he/him/his

E-mail: vinod.sangwan@northwestern.edu

Vinod has been a post-doctoral scholar with the Hersam group since 2009. He attended the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai for his undergraduate and received his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Maryland, College Park. His current research interests include nanomaterials, neuromorphic computing, quantum computing, photovoltaics, and carbon nanotube electronics. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, running, and other outdoor activities.

he/him/his

E-mail: jefford.humes@northwestern.edu

Jefford was born in Belize, Central America but raised on the southside of Chicago, IL in the Hyde Park area. He is currently a visiting scientist from NanoIntegris, part of Raymor Inc. At NanoIntegris, he utilizes his knowledge of his company’s materials to seek new business opportunities for which their innovative technology can be applied. Prior to serving as the Director of Research/ Business Development at NanoIntegris, Jefford received a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Morehouse College, studied abroad at the University of Leeds, and was a student of Emergency Medicine at RUSH University Medical College. He hopes to complete his education with a PhD in the near future. He has contributed to and been listed as a co-author within various articles from prestigious publications such as Nature Electronics, the American Chemical Society’s The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters and Applied Physics Letters, along with six different nanotechnology-based patents. He has performed scientific research with collaborators at numerous institutions such as the IBM Almaden Research Center, NASA, Japan’s AIST, the University of Chicago, RUSH Medical College, Ohio State University, Unilever, and U.O.P, to name a few.

Outside of research, he is an avid lover of science fiction and fantasy novels, enjoys performing in musicals, and acting in independent films, including his own CGI sci-fi work that is currently listed within IMDB. He loves to sing, song-write, play piano of many genres, specializing in classical, and produce music, having independently released three studio-recorded R&B/ Reggae albums. He has a lovely wife and two adorable children- a boy and girl. He enjoys travel and have been able to visit England, Japan, South Korea and China! He also loves positively impacting disadvantaged inner city children who grew up as he did, currently volunteering as a tutor and inspirational speaker with AMERICORPS’ local Chicago Hope for Kids. He is also a member of NSBE, NOBCChE, ACS, Society for Ecological Restoration International, AMA, and the Professional Management Institute.

he/him/his

E-mail: dominic.goronzy@northwestern.edu

Dominic studied at The University of California, Los Angeles for his master’s and Ph.D., studying intermolecular interactions in self-assembled monolayers and self-assembled molecular networks. His current research interests include the characterization, functionalization, and application of 2D boron. He is a first generation American and still speaks German with most of his family. He is a member of ACS, APS, and AVS, in addition to being an International Institute of Nanotechnology Postdoctoral Fellow. Outside of the lab, Dominic enjoys working with K-12 teachers to bring hands on science into their classrooms. He is a former IIN Post-Doctoral Fellow and currently a Intelligence Community Post-Doctoral Fellow.

he/him/his

Email: seungwon.lee1@northwestern.edu

Seung Won joined the group in 2021. He studied at Yonsei University, where he majored in material science & engineering and obtained a bachelors and masters. His projects involve producing low-dimensional material based on nanocomposite ionogels. His Ph.D research was over organic/inorganic hybrid materials for wearable electronics. He was born and raised in South Korea, where he likes to hike and play tennis. He interned at SK Hynix, Inc.

he/him/his

E-mail: junghun.lee@northwestern.edu

Jung Hun was born and raised in the Republic of Korea. He joined the Hersam group in September 2022 to join the efforts on printable 2D semiconductor devices such as transistors and neuromorphic systems. Jung Hun completed his Ph.D. in materials science engineering at Seoul National University (SNU) in 2022, where he worked on solution process engineering for high-performance organic electronics. During his Ph.D., he also worked as a researcher in Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) for 3 years as a part of his mandatory military assignment. At KITECH, he researched wearable electronics for textile applications. In his spare time, he enjoys going on walks and spending time with friends and family.

he/him/his

Email: yongkwon.song@northwestern.edu

Yongkwon was born and raised in the Republic of Korea. He joined the Hersam group in September 2023. He received his Ph.D. in the department of chemical and biological engineering at Korea University in 2023, where he mainly focused on unveiling the effects of structural/interfacial design on the characteristics of nanocomposite electrodes, mainly for energy storage applications. Currently, he is developing a new-class of solid-state batteries (SSBs) based on ionogel electrolyte system using 2D nanomaterials. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with friends, having coffee, playing tennis, and watching YouTube.

he/him/his

Email: shreyash.hadke@northwestern.edu

Shreyash joined the Hersam group in 2022, after a postdoctoral appointment in the School of Chemical Engineering at Purdue University. He received his Ph.D. (with an Interdisciplinary Research Excellence Award) in Materials Science and Engineering from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, where he studied the interplay between point defect characteristics and charge carrier dynamics in solution-processed chalcogenide semiconductors. Having previously explored topics as varied as thermodynamic modeling of phase diagrams, EBSD-based microstructure reconstruction, abrasive wear in Ti-alloys, recrystallization dynamics in Nb-alloys, combustion synthesis of oxides, and defect engineering in solution-processed chalcogenide and perovskite photovoltaics, Shreyash now works on the development of 2D material impedance-based gas sensors.

Outside the lab, Shreyash enjoys traveling, reading, and being quantitative; so far, he has visited 14 countries and read 116 books. Resisting the appeal of Cricket as a young boy growing up in India, he instead tried his hand at badminton and feet at soccer, having represented his college in the latter. He has recently taken an interest in Chess, and can be classified as a novice, with a modest ELO peak rating of 1544 on Lichess. Despite his sporadic attempts at being more of an E and less of a J, Myers-Briggs indicators unequivocally characterize him as an INTJ.

he/him/his

Email: hui.li@northwestern.edu

Hui comes from Jiangsu, China. He received his bachelor’s degree in materials science from Shandong University. Then he obtained his Ph.D in physics from Stony Brook University, where he mainly studied high temperature superconductors with scanning tunneling microscope at Brookhaven National Laboratory. He joined the Hersam group in 2021 to study the synthesis and characterization of borophene and related 2D materials. He enjoys reading, traveling and basketball.

he/him/his

Email: xiaoyu.sui@northwestern.edu

Xiaoyu completed his undergraduate and masters degrees at Tongji University in Materialogy. Afterwards, he finished his Ph.D. at the University of Chicago underneath Dr. Junhong Chen within The Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering where he looked at nanoscale engineering of advanced nanomaterials for environmental sustainability. Currently, he is making significant efforts on solution processing of two-dimensional materials and their applications in nanohybrid electrodes for lithium-ion batteries. He primarily enjoys traveling with his family and playing soccer.

she/her/hers

E-mail: eaklile @ u.northwestern.edu

Eden was born and raised in Ethiopia. She lived in San Diego and went to school there before moving to Chicago/Evanston. Outside of the lab, she plays tennis, serves as a Science Club mentor and is in student leadership councils such as MGLC and GLAC. She enjoys trying new cafes around Chicago whilst on a mission to find the best pastry and latte combo in the city. She also studies and enjoys discussions about global supply-chain systems in tech and manufacturing, geopolitics and African history.

he/him/his

E-mail: sdarauzo@u.northwestern.edu

Santiago grew up in Houston, Texas. He completed his B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin prior to joining the Hersam lab. His research interests are in cross-flow filtration and related scalable eco-manufacturing methods for printable inks. Beyond the lab, Santiago has been involved in coordinating non-curriculum workshops for NURPH, a high-school summer research program aimed at bridging the pipeline for under-represented students to perform collegiate-level research. Outside of school, Santiago spends time playing all types of sports, working out at the gym, and enjoys cooking Mexican and Japanese recipes. Whenever he gets the chance, he loves going to Mexico City and Guadalajara to visit his family.

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E-mail: jananhui2025@u.northwestern.edu

Janan was born and raised in Hong Kong and attended Swarthmore College for his undergraduate degree in chemistry. He joined the Hersam group in 2020 in pursuit of a Ph.D. in chemistry at Northwestern. As a passionate environmentalist, he has always been eager to explore the intersection between materials science and sustainability. His work is currently focused on the scalable manufacturing of printable nanoelectronic devices using cellulose-derived materials. Outside of lab, he is the president of two Northwestern graduate student groups: a STEM outreach club that organizes panel events and mentorship programs for local high school students (MORE), and a graduate student a cappella group (Keynotes). In his spare time, Janan enjoys cooking (especially the eating part), playing basketball, and is an avid video game nerd. He is also really passionate about songwriting and music production, hoping to one day release his own music.

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E-mail: liujkevin@u.northwestern.edu

Kevin grew up in Philadelphia and attended University of Pennsylvania studying materials science and engineering for undergrad. He joined the Hersam group as materials science Ph.D. student in 2021. His research interests include neuromorphic nanoelectronic materials and devices. Outside lab, Kevin is interested in any and all grappling sports.

he/him/his

E-mail: gregorymoller2028@u.northwestern.edu

Greg was born and raised in St. Petersburg, Florida before moving to Tallahassee to study chemical engineering at Florida State University. He started playing the trumpet at 9 years old and was a member of the marching band at FSU where he developed a love of college football. His undergraduate research focused on single crystal lead halide perovskite growth and their use as a sensitizer for photon upconversion under Prof. Lea Nienhaus. At Northwestern, Greg is co-advised with Prof. Rich Schaller studying ultrafast processes in low dimensional nanoelectronic materials. Outside of the lab Greg enjoys watching college football, facetiming with his sister’s new puppy, Nancy, and cooking.

he/him/his

E-mail: alessandropereyra2026@u.northwestern.edu

Alessandro was born and raised under the California sun, where he attended Cal Poly Pomona and graduated in 2021 with a Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering. In the Hersam Group, he will perform research on the Molecular Sensing of 2D Quantum Materials. He typically likes to spend his spare time jogging, spending time with family, and exploring local coffee shops. Other interests include volunteer work, STEM outreach, and cooking traditional foods.

he/him/his

E-mail: CTW@u.northwestern.edu

Cory hails from the great state of Minnesota. He attended the University of Minnesota for his undergraduate in chemical engineering before coming to Northwestern for his Ph.D. in materials science and engineering in 2019. In the Hersam Group, Cory focuses on electrochemistry and solid-state electrolytes. In his free time, he enjoys reading non-fiction and doing hands-on projects around the house. When they are able to travel, Cory and his wife take trips to Minnesota or Texas to visit their respective families and usually try to fit a camping trip in every now again. In his spare time, he volunteers with the Boys and Girls Club and the Rogers Park Community Response Team.

he/him/his

E-mail: zacharytrdinich2028@u.northwestern.edu

Zach was born and raised in the great city of Pittsburgh, PA. From there, he attended the Pennsylvania State University where he completed his B.S. with Honors in Materials Science and Engineering. During his time at Penn State, he worked with Dr. Joshua Robinson on the synthesis and characterization of novel 2D nitrides and oxides and Dr. Chao-Yang Wang on the engineering of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. At Northwestern, Zach’s work in the Hersam lab is focused on the synthesis and fabrication of neuromorphic nanoelectronic materials and devices. Outside of school, Zach can typically be found on the disc golf course or cheering for his favorite baseball team, the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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E-mail: alberttsui2027@u.northwestern.edu

Albert was born and raised in Chapel Hill, NC. He attended the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor where he completed his bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering with a minor in physics before coming to Northwestern to pursue a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering in 2022. In the Hersam Group, Albert focuses on synthesis and UHV STM studies of borophene and 2D borides. His hobbies include picking up new repertoire for the piano, traveling, and playing basketball.

she/her/hers

E-mail: rananth@u.northwestern.edu

Riddhi was raised in Bangalore, India before moving to sunny San Diego to pursue her passion for chemistry. She earned her bachelors degree from UC San Diego in chemistry with a minor in mathematics. Now a chemistry Ph.D. student at Northwestern, Riddhi joined the Hersam group in 2020 and works on the optical spectroscopy of chemically functionalized nanomaterials. Outside the lab, she enjoys running, hiking, cooking and is also trained in Bharatanatyam, which is an Indian classical dance form. Riddhi is an avid fan of figure skating and hopes to see her favorite figure skaters compete at the Olympics some day.

she/her/hers

E-mail: dasgupta@u.northwestern.edu

Anushka is from the Boston area and attended Princeton for her undergraduate degree, majoring in chemical and biological engineering. She joined the Hersam Group in 2019, pursuing her Ph.D. in materials science and engineering and investigating chemically modified low-dimensional materials. In her spare time, she enjoys watching movies, drawing and painting, cooking, and coffee. She also loves visiting national parks.

he/him/his

E-mail: NathanielHiott2028@u.northwestern.edu

Nathaniel is originally from Central, South Carolina, and completed his undergraduate degree in physics at the University of Notre Dame. Nathaniel has always been interested in using science to improve sustainability, especially in our energy systems. While at Notre Dame, he researched metal-halide perovskites for light-harvesting applications, promoted energy policy in Washington D.C., and spent a semester studying sustainable development in Copenhagen, Denmark. In the Hersam lab, Nathaniel works on ionogels for solid-state battery electrolytes and related battery applications. Beyond the lab, he enjoys getting outside by biking and hiking, watching some of Chicago’s famous comedy shows and musical theater, or staying in and playing the trombone or reading.

he/him/his

E-mail: peter.lim at u.northwestern.edu

Originally from South Korea but raised in China, Peter was an undergraduate student at Northwestern. As a member of Professor Nathaniel Stern’s group, Peter collaborated heavily with the Hersam group to study magnetism in encapsulated two-dimensional transition metal halides, for which he was awarded the International Institute for Nanotechnology’s Outstanding Researcher Award in 2020. After graduating from Northwestern in 2021 with a B.A. in physics and a minor in materials science, Peter went back home to serve in the Korean Army for his national service. Upon completing active duty, he briefly worked as a computational scientist at NeuroXT—a Korea University spin-off company—where he analyzed neuroimaging data to understand the pathophysiology and pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. In 2023, Peter came back to Northwestern to continue his studies, this time for a Ph.D. in applied physics. He currently studies the synthesis and characterization of low-dimensional superconducting materials for quantum information science applications under the joint supervision of Professor Hersam and Professor Vinayak Dravid. Outside of research, Peter enjoys playing and watching all sorts of sports—including baseball, soccer, basketball, and even esports. He also spends his free time working out, listening to K-pop and podcasts, cooking, exploring good food and coffee spots, and keeping up with the latest news in finance and technology. Peter is a member of Sigma Pi Sigma, the national honor society for physics.

she/her/hers

E-mail: heatherkurtz2027@u.northwestern.edu

Heather grew up outside of Denver, Colorado before heading east to Williams College for her B.A. in physics. After graduating, she spent 2 years at a Bay Area startup called Sinovia Technologies, where she worked on printed flexible OLED displays. Heather joined the Hersam group in 2022 to pursue her Ph.D. in materials science and engineering, and her research currently focuses on mixed ionic-electronic conductors and ionogels. Outside of the lab, she enjoys playing soccer, trail running, cooking, and listening to podcasts (some favorites being Radiolab, The Ezra Klein Show, and 99% Invisible).

she/her/hers

E-mail: s_eliu@u.northwestern.edu

Stephanie is unabashedly Californian, and attended the University of California, Berkeley for a bachelor’s in materials science and engineering before joining the Hersam Group in 2018. She currently investigates the growth, fabrication, and simulation of 2D materials for neuromorphic computing. She is also a classically trained musician of 15+ years, inhaler of insanely spicy food, competitive sportswoman, steadfast ENTJ Machiavellian humanitarian, practicing polyglot, and a lifelong advocate for youth mentorship and STEM outreach.

he/him/his

E-mail: hongpark2023@u.northwestern.edu

Mike is originally from South Korea, and his family still lives there. Prior to coming to Northwestern, he lived in Toronto for 9 years, during which he met his wife and received his undergraduate degrees in math and physics and his Master’s in physics from the University of Toronto. He also did mandatory service in the Korean army for two years. Since 2018, he has been pursuing a materials science and engineering Ph.D. in the Hersam Group, focusing on UHV-STM studies of 2D materials and heterostructures. In his free time, he likes watching Black Mirror, Arrested Development, or other random shows/movies on Netflix. He also likes occasionally going out for a run.

he/him/his

E-mail: mingtey2027@u.northwestern.edu

Nicholas grew up in Singapore and received his undergraduate degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Imperial College London. He joined the Hersam group in 2022 and his work focuses on 2D magnetic and multiferroic materials. His hobbies include playing and developing computer games, learning new languages and watching Korean shows. Having been raised in a country well known for its food, he also enjoys performing cooking experiments and finding new places to eat.

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E-mail: zhanpengwang2028@u.northwestern.edu

Zhanpeng was born and raised in Nanchang, a southern inland city in China. Before coming to Northwestern and joining the Hersam group for his Ph.D. in materials science and engineering in 2022, he graduated from Shenzhen University with a bachelor’s degree in physics, along with a minor in chemistry, as well as a master’s degree in materials science and engineering. Currently, his research interests are basically focused on neuromorphic computing 2D materials and synaptic devices. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling, cooking, playing table tennis and watching films.

he/him/his

Email: anuragchapagain2026@u.northwestern.edu

Anurag (Anu) is a first-year undergraduate pursuing majors in Physics, Materials Science and Engineering, and Integrated Science Program. Born in southern rural Nepal, his passion for science was ignited at the age of 12 after reading short biographies of great physicists from an old book he got for free from a closing book store. This early exposure developed into an unwavering interest in applied physics and research, culminating in an unexpected turn of events, with him landing in the US on a full-aid scholarship to pursue the same. Having previously researched quantum stability problems, and space radiation shielding, he currently works on hot carrier optoelectronics made using 2d materials like graphene in the Hersam group. His other interests involve high temperature superconductors, energy-efficient chips, and batteries. Anurag’s dream job, however, is to work towards high Q-factor nuclear fusion, a pursuit combining his passion for applied physics and the quest for sustainable energy solutions. Beyond his academic pursuits, Anurag finds joy in biking, watching movies, and reading history books during his leisure time. However, it is his passion for teaching that never fails to make him happy. Recognized as 20Under20 in Nepal for his online and in-school teaching efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, he was also honored with a letter of appreciation from the Prime Minister for the same. Anurag continues to maintain connections with his students and help them. Wherever he goes, he loves discussing about physics, materials science, and the future.

he/him/his

Email: benjaminluijten2024@u.northwestern.edu

Ben is an undergraduate student in materials science and engineering. He began with summer research in the Hersam group in 2019 and 2020, working first with Dr. Linda Guiney on 3D printed artificial bone scaffolds and then with Dr. Ana Moraes on antimicrobial elastomeric composites. Currently, he mentees under Lidia Kuo, researching UV resistant graphene-polyurethane. Ben grew up in Champaign, IL. He has practiced Tae Kwon Do for 10 years and has been an instructor for the last few years. Ben loves going outside, biking, reading, and bouldering with friends.

she/her/hers

Email: JuliaWiater2026@u.northwestern.edu

Julia Wiater is from Raleigh, North Carolina. She is currently an undergraduate student studying Materials Science and Engineering. Her current research focuses on studying efficient 2D material exfoliation and potential 2D material applications with materials like graphene. Beyond academics, Julia is an involved leader of Materials Science Club. In her free time, she also enjoys hanging out with friends and family, cooking, and spending time with dogs on lakefill.

he/him/his

Email: joshuapark2024@u.northwestern.edu

Joshua was born in Maryland and grew up in Seoul, South Korea. He is currently an undergraduate student at Northwestern studying materials science and engineering. His current research focuses on developing solution-processed 2D materials for gas sensing applications. Outside of academics, he is actively involved in Northwestern’s Formula Racing club, the Aero Design club, and the MatSci club. He also enjoys playing tennis, reading, and spending time with friends and family.

he/him/his

Email: jaemin@u.northwestern.edu

Jaemin was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea. He lived in Sydney, Australia for three years from elementary to middle school, where he learned English. He moved back to Seoul afterwards until he enrolled at Northwestern University as an undergraduate student. After his freshmen year, Jaemin enlisted in the Republic of Korea Army for 18 months. During his spare time, Jaemin likes to watch sports such as basketball and volleyball, and work out at the school gym. Having played percussion and drums for 10 years, he has a wide music spectrum and likes to create playlists and share them with his friends.

she/her/hers

Email: lindali2025@u.northwestern.edulindali2025@u.northwestern.edu

Linda was born in Berlin, Germany, and raised in the Chicago suburbs. She is an undergraduate student double majoring in Materials Science & Engineering and the Integrated Science Program. Her current research focuses on fabricating flexible, 2D electronic devices. Additionally, Linda is on the executive board of the Materials Science Club. She is also fascinated by space. Linda serves on the board of directors for the NU Space Technology & Rocketry Society and helped launch a competition team to research aerospace alloys for the CASMART consortium. Outside of academics, Linda loves the performing arts. She has been a figure skater since age 7, saxophone player since age 9, and has been involved with the dance scene on campus through Refresh Dance Crew and Steam Heat Dance Company.