Dr. Abhijit Biswas joined Ajayan’s group in January 2021, as a research scientist in the Rice University National Security Research Accelerator (RUNSRA) that is supported by Department of Defense: Army Research Laboratory (Diamond Lab). Before joining, he was a research associate at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune, in India. His research goal is to design and synthesize highest quality epitaxial heterostructures and superlattices, to play with their internal degrees of freedom to exploit the structure–property relationships, in order to find the next-generation multi-functional materials in view of technological applications and of fundamental materials science interest.

Dr. Anand B. Puthirath studied Physics at Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), India. After research experiences at VSSC Trivandrum and RRI, Bengaluru, he obtained Ph.D. in Materials Science from CUSAT and pursued his academic career as a postdoctoral fellow at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Hyderabad. In 2018, he was awarded the esteemed Indo-US Postdoctoral fellowship instituted by the Indo-US Science and Technology Forum to Join Prof. Ajayan’s research group at RICE University. Recently, he is also awarded the prestigious Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship, founded by the European Union. As a Research Scientist, he is continuing the academic research program, and his research focuses on Diamond Electronics and Metrology and Magnetism, Piezoelectricity, and Dielectrics in bulk and low-dimensional materials, Micromechanical Properties of Materials, and Materials for Energy and the Environment. He is also passionate about performing Focused ion beam milling and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), and Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS).

Dr. Soumyabrata Roy joined the Ajayan group at Rice in June 2019. He received his Ph.D. degree in Chemical Science from JNCASR, India, where he studied structure-activity relationships in engineered transition metal based inorganic interfaces for clean energy technologies. He pursued his Master’s studies from Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, after completing his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Presidency College, Calcutta, India. Roy’s broader research perspective lies in finding integrative scientific and technological solutions to the pressing global challenges at the intersection of energy, environment, and mobility. The scope of his research involves a conglomeration of materials design at the molecular level, structure-property-activity rationalization, chemical catalysis, and advanced device engineering. His current research projects are focused on direct air capture of CO2 and its subsequent electroreduction, integration of photovoltaic and electrochemical energy conversion platforms, and sea water splitting.

Dr. Xiang Zhang joined Ajayan’s group as a Ph.D. student in the Applied Physics Program at Rice University and then as a postdoc and a research scientist in Materials Science and NanoEngineering. He received his B.S. degree in Applied Physics from University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), where he started to grow graphene by using CVD method. His research interests include synthesis, characterization, and applications of various 2D materials such as graphene, h-BN, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), and their heterostructures. Currently He is also working on diamond growth.

Dr. Sohini Bhattacharyya is a Rice Academy Postdoctoral Fellow who joined the group in 2020. She obtained her bachelors’ degree in Chemistry from Presidency College, Kolkata in 2012. Following this, she completed her MS and PhD in Materials Science from Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bangalore, India on the application of Metal-organic Frameworks in energy and environment. Her current research is focused on developing cost and energy efficient yet environmentally benign pathways and materials for strategic mineral circularity by recycling Lithium-ion batteries..

Dr. Shreyasi Chattopadhyay joined Prof. Ajayan’s Research Group in 2023. Her research involves development of energy materials and their application towards energy storage and conversation. Before joining here, she was a research fellow with Prof. John T S Irvine at University of St Andrews, UK and was working on exsolution chemistry to develop emergent nanomaterials as photo and electrocatalyst for green hydrogen production. Shreyasi completed her B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Chemistry from Jadavpur University, India. She pursued her PhD research in CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute, Kolkata, focusing on development of new hierarchical nanostructured TiO2 materials for photocatalysis and DSSCs applications.

Dr. Atin is from Kolkata, India and obtained his BSc (2010) from Jadavpur University (India) and MSc (2012) from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (India) in Chemistry. During his doctoral studies with Dr Sourindra Mahanty, he studied the development of hierarchical nanostructured materials for lithium-ion battery and supercapacitor applications at CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute, India. He joined the Prof. Lightfoot and Armstrong groups at the University of St Andrews (Scotland, United Kingdom) as a research fellow (September 2018 to March 2022), working on polyanionic cathode materials for lithium-ion and sodium-ion battery applications. He joined Prof. Ajayan’s group at Rice University as a postdoctoral associate in April 2022, working on energy storage materials.

Xinting Shuai received his B.S. degree in Material Science and Engineering from the Jiangsu University of Science and Technology (JUST) of China in 2015. He got his master degree from the Materials Science and NanoEngineering (MSNE) department at Rice University in 2018. He achieved Ph.D. degree in August 2023 at Rice University co-advised by Dr. Ajayan and Dr. Mohite. Then he stayed in Dr. Ajayan group as a Postdoctoral Associate and working on novel 2D TMDs and perovskites materials synthesize and electronics/photovoltaics device fabrication. His motto is: “Build better materials and change the world..

Sathvik joined the Ajayan Research Group as a Ph.D. student in Fall 2020. He has an undergraduate background in materials science engineering and nanotechnology. His research interests are in the field of 2D-materials— exploring the physics and chemistry of their atom-thick arrangements and applying them in devices, sensors, and catalysis is what excites him most. He spent his undergrad studying and researching a mix of applied nanomaterials in sensors at the Pradeep Research Group at IIT Madras, India. During 2018-19, he did a part of his undergraduate study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and worked on 2D-materials for nanofiltration membranes in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Sathvik spends his free time playing Carnatic Indian music on the violin, learning Japanese, and obsessing over cats!

Hatham joined professor Ajayan’s group in fall of 2023. He received his B.S in Mechanical Engineering from Texas Tech University in 2015. Before joining the group, he worked as a polymer and composite application’s engineer at Saudi Aramco. Currently, Hatham is interested in the use of carbon and polymeric materials in applications across various industries.

Maria Astrid Campos Mata is originally from Monterrey, Mexico. She received her bachelor's degree in Industrial Chemistry from Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL) in 2020. Astrid joined Dr. Ajayan's group for pursuing her Ph.D. in fall 2020 in the Materials Science and Nanoengineering department. Her previous research was focused on the synthesis of nanomaterials for energy conversion devices and its engineering. Her research interests are in energy storage and conversion devices for a sustainable future.

Xi Chen joined Prof. Ajayan's group in Spring of 2022. She received her B.S. in Physics in Nanjing University in China. Xi has experience with electrochemical deposition and lithography. Before joining the group, Xi also worked as a research assistant in Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Nanjing University. Her current research interests include growing graphene on the surface of Cu by CVD and the applications of 2D thin films in sensors.

Jeremy Daum received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati with minors in Chemistry and German. Before joining Ajayan Research Group, he interned at Formica, Clopay Plastics, and B. Braun researching and developing embedded systems in table laminates, elastic films, and emulsion therapies at each respective company. Additionally, his previous research at the University of Cincinnati involved the applications of CVD grown nanomaterials in energy storage devices, such as Lithium-Ion and Lithium-Sulfur batteries. He plans to continue in that field of research in the Ajayan Research Group.

Jacob is from Corsicana, Texas. He received both a B. S. in Physics and a M. S. in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington. During this time his research focused on the development of nanostructured magnetic materials. He joined the Ajayan group in the Fall of 2021 and has since then expanded his research into the development of nanostructured electronic materials and devices.

Tia Gray first joined the Ajayan Research Group as an undergraduate student in Fall 2019 and continued as a PhD student in Fall 2021. She graduated from Rice University with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering (2021). She is interested in materials growth, processing, and characterization for diamond-based electronics applications.

Jiawei received her bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Hangzhou Dianzi University, Zhejiang China (2014), and her professional master’s degree in Materials Science and NanoEngineering from Rice University (2017). She became a Ph.D. candidate in Dr. Ajayan’s group in fall of 2017, with research focused on the fabrication of field-effect transistors (FETs). She is currently investigating the development of bio-sensors and bio-mimetic sensors from 2D materials.

Alianna Maguire joined the Ajayan Research group in the Fall of 2020. She received her Bachelor’s in Material Science and Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. During her undergraduate studies, Alianna researched the effect of nanofiber diameter on the growth and proliferation of neurons and astrocytes and worked to improve the thermal capacity of Nafion-based proton exchange membrane fuel cell materials by incorporating inorganic nanoparticles. She went on to work in research and development at Norsk Titanium, a titanium 3D printing company for aerospace applications. Her current research interests are in additive manufacturing of novel nanocomposites and biocompatible materials.

Nitisha Mehrotra received her Master's degree in Nanoscience and Technology, with a specialization in material synthesis, from Mount Carmel College in India. After completing her studies, she worked as a project scientist at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, where she was involved in the development of biomaterials for water remediation and edible food coating materials. In the fall of 2022, she joined Dr. Ajayan’s Group as a PhD candidate. Her current research is focused on developing multifunctional biomaterials for surgical applications, in collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine.

Tymofii Pieshkov got his B.S in Applied Physics and Nanotechnology from Lviv Polytechnic National University in Ukraine in 2020 after which, he became a graduate student in Applied Physics Program in Rice University. For the first two years in Rice, he was working towards his Master’s degree with Dr. Han as a scientific advisor. His research was focused on 2D nanomaterials, their interfacial structures, and data processing techniques to improve the STEM-EDX signal. After the defense, he joined Dr. Ajayan research lab to continue his work towards PhD and is currently working on projects related to growth and doping of diamond changing it from insulator to semiconductor.

Neethu joined Dr. Ajayan's Research Group as a PhD student in Fall 2020. She graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering, Class of 2020. Her past research involved the development of food coatings and the valorization of food waste as biosorbents. She is interested to further explore the intersection between materials science and food science/technology. Currently, her research focuses on biomaterials for sustainable food coatings as well as 3D printing of food.

M.A.S.R. Saadi completed his BS in Materials and Metallurgical Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), during which he studied the effect of multi-scale reinforcement particle size on mechanical and thermal properties of polymer composites. During his MS in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the George Washington University (GWU), his work focused on nanomechanics and electronic structure of organic photovoltaics and 2D materials. He is currently pursuing a PhD degree in Materials Science and NanoEngineering at Rice University, where he is working on the development of sustainable bionanocomposites for multifunctional application with particular focus on energy, water and food nexus. His developed bionanocomposites typically comprise of hierarchically assembled high performance 1D and 2D nanostructures in carbohydrate and protein-based matrices. Hobby/Other interests: Singing different forms of Metal, Rock and Bengali Folk music, Table-tennis, Soccer, FIFA, Travelling.

Sreehari received his BS-MS for the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram, India. He joined the Materials Science and NanoEngineering (MSNE) department at Rice University in the Fall of 2018. His current research interests are Na metal batteries and thermochromic polymers.

Shajedul started his Ph.D. in Materials Science and NanoEngineering at Rice University in Fall 2021. He is working in the Ajayan 3D Printing group. Shajedul received his B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh in 2021, where he worked on deep learning, molecular dynamics, functionally graded nanomaterials, and nanoscale thermal transport. His current research interests are topology optimization, bio-inspired design, machine learning, data science in mechanics, and molecular dynamics.

Chongning Wu, (Jen or Jenny short for Jennifer) joined Professor Ajayan's group in August 2023. She graduated from Nanjing Tech University with a bachelor's degree in Polymer Materials Science and Engineering. She has work experience in industries related to automotive, battery separators, agriculture, composites, etc. She is pursuing research on energy storage, recycling, nano-technology applied in coating and polymers, and other projects to protect the environment and humans.

Mingrui Xu joined Prof. Ajayan's research group in the spring of 2022. He received his undergraduate degree in Polymer Materials and Engineering from Qingdao University of Science and Technology in the fall of 2020. Before joining the group, his main research direction was polymer materials and rubber blending. His current research interests are 3D printing, mechanical properties of material and molecular dynamics.

Gautam Chandrasekhar joined Ajayan’s group in Spring 2024 as a Ph.D. student in the Materials Science and Nanoengineering Department. He received his M.S. degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Tuskegee University, Alabama, and his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Kerala Technological University, India. At Tuskegee University, his research mainly focused on upcycling waste materials such as plastics and biomass, surface treatment of materials with low-temperature plasma, and synthesizing polymer-based composite materials. His current research interests are carbon-based 2D materials, nanocomposites, and the recycling of battery materials.

Jishnu Murukeshan joined as a PhD student in Prof. Ajayan’s research group in Fall 2023, after completing his bachelor’s in Materials Science and Engineering at the National University of Singapore. His broad interests lie in two-dimensional materials research and the role of AI in materials science. Jishnu actively plays soccer and badminton, and also frequents the gym and goes on runs in his free time.

Ahitagni is an undergraduate student in the class of 2027 at Will Rice College. His research background is in nanofluidics, and energy research and he is interested in the application of nanotechnology in neurotech, energy, and semiconductor physics. He joined the Ajayan Group in the fall of 2023, and is currently researching the fabrication of sodium and lithium ion batteries using industrial waste derived carbon.

Jessica Shi is an undergraduate student in the class of 2027 at Will Rice College. She plans on graduating with a B.S. in Materials Science and NanoEngineering while exploring her interest in the French and EEPS deparment. She is currently working for the Lithium Battery Recycling project.

Jacob Lowenstein is an undergraduate student in the class of 2025 at Jones College as well as being a Midshipman in Rice NROTC. He plans to graduate with a B.S. in Materials Science and NanoEngineering and commission to become a US Naval Officer. Jacob joined Dr. Ajayan’s group in Spring 2022 studying a family of two-dimensional materials called MXenes. Jacob hopes to gain valuable skills and knowledge that he might be able to apply to future projects or jobs.

Riaz Mowzoon-Mogharrabi is an undergraduate student in the class of 2024 at Duncan College. He plans on graduating with a B.S. in Bioengineering, while focusing his research specifically on nanotechnology and aims to bridge the two fields throughout his education. Such work, he plans, will continue into graduate studies and even beyond. He joined Ajayan Group in the Fall of 2020, participating in a number of projects with potential applications in the medical field.

Valentina Osorio is an undergraduate student at Hanszen College who plans to graduate in 2024 with a B.S. in both Chemistry and Earth, Environment, and Planetary Sciences. In Spring of 2021, she joined Ajayan Group, synthesizing direct air capture materials from carbon waste. She hopes to continue to use chemistry on earth, environment, and planetary applications as a graduate student.

Aasha Zinke is an undergraduate student in the class of 2024 at Jones College. She plans to graduate with a B.S. in Materials Science and NanoEngineering and pursue graduate studies in Material Science. Aasha joined Dr. Ajayan’s group in Fall 2020 studying the applications of biomaterials for combating food insecurity and promoting sustainability.

Dr. Nithya Chakingal obtained her Ph.D. under the supervision of Prof. S. Prathapan from Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, India, in 2017, where her research was mainly focused on the synthesis of thiophene based organic polymers and oligomers for application in non-linear optics and Organic Light-emitting diodes. She received the prestigious INSPIRE fellowship from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, to pursue her Ph.D. Dr. Nithya completed her undergraduate and Master’s with the first rank from Calicut University (N.S.S. College, Ottappalam) and Mahatma Gandhi University (St. Berchman’s College, Changanassery)), Kerala, India in respectively. She joined Prof. Ajayan’s research group as an academic visitor in 2020. Her research interests are focused on the synthesis of thiophene based thermochromic polymers and organic small molecules for optoelectronic applications.

Dr. Ben Jawdat received his PhD in physics from the University of Houston, where he studied novel Pt-based superconducting materials. After receiving his PhD, he joined the Air Force Research Laboratory as an NRC Postdoctoral Fellow, where he worked on the development of long-distance power-beaming using millimeter-wave technology with focus on new and robust materials with high millimeter-wave absorption for effective power transmission. Dr. Jawdat joined Prof. Ajayan’s research group as a Research Scientist in June 2018, where he is focusing on the development of nano-composite millimeter-wave absorbers for this research project.

Mr. Gagan Kumar Sharma is currently working as a Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellow under the supervision of Professor Pulickel Ajayan, Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering, Rice University. He joined Ajayan’s group in August 2023 as a visiting Ph.D. 5 th -year student. Mr. Sharma is currently enrolled as a Ph.D. candidate with Professor Davinder Kaur under the DST- INSPIRE Fellowship program at the Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, India. He is researching 2D nanomaterial-based composite thin films for flexible Supercapacitors (energy storage devices). Previously, he did a part of his PhD studies at the University of Surrey (England, United Kingdom) under the Commonwealth Split-site Scholarship program. Mr Sharma holds a bachelor’s degree (Honours) in Physics from Motilal Nehru College, University of Delhi. He was also a silver medalist during his Master’s in Physics from Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology Nagpur. As a Fulbright Scholar, Mr Sharma works on lead-free and environmentally friendly energy storage technology for the next generation. One of the primary goals of his research on green energy is to benefit every section of human civilization. He is further optimizing several nanohybrid materials for better capacitive properties, which will contribute to solving the world’s current energy crisis.