(4nt) Sustainability, and Transmission Electron Microscopy Laboratory (STEM Lab)

My research revolves around exploring the stability and sustainability of polymeric blends and soft crystalline systems, under thermal and environmental stress, using advanced electron microscopy, and mass spectrometry, with a focus on cryo-EM, electron tomography, and mass/ion transport characterization.

Under the guidance of esteemed professors, including Prof. Harald Ade at NCSU and Prof. Enrique Gomez at PSU, I have undertaken groundbreaking research that has significantly contributed to the field of organic and hybrid organic-inorganic semiconducting materials. In the future, as a faculty member, central to my research endeavors will be the establishment of structure-transport-property relationships in novel polymeric and hybrid materials in the realm of sustainability and sensing applications.

Some of my key research contributions lie in the investigation of mass and ion transport in polymers and hybrid materials. Through the development of innovative ToF-SIMS based methods, I successfully unraveled the complex relationship between ion/mass transport and morphological properties, shedding light on the critical stability aspects of functional materials. As a postdoctoral researcher, I am leveraging cutting-edge TEM techniques, with a focus on cryo-EM, and electron tomography. Through utilizing innovative cryo-EM and cryogenic-electron tomography techniques, we achieved groundbreaking milestones: direct visualization of polymer phase behavior in a solvated state, for the first time to our knowledge. As a postdoctoral researcher, I also participated in the writing of several successful grant proposals and applications for beamtime access.

Teaching Interests

Beyond my research, I have also excelled in teaching and mentoring roles. Teaching in classrooms and laboratories and interacting with students are my main motivations for pursuing an academic career. As a teacher, my philosophies are to nourish confidence and teach critical thinking and problem-solving strategies to train independent students and scientists. I strive to create an inclusive, welcoming, and respectful environment where students can thrive regardless of gender, nationality, race/ethnicity, or sexuality. As a professor, I will put a great emphasis on the well-being and mental health of the students by creating an environment that is comfortable and stress-free yet challenging. During my academic endeavor, I served as a teaching assistant in crystallography (undergraduate) and Advanced Solid State (graduate level) courses. I also had a chance to be an introductory physics lab and problem session instructor for two semesters at NCSU. I have been compelled to employ diverse strategies aimed at teaching critical thinking abilities and the equilibrium between theoretical knowledge, data acquisition, and rigorous analysis.

My educational background in Material Engineering, and Applied Physics with a focus on soft polymeric systems, water treatment membranes, and advanced characterization techniques, coupled with my interest in exploring the fundamentals of diverse subjects, positions me uniquely to instruct a wide spectrum of courses. This spans from foundational lower-division classes to advanced-level undergraduate and graduate courses.