with emphasis on the electrical properties and its potential applications in energy conversion and storage devices.
B.S. in Electronic Technology Engineering from Universidad de Sonora
M.S. in Nanotechnology from Universidad de Sonora
Nadjia Motley
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Martha Mecartney
Research Focus: Development of high entropy and multiphase ceramics for use in extreme environments with an emphasis on how grain boundaries and interfaces control thermal properties of ceramics.
B.S. in BioEngineering from University of Maryland
Justin T. Mulvey
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Joe Patterson
Research Focus:
B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from University of California, Davis
Zahra Nemati
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Peter Burke
Research Focus: Investigation and simultaneous imaging of subcellular organisms via optical and scanning microwave microscopes.
B.S. in Public Health Sciences from University of California, Irvine
M.P.H. in Public Health Sciences from University of California, Irvine
Jack Ngo
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Frank Shi
Research Focus: Electronic Packaging Materials.
B.S. in Chemistry/Material Science from University of California, Los Angeles
Nhi Vu-Y Quach
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Yoonjin Won
Research Focus: Defects in thin films and the effect of fluid flow through these defects.
B.S. in Material Science & Engineering from University of California, Irvine
Peter J. Santiago
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Regina Ragan
Research Focus: Synthesis of earth abundant novel catalysts with applications in catalysis in energy devices.
B.S. in Physics from California State University, Long Beach
Eric Schwartz
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Zhibin Guan
Research Focus: Biomimetic active and self-healing soft materials.
B.S. in Materials Science & Engineering from University of Pennsylvania
Jie Shen
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: James Earthman
Research Focus: Finite Element Analysis.
B.E. in Materials Science & Engineering from University of California, Irvine
Daniel M. Snow
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Stacy Copp
Research Focus: Quantum dot superstructures formed during block copolymer self assembly, and the resulting fluorescent properties of the composite.
B.E. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Case Western Reserve University
Komal Syed
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisors: Martha Mecartney and William Bowman
Research Focus: Correlating grain boundary segregation and grain boundary energies with sintering techniques in multi-phase ceramics.
B.S. in Materials Science & Engineering from University of Maryland
Raphael P. Thiraux
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Lorenzo Vadevit
Research Focus: Direct Ink Writing of ceramic and ceramic matrix composite architected materials.
B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Grenoble INP-PHELMA
M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Grenoble INP-PHELMA
Judy Tran
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Regina Ragan
Research Focus: Experimental development of new nanogap chemistries for metabolic biosensors fabricated from surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates.
B.S. in Physics from California State University, San Bernardino
Vivek Tyagi
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisors: Douglas Tobias and Regina Ragan
Research Focus:
B.S. in Materials Science & Engineering from University of Washington
Hasti Vahidi
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: William Bowman
Research Focus: Understanding the interfacial behavior of electroceramic materials for energy applications using advanced electron microscopy techniques.
B.S. in Materials Engineering - Ceramics from Iran University of Science and Technology
Aleksandra Vyatskikh
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Julie Schoenung
Research Focus: Residual stress mitigation in metal additive manufacturing.
B.E. in Automation and Control from Bauman Moscow State Technival University
M.S. in Materials Science from Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology
Han Wang
Degree Objective: M.S.
Thesis Advisor: Penghui Cao
Research Focus:
B.E. in Material Science & Engineering from Harbin Engineering University
Xinbo Wang
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Mo Li
Research Focus: Novel infrastructure materials, digital construction and materials characterization.
B.E. in Material Science and Engineering from South China University of technology
M.S. in Material Science from Rice University
Jenna L. Wardini
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: William Bowman
Research Focus: Correlating structure and electrical behavior in electroceramics with in situ transmission electron microscopy.
B.S. in Physics from Oregon State University
M.S. in Chemistry from University of Oregon
Haixin Wei
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Ray Luo
Research Focus: Computational studies of biomolecular structures and functions.
B.S. in Condensed Matter Physics from University of Science and Technology of China
Hong Wei
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Regina Ragan
Research Focus: Nanofabrication and biosensing.
B.S. in Electronic Science and Technology from Inner Mongolia University
Songyuan Yan
Degree Objective: M.S.
Advisor: Regina Ragan
Research Focus:
B.S. in Physical Science Chemistry from University of California, Irvine
Yingjie Yang
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisors: Martha Mecartney and Daniel Mumm
Research Focus: The microstructure and properties of ceramic composite materials produced by novel manufacturing technique flash sintering.
B.E. in Materials Science and Engineering from Shanghai Jiaotong University
Kehang Yu
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Enrique Lavernia
Research Focus: Deformation twinning on Mg and Mg alloys using electron microscopy and molecular dynamics.
B.S. in Material Physics from Fudan University
Julia A. Zakashansky
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Michelle Khine
Research Focus: Electrochemical sensors to improve personalized healthcare - specifically, noninvasive biomarker analysis.
B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Yunfei Zhang
Degree Objective: Ph.D.
Advisor: Lorenzo Valdevit
Research Focus: Mechanical properties of architected materials with spinodal topologies.
B.S. in Material Science and Engineering from Zhengzhou University