“From a pound of iron, that costs little, a thousand watch-springs can be made, whose value becomes prodigious. The pound you have received from the Lord,–use it faithfully.”
― Robert Schumann
We offer an interdisciplinary training environment for the next generation of scientists and engineers, focusing on materials design, assembly, manipulation, robotization, and manufacturing. Our work spans applications in robotics, biomedicine, environmental remediation, and self-powered devices. We cultivate a friendly, supportive atmosphere that helps each student and postdoctoral fellow achieve their full potential and advance in their careers.
Principal Investigator
Dr. D. Emma Fan is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, a Professor in the Department of Electric and Computer Engineering, and a faculty member of the Materials Science and Engineering Program of the Texas Materials Institute at The University of Texas at Austin. Among her various honors, Dr. Fan is a Fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) (2024), a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (2021), and an invited Official Nominator of the Japan Prize since 2017. She is also the 2022 Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering Ilene Busch-Vishniac Lecturer; the lectureship “features outstanding women in engineering and highlights the intellectual contributions of the lecturers while serving to inspire young women to pursue degrees and careers in engineering”.
She received two prestigious awards from the National Science Foundation, the Mid-CAREER Award in 2022 and CAREER Award in 2012; she is also a Recognized Mentor by the Siemens Foundation. Her work on the bottom-up assembly of inorganic nanomotors was selected as the #3 of “10 discoveries that will shape the future in 2014” by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Focus magazine and was included in Science Year by Year, DK Smithsonian, 2017.
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Postdoctoral Fellows and Graduate Students
Kyoungtae Park, Ph.D. student, 2025 summer, incoming
B.S. Inha University, Korea
Khoi Le, Ph.D. student, 2025 spring, incoming
B.S. Griffith University, Australia
Jiazheng Bao, Ph.D. student, 2021- present
M.S. University of Science and Technology, China
Bin Lian, Ph.D. student, 2021- present
B.S. University of Science and Technology, China
Mohammad Alsoraya, Ph.D. student, 2018- present
M.S. University of California, San Diego, US
B.S. Purdue University, US
Huaizhi Li, Ph.D. student, 2018- present
Harry and Rubye Gaston Graduate Scholarship, The University of Texas at Austin, 2022 and 2023
Professional Development Award, UT-Austin, 2022
B.S. University of Science and Technology, China
Yifei Liu, Ph.D. student, 2018- present
Professional Development Award, UT-Austin, 2020
Harris L. Marcus Graduate Fellowship in Materials Science & Engineering, UT-Austin 2019, outstanding teaching Assistant, MSE program
B.S. University of Science and Technology, China
Hyungmok Joh, Ph.D. student, 2018- present
Engineering Foundation Endowed Graduate Presidential Scholarship, Graduate School, The University of Texas at Austin, 2023
Cullen M. Crain Endowed Scholarship in Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 2022
Harris L. Marcus Graduate Fellowship in Materials Science & Engineering, UT-Austin, 2021
Outstanding teaching Assistant, MSE program, UT-Austin, 2020
M.S. and B.S. Korea University, Korea
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Visiting Research Scientists and Scholars
Dr. Huifeng Li (September 2024- present)
Research Scientist, Materials Nova
Dr. Lianxiang Du (October 2024- present)
Engineer, Texas Department of Transportation
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Undergraduate Research Assistants
Niam Zaidi, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2022- Fall 2024, First place in FIRE program poster presentation competition
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Kelly Shih, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2022- Fall 2024, First place in FIRE program poster presentation competition
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Parthiv Shah, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2023- Fall 2024, First place in FIRE program poster presentation competition
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Nolan Cummins, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2021- present, First place in FIRE program poster presentation competition, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Annie Wang, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Spring 2024, Fall 2024
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Terry Tian, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Spring 2024, Fall 2024
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
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Ph.D. and M.S. Alumni
Xiaobin Xu, Ph.D. in 2014
Current position: Professor, Department of Materials Sciences, Tongji University
Materials Research Society Graduate Student Award, 2014
2013 Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Students Abroad, 2014
Best Presentation Award, Nano Portfolio Program, 2014
Best Poster Award, Texas Materials Institute, 2014
Nano Portfolio Program Travel Award, 2014
Best Poster Award, Texas Materials Institute, 2013
Graduate Student Professional Development Award, 2013
B.S. Zhejiang University, China
M.S. Zhejiang University, China
Kwanoh Kim, Ph.D. in 2015 and Postdoctoral fellow 2015- 2016
Current position: Senior Researcher at Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials
Research Poster Contest Award, UT-Austin, 2016
AFOSR Materials Research Society Meeting Travel Award, 2014
Graduate Student Professional Development Award, UT-Austin, 2014
Nano Portfolio Program Travel Award, UT-Austin, 2014
Research Poster Contest Award, Second Place, the Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin, 2014
Nano Portfolio Program Travel Award, UT-Austin, 2013
Graduate Student Professional Development Award, UT-Austin, 2013
Chair’s Honorable Mention Award, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin, 2013
National Science Foundation Travel Award (selection rate 12%), 2012
B.S. Yonsei University, Korea
M.S. Yonsei University, Korea
Chao Liu, Ph.D. in 2016
Current position: Senior Engineer at Global Foundries
Continuing Burton Fellowship, Graduate school, UT-Austin, 2015
Best Poster Award, Materials Science and Engineering Program, UT-Austin, 2015
Graduate Student Professional Development Award, UT-Austin, 2013
M.S. Zhejiang University, China
Dr. Wesker Lei, Ph.D. in 2015, Postdoctoral fellow 2015
Current position: Integration Engineer at Novati Technologies
B.S. The University of California at Berkeley, US
Ph.D. The University of Texas at Austin, US
Zheng Wang, Ph.D. in 2017
Current position: Postdoctoral fellow at IMEC
B.S. Tsinghua University, China
co-advised with Prof. Ray Chen
Jianhe Guo, Ph.D. in 2018, Postdoctoral Fellowship 2018- 2019
Current position: Associate Professor, Medical School, Sun Yat-sen University
Materials Research Society Graduate Student Award, 2018
ASME Finalist of Best Graduate Student Presentation Award, 2018
ASME National Science Foundation Student Travel Award, 2018
Best Symposium Poster Award, Materials Research Society, 2017
Research Poster Contest Award, UT-Austin, 2017
Research Poster Contest Award, UT-Austin, 2016
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) International Student Research Fellowship, 2015
Materials Research Society Graduate Student Chapter Travel Award, 2014
Harris L. Marcus Graduate Fellowship in Materials Science & Engineering, UT-Austin, 2014
Graduate Student Professional Development Award, UT-Austin, 2014
B.S. University of Science and Technology, China
Weigu Li, Ph.D. in 2019
Current position: Processing Engineer, Applied Materials
University Graduate Continuing Fellowship, UT-Austin, 2018-2019
Graduate Student Professional Development Award, UT-Austin, 2018
Warren A. and Alice L. Meyer Endowed Scholarship in Engineering, UT-Austin, 2017
Research Poster Contest Award, UT-Austin, 2017
Graduate Student Professional Development Award, UT-Austin, 2017
B.S. University of Science and Technology, China
Zexi Liang, Ph.D. in 2021
Current position: Postdoctoral Fellow at Cornell University
Cockrell School of Engineering Continuing Graduate Fellowship, Cockrell School of Engineering, UT-Austin, 2019
George J. Heuer, Jr. Ph.D. Endowed Graduate Fellowship Fund, Cockrell School of Engineering, UT-Austin, 2018
Professional Development Award, UT-Austin, 2018
Harris L. Marcus Graduate Fellowship in Materials Science & Engineering, UT-Austin 2018, outstanding teaching Assistant, MSE program
B.S. Peking University, China
Yun Huang, Ph.D. in 2021
Professional Development Award, UT-Austin, 2019
Harris L. Marcus Graduate Fellowship in Materials Science & Engineering, UT-Austin 2017, outstanding teaching Assistant, MSE program
M. S. Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Jiawei He, M.S. in 2017
Current position: Engineer at IBM
B.S. University of Science and Technology in China
Ki-pyo Hong, M.S. in 2018
Current position: Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineer at Nanomaster Inc.
B.S. Yonsei University, Korea
Kwangwon Seong, M.S. in 2020
The University of Texas at Austin
Seungho Lee, Ph.D. student, 2023
M.S. Korea University, Korea
Jing Ning, visiting Ph.D. student, 2012- 2014
Guilan Feng, 2015- 2016
visiting Professor
co-advised with Prof. Ray Chen
Hangzhou, China
Tao Liu, visiting Professor, 2015
co-advising with Prof. Ray Chen
Hangzhou, China
Aochen Wang, visiting Ph.D. student, 2019
Tianjin University, China
Jing Liu, visiting Ph.D. student 2017- 2019
National Academy of Sciences, China
Xianfu Luo, visiting Ph.D. student, 2018- 2020
Chongqing University, China
Mingyu Zhao, visiting student, 2018- 2021
Donghua University, China
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Undergraduate Alumni
Alice Biray, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2011
Program of Woman in Engineering, UT-Austin, 2011
Janhavi Das, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2011
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Wendel Willis, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2011
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Omar Fabian, Graduate Intern, 2011
Program of Materials Science and Engineering, UT-Austin
Ian George, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2012
Department of Physics, UT-Austin
Keshav Poddar Undergraduate Research Assistant, Plan II Honor Program, 2012. Current position: graduate student of The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX
Chockalingam Viswanathan, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2010- 2012
Department of Electric Engineering, UT-Austin
Christian Reding, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2012- 2013
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Bryan Boyd, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2012- 2013
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Xiaoyi Lu, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2013
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Andres Sada, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2013
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Andrew Duggan, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2012- 2013
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Virgilio Martinez, 2012-2014
Undergraduate Research Fellowship from the Office of the Vice President for Research
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Andrew Chan, ME 377K Projects in Mechanical Engr, Co-author of a journal paper in Chemistry of Materials, ME, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Faivre Adrien, Undergraduate Summer Research Assistant from France, 2013
Adam Jovan Vanderpool, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2013- 2014
Department of Physics, UT-Austin
Cheng Zhao, Undergraduate Summer Intern, 2014
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rochester University
Ari J. Garcia, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2014
Physics and Aerospace Engineering, UT-Austin
Mingliang Liu, Undergraduate Summer Research Assistant, 2015, Co-authored a journal article in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
Zhejiang University, China
Terry Huang, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2015 June
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Ashley Tom, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2015- 2017, Co-authored a journal article in ACS Nano
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Jeremie J. Gallegos, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2015-2017, FIRE Program, Co-authored a journal article in ACS Nano
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Tristen Head, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2014- 2016
Department of Physics, UT-Austin
Jennifer Zvonek, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2015, FIRE Program
Undergraduate Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Matthew T Vu, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2015-2016, FIRE Program
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Keith Chan, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2015-2016
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Olivia Conroy, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2015, FIRE Program
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Robert Stephany, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2015
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Jingwei Yu, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2015
University of Science and Technology of China
Yuchuang Yao, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2016
University of Science and Technology of China
Ruhui Chen, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2016
University of Science and Technology of China
Chengfei Yu, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2016
University of Science and Technology of China
Zhengtianye Wang, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2016
University of Science and Technology of China
Chang Liu, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2016
Nanjing University, China
Daniel Teal, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2017- 2019, second author of a journal article in Nature Communications and Nature Nanotechnology
Current position: Ph.D. candidate, University of California at Berkeley
Undergraduate Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Jacob A Hethcock, 2016- 2018, FIRE program, co-authored journal papers in Advanced Functional Materials (x2)
Undergraduate Research Fellowship, Vice President Office for Research at UT-Austin
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Rohit Swaminathan, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE program, Fall 2016
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Vikram Ramanathan, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE program, Fall 2016
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Hansen Qin, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE program, Fall 2016- 2017
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Catherine Xu, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE program, Fall 2016- 2017
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Victoria Do, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE program, Fall 2016- 2017
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Zahin Nambiar, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE program, Fall 2016- 2017
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Zheng Li, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2016
University of Science and Technology of China
Shengnan Liao, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2016
Nanjing University, China
Karina Bertelsmann, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2017, Co-authored a journal article in Advanced Materials
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Max Lau, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2017, co-authored a journal article in Advanced Energy Materials
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Justin Lin, Undergraduate Student in ME 377K Project, 2017- 2018
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Haewon Kim, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2018 summer- Fall
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Sharon Samuel, Undergraduate Student in ME 377K Project, 2016
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Marshall Tekell, Undergraduate Research Assistant 2016- 2019, Co-authored journal papers in Nano Today, Advanced Functional Materials (x2), and Advanced Energy Materials
Current position: Ph.D. candidate, Columbia University
Undergraduate Research Fellowship, Vice President Office for Research at UT-Austin
Honor Undergraduate Thesis, 2018- 2019
Department of Chemical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Upayan Mathkari, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE Program, 2017
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
John E. Clay, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE Program, 2017
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Brunon Walczak, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE Program, 2017
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
William Deas, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE Program, 2018, first place in the poster presentation competition
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Hanson Huang, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE Program, 2018, first place in the poster presentation competition
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Kyser Lim, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE Program, 2018, first place in the poster presentation competition
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Sonia Lopez, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE Program, 2018, first place in the poster presentation competition
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Shuheng Ma, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2018- 2019
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
YeongBeom Heo, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2018
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Yuhang Ma, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2018, co-authored a publication in Advanced Materials Interface
Tianjin University
Ziyang Shen, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2018
University of Science and Technology in China
Joseph Caulkins, Undergraduate Summer Intern, 2019
Zhifeng Wu, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2019
University of Science and Technology in China
Samir Hassam, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2018-2019
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Sachin Kasetti, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2018-2019
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Ben Chen, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2019
Electric and Computer Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Junnan Yu, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2019
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Zhifeng Wu, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2019
University of Science and Technology
Elora Ghosh, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2019, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Aly Hirani, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2019, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Kate Pinkerton, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2019, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Shree Trivedi, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2019, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
John G. Gizdich, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2019- 2021
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
David Huo, NSF REU, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2021; Co-authored a journal paper in Nature Nanotechnology
Department of Biomedical Engineering, UT-Austin
Jonathan Tao, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2021
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Marisa Gulati, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Spring 2021
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Michael DeMoor, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Spring 2021
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Prithika Sen, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Spring 2021
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Jason Juliette, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2019- 2121
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Alison Jin, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2019- 2021
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Ryan J Benavides, Undergraduate Research Assistant, March 2021- May 2021, Current: Graduate student at California Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Amelie Nguyen, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2021, first place in FIRE program poster presentation competition, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Matthew Zhang, NSF-REU-supported Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2019- 2022
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Shaw-Long Hsueh, NSF-REU-supported Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2019- 2023
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Jack Qiao, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Spring and Summer 2021, then NSF-REU-supported in Fall 2021- Spring 2022
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Conny Cai, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2021- Spring 2022
First place in FIRE program poster presentation competition
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Tyler Yan, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2022- Fall 2023
First place in FIRE program poster presentation competition
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Liam Martin Ignacio, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2022- Fall 2023
First place in FIRE program poster presentation competition, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Aiden Benson, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2022- Fall 2023
First place in FIRE program poster presentation competition
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Luke Abrahams, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2021- Summer 2022
First place in FIRE program poster presentation competition
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Justin Wei, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2023
First place in FIRE program poster presentation competition
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Carter Peeler, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2023
First place in FIRE program poster presentation competition
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Ana Millan, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2023
First place in FIRE program poster presentation competition
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
Vikash Vijayakumar, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2023
First place in FIRE program poster presentation competition
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
