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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.

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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.

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E-mail: andrew.nam@northwestern.edu

Andrew is currently pursuing a PhD at Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea. Andrew enjoys taking walks on sunny days and socializing with people. Although he was born in the United States, he moved to Korea at a young age and has lived there ever since, so he is not good at English that much. 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Email: shreyash.hadke@northwestern.edu

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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.

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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: 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 playing basketball, 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.

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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.

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E-mail: maryamkhalaj2025@u.northwestern.edu

Maryam was inspired to pursue practical science by a combination of Issac Asimov’s popular science books, her parents and Chemistry Olympiads duing her school years. She graduated as the top student in her B. Sc. And M.Sc. degrees in Materials Science and Engineering in Iran. Her master’s thesis focused on electrochemical energy storage materials and devices, specifically on graphene-based electrodes for supercapacitor applications. She designed and synthesized two novel ternary nanocomposites as electroactive materials by simultaneous incorporation of metal oxide nanoparticles and conductive polymer nanoclusters between the stacks of graphene nanosheets. She also conducted extensive research on the potential application of hexagonal boron nitride for lithium-ion batteries, electrochemical (bio)sensors, and thermally conductive nanocomposites in the framework of review papers. She joined the Hersam group in 2021 and will focus on the wet jet milling exfoliation and printable energy storage devices. Outside of the lab, Maryam’s hobbies include cooking, weaving, knitting bracelets, working out, traveling and photographing, stargazing, watching mystery movies, and listening to a wide range of music. She was the president and vice president of two scientific societies during her previous degrees and hopes to continue participating in STEM outreach and societies during her PhD studies.

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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.

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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.

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E-mail: seongjinpark2028@u.northwestern.edu

Born and raised from South Korea. He lived in Seoul and went to school there before coming to Northwestern. He joined the Hersam group in 2023 as a materials science Ph.D student. Currently, his research interests are mixed conductors for electrochemical transistors including synthesis, fabrication, and characterization. Outside of the lab, Seongjin’ hobbies include Brazilian jiu-jitsu, playing soccer, climbing, and watching movies. He also enjoys traveling in his spare time.

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E-mail: thomas.song@northwestern.edu

Tommy spent most of his childhood in Champaign, IL, where his father was a professor at the university teaching geophysics. He also attended the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, graduating with a degree in materials science and engineering before coming to Northwestern in 2019 and working in the Hersam Group. His current research interests are on transition metal halides. In addition to his labwork, he is also a huge advocate for science outreach and volunteered for Engineering Outreach Society at his undergraduate institution and programs such as MORE and Junior Science Club at Northwestern that aim to promote early exposure of science. He also joined the Graduate Student Association executive board serving as the secretary. In his free time he enjoys traveling, watching sports, and finding hidden restaurant gems.

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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.

she/her/hers

E-mail: LindsayChaney2023@u.northwestern.edu

Lindsay was born and raised in the suburbs of Los Angeles, California before attending the University of California, Los Angeles for a B.S. in chemistry with a focus on materials science. After finishing her bachelor’s degree, she joined a UCLA spin-off company called SuperMetalix, where she worked on superhard metal composites for cutting tools for 2 years. She started her Ph.D. at Northwestern in 2018 and currently studies the large-scale production of graphene, 3D printed bone scaffolds, and h-BN ionogels for printed energy storage. Outside of lab, she enjoys backpacking, rock climbing, running, and volleyball. She also mentors Chicago high school students at Teen Coding Club at the Pederson-McCormick Boys & Girls Club and has loved participating in other Northwestern outreach programs like Career Day for Girls, Splash, and Letters to a Pre-Scientist.

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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.

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).

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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.

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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.

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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: 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.

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E-mail: mitchellwalker2025@u.northwestern.edu

After growing up in Canton, Ohio, Mitchell went to The Ohio State University in Columbus to major in physics and German. Now a materials science and engineering Ph.D. student at Northwestern, Mitchell joined the Hersam group in 2020 to study superconducting quantum materials. His hobbies include learning languages, cooking, reading (mostly but not exclusively nonfiction), and eating food, especially exotic food. Outside of lab, Mitchell is involved with his church and volunteers with NURPH as a program administrator.

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Email: zipengxu2024@u.northwestern.edu

Zipeng was born and raised in Shenzhen, China. At the age of 14, he moved to Temecula, CA. He went to University of California, San Diego, for his undergraduate studies in NanoEngineering and was one of two students to receive the Outstanding Senior Award upon graduation. During his time at UC San Diego, he worked with Dr. Sheng Xu on single crystal halide perovskite synthesis and perovskite based LED and solar cell. Currently, he is a master student in material science and engineering at Northwestern. He joined the Hersam group in 2024. His research focuses on 2D materials for neuromorphic computing devices. In his free time, Zipeng loves playing tennis and badminton, cooking, watching soccer, traveling, and walking around Michigan Lake.

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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.

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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.

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Email: benkim2026@northwestern.edu

Ben Kim is a third-year undergraduate student at Northwestern University, majoring in Materials Science & Engineering, Integrated Sciences, and Piano Performance. Originally from Seoul, South Korea, he graduated from Milton Academy in Massachusetts and the Juilliard School Pre-College Division in New York City. Initially wanting to become a musician, Ben was inspired by a YouTube video on funny mathematical proofs he watched in middle school and found his new passion for STEM. In his research experience throughout high school and Northwestern spanning computational and structural biology, chemistry, and engineering, he realised the interdisciplinary nature of quality STEM research. Ben hopes to use materials science to its fullest potential, from creating energy-efficient electronic materials to designing novel therapeutic methods for diseases. Outside of STEM, Ben is involved in a host of organisations at Northwestern, such as Crescendo for a Cause and Northwestern Capital Management, and is an avid musician. He frequently practises the piano, composes, and arranges music in his free time. A laureate of over 20 national and international piano competitions, he currently studies piano under Prof. Christopher Guzman at Northwestern. Otherwise, Ben can be seen playing or watching soccer (his favourite teams are FC Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur), golf, tennis, swimming, or chess.

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Email: thomaszeng2025@u.northwestern.edu

Thomas is on the executive board of the Northwestern University Nanotechnology Club (nanoNU), and is on the executive board of Shepard Residential College. Thomas grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan and outside of academics enjoys powerlifting, playing tennis, and playing the clarinet.