STUDENT PROFILES

Michael Asoro
michaelasoro[at]mail.utexas.edu
http://www.me.utexas.edu/~ferreira/
Department: Materials Science and Engineering
Advisors: Dr. Paulo Ferreira and Dr. Desiderio Kovar

Thesis Title: Coalescence and Sintering in Metallic Nanoparticles
Research Summary: In-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) heating of silver and platinum nanoparticles to determine structural changes in nanoparticles as a function of temperature and particle size.

Cynthia Burham
burham[at]mail.utexas.edu
No Group Website Available
Department: Electrical and Computer Engineering
Advisors: Dr. Jack C. Lee & Dr. Baxter F. Womack

Thesis Title: Development of an innovative fabrication method for n-MOS to p-MOS tunable single metal gate/high-? insulator devices for multiple threshold voltage applications
Research Summary: Investigating single metal gate (on high-?) effective work function tuning methods (e.g. thickness, implant) for convenient fabrication of FinFETs with n-MOS to p-MOS appropriate, continuously tunable threshold voltage.

Mary Caldorera-Moore
mcmoore[at]mail.utexas.edu
http://www.bme.utexas.edu/faculty/roy/people/caldorera.html
Department: Biomedical Engineering
Advisors: Dr. Krishnendu Roy and Dr. Li Shi

Thesis Title: Development of Shape and Size Specific, Stimuli Responsive Drug Delivery Nanocarriers using Step and Flash Imprint Lithography
Research Summary: The development of diseased responsive, drug delivery nanocarriers of specific geometries using S-FIL. The ability to control geometry is essential for controlling in-vivo transport and biodistribution.

Micaela Casas
mcasas[at]physics.utexas.edu
http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~lilab/
Department: Physics
Advisor: Dr. Xiaoqin (Elaine) Li

Thesis Title: Untitled
Research Summary: Investigation of nanomanipulation and nanotribology with an Atomic Force Microscope and optical spectroscopy of composite nanostructures of metallic nanoparticles and semiconductor quantum dots.

Leandro Forciniti
lf2563[at]che.utexas.edu
http://www.bme.utexas.edu/faculty/schmidt/
Department: Chemical Engineering
Advisors: Dr. Christine E. Schmidt & Dr. Muhammad H. Zaman

Thesis Title: Integrating Computational and Experimental Methods To Engineer Materials For Neural Applications
Research Summary: Investigating the nano- and micro- scale interactions between neural cells and conducting polymers such as polypyrrole.

Micah Glaz
micahglaz[at]mail.utexas.edu
http://vandenbout.cm.utexas.edu/research/
Department: Chemistry and Biochemistry
Advisor: Dr. David Vanden Bout

Thesis Title: Spatially Resolved Heterogeneity in Organic and Inorganic Photovoltaics using Near-Field Optical Microscopy and Confocal Microscopy
Research Summary: My research focuses on confocal and near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) in order to resolve spatial heterogeneity in photovoltaics devices.

Kimberly Homan
kimberly.homan[at]mail.utexas.edu
http://ultrasound.bme.utexas.edu/personal-homan.cfm
Department: Biomedical Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Stanislav Emelianov

Thesis Title: Targeted Nanocage System for Combined Therapy and Imaging of Pancreatic Cancer
Research Summary: Pancreatic cancer is the most deadly of all solid tumors. Our research approach is to build nanosystems with encapsulated chemotherapeutic drugs that are targeted to pancreatic cancer. These multifunctional nanosystems are built to both deliver drugs at the cancer site while simultaneously acting as a contrast agent for photoacoustic imaging in order to visualize the tumor.

Norman Horn
norman.horn[at]mail.utexas.edu
No Group Website Available
Department: Chemical Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Don Paul

Thesis Title: Physical Aging and Plasticization Processes in Thin Glassy Polymer Films
Research Summary: I study polymeric thin films for gas separations, focusing on their aging and plasticization behavior.

B. Reeja Jayan
breeja[at]mail.utexas.edu
breeja[at]yahoo.com
http://www.me.utexas.edu/~manthiram/
Department: Material Science & Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Arumugam Manthiram

Thesis Title: Efficient, Stable Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Solar Cells
Research Summary: Hybrid solar cells made of inorganic semiconductor oxides in direct contact with organic light harvesting polymers are an attractive replacement to conventional solar cells. The goal of my research is to enhance photovoltaic efficiency and stability of hybrid solar cells by systematically investigating the complex relationships among the different materials used in these cells, in particular the interfaces between them.

Tarik Khan
takhan[at]che.utexas.edu
http://www.che.utexas.edu
Department: Chemical Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Maynard

Thesis Title: M cell Targeted Antigen Delivery System
Research Summary: I am developing an oral vaccine delivery system. This work utilizes protein engineering and polymer science to target antigens to the mucosal lymphatic system.

Si Chon (Dickson) Lao
dicksonlao[at]austin.utexas.edu
http://www.me.utexas.edu/~koo/
Department: Materials Science and Engineering
Advisors: Tess J. Moon and Joseph H. Koo

Thesis Title: Multifunctional Carbon Fiber-reinforced Polymer Nano- composites: Processing and Characterization
Research Summary: Developement of a novel multi-functional carbon fiber-reinforced cyanate ester nanocomposite.

Mohammad Mehrmohammadi
mehrmohammadi[at]mail.utexas.edu
http://ultrasound.bme.utexas.edu/Magneto-Acoustic.cfm
Department: Biomedical Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Stanislav Emelianov

Thesis Title: Applications of magnetic nanoparticles as contrast agent for ultrasound molecular imaging
Research Summary: Magneto-motive ultrasound imaging is a new technique, capable of imaging magnetic nanoparticles indirectly. It utilizes a focused high strength magnetic field to induce motion within the magnetically labeled tissue and then ultrasound to detect the internal tissue motion.

Arden Moore
ardenmoore[at]mail.utexas.edu
http://www.me.utexas.edu/~lishi/
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Li Shi

Thesis Title: Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Thermal and Thermoelectric Transport in Nanowires and Nanoconstrictions
Research Summary: My work involves investigating size effects on energy carriers involved in nanoscale thermal transport, especially processes which
might be important in thermoelectric and semiconductor applications.

Dave Ostrowski
daveostrowski[at]mail.utexas.edu
http://vandenbout.cm.utexas.edu/research/index.html
Department: Chemistry and Biochemistry
Advisor: Dr. David A. Vanden Bout

Thesis Title: Studying Spatial Heterogeneity in Optical and Electronic Properties present in Thin Film Photovoltaic Materials
Research Summary: Main topics of this research include scanning probe microscopies (scanning confocal, AFM and SNOM), spectroscopy (absorbance, fluorescence and fluorescence lifetime) along with organic thin film photovoltaic device fabrication and characterization.

Reken Patel
reken[at]che.utexas.edu
http://www.che.utexas.edu/korgel-group/index.html
Department: Chemical Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Brian Korgel

Thesis Title: Synthesis, Passivation, and Electrical Characterization of silicon nanowires
Research Summary: Synthesis and assembly of nanomaterials ranging from nanowires to spherical nanocrystals.