People “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. ————————————————————————————————- Postdoctoral Fellows and Graduate Students Kyoungtae Park, Ph.D. student, 2025 summer, incomingB.S. Inha University, Korea Khoi Le, Ph.D. student, 2025 spring, incomingB.S. Griffith University, Australia Jiazheng Bao, Ph.D. student, 2021- presentM.S. University of Science and Technology, China Bin Lian, Ph.D. student, 2021- presentB.S. University of Science and Technology, China Mohammad Alsoraya, Ph.D. student, 2018- presentM.S. University of California, San Diego, USB.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 2023Professional 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, 2020Harris L. Marcus Graduate Fellowship in Materials Science & Engineering, UT-Austin 2019, outstanding teaching Assistant, MSE programB.S. University of Science and Technology, China Hyungmok Joh, Ph.D. student, 2018- presentEngineering Foundation Endowed Graduate Presidential Scholarship, Graduate School, The University of Texas at Austin, 2023Cullen M. Crain Endowed Scholarship in Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 2022Harris L. Marcus Graduate Fellowship in Materials Science & Engineering, UT-Austin, 2021Outstanding teaching Assistant, MSE program, UT-Austin, 2020 M.S. and B.S. Korea University, Korea ————————————————————————————————- 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 ————————————————————————————————- 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-AustinTerry Tian, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Spring 2024, Fall 2024 Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin ————————————————————————————————- Ph.D. and M.S. Alumni Xiaobin Xu, Ph.D. in 2014Current position: Professor, Department of Materials Sciences, Tongji UniversityMaterials Research Society Graduate Student Award, 20142013 Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Students Abroad, 2014Best Presentation Award, Nano Portfolio Program, 2014Best Poster Award, Texas Materials Institute, 2014Nano Portfolio Program Travel Award, 2014Best Poster Award, Texas Materials Institute, 2013Graduate Student Professional Development Award, 2013B.S. Zhejiang University, ChinaM.S. Zhejiang University, China Kwanoh Kim, Ph.D. in 2015 and Postdoctoral fellow 2015- 2016Current position: Senior Researcher at Korea Institute of Machinery and MaterialsResearch Poster Contest Award, UT-Austin, 2016AFOSR Materials Research Society Meeting Travel Award, 2014Graduate Student Professional Development Award, UT-Austin, 2014Nano Portfolio Program Travel Award, UT-Austin, 2014Research Poster Contest Award, Second Place, the Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin, 2014Nano Portfolio Program Travel Award, UT-Austin, 2013Graduate Student Professional Development Award, UT-Austin, 2013Chair’s Honorable Mention Award, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin, 2013National Science Foundation Travel Award (selection rate 12%), 2012B.S. Yonsei University, KoreaM.S. Yonsei University, Korea Chao Liu, Ph.D. in 2016Current position: Senior Engineer at Global FoundriesContinuing Burton Fellowship, Graduate school, UT-Austin, 2015Best Poster Award, Materials Science and Engineering Program, UT-Austin, 2015Graduate Student Professional Development Award, UT-Austin, 2013M.S. Zhejiang University, China Dr. Wesker Lei, Ph.D. in 2015, Postdoctoral fellow 2015Current position: Integration Engineer at Novati TechnologiesB.S. The University of California at Berkeley, USPh.D. The University of Texas at Austin, US Zheng Wang, Ph.D. in 2017Current position: Postdoctoral fellow at IMECB.S. Tsinghua University, Chinaco-advised with Prof. Ray Chen Jianhe Guo, Ph.D. in 2018, Postdoctoral Fellowship 2018- 2019Current position: Associate Professor, Medical School, Sun Yat-sen UniversityMaterials Research Society Graduate Student Award, 2018ASME Finalist of Best Graduate Student Presentation Award, 2018ASME National Science Foundation Student Travel Award, 2018Best Symposium Poster Award, Materials Research Society, 2017Research Poster Contest Award, UT-Austin, 2017Research Poster Contest Award, UT-Austin, 2016Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) International Student Research Fellowship, 2015Materials Research Society Graduate Student Chapter Travel Award, 2014Harris L. Marcus Graduate Fellowship in Materials Science & Engineering, UT-Austin, 2014Graduate Student Professional Development Award, UT-Austin, 2014B.S. University of Science and Technology, China Weigu Li, Ph.D. in 2019Current position: Processing Engineer, Applied MaterialsUniversity Graduate Continuing Fellowship, UT-Austin, 2018-2019Graduate Student Professional Development Award, UT-Austin, 2018Warren A. and Alice L. Meyer Endowed Scholarship in Engineering, UT-Austin, 2017Research Poster Contest Award, UT-Austin, 2017Graduate Student Professional Development Award, UT-Austin, 2017B.S. University of Science and Technology, China Zexi Liang, Ph.D. in 2021Current position: Postdoctoral Fellow at Cornell UniversityCockrell School of Engineering Continuing Graduate Fellowship, Cockrell School of Engineering, UT-Austin, 2019George J. Heuer, Jr. Ph.D. Endowed Graduate Fellowship Fund, Cockrell School of Engineering, UT-Austin, 2018Professional Development Award, UT-Austin, 2018Harris L. Marcus Graduate Fellowship in Materials Science & Engineering, UT-Austin 2018, outstanding teaching Assistant, MSE programB.S. Peking University, China Yun Huang, Ph.D. in 2021Professional Development Award, UT-Austin, 2019Harris L. Marcus Graduate Fellowship in Materials Science & Engineering, UT-Austin 2017, outstanding teaching Assistant, MSE programM. S. Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China Jiawei He, M.S. in 2017Current position: Engineer at IBMB.S. University of Science and Technology in China Ki-pyo Hong, M.S. in 2018Current position: Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineer at Nanomaster Inc.B.S. Yonsei University, Korea Kwangwon Seong, M.S. in 2020The University of Texas at Austin Seungho Lee, Ph.D. student, 2023M.S. Korea University, Korea Jing Ning, visiting Ph.D. student, 2012- 2014 Guilan Feng, 2015- 2016visiting Professorco-advised with Prof. Ray ChenHangzhou, China Tao Liu, visiting Professor, 2015co-advising with Prof. Ray ChenHangzhou, China Aochen Wang, visiting Ph.D. student, 2019Tianjin University, China Jing Liu, visiting Ph.D. student 2017- 2019National Academy of Sciences, China Xianfu Luo, visiting Ph.D. student, 2018- 2020Chongqing University, China Mingyu Zhao, visiting student, 2018- 2021Donghua University, China ————————————————————————————————- Undergraduate Alumni Alice Biray, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2011Program of Woman in Engineering, UT-Austin, 2011 Janhavi Das, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2011Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Wendel Willis, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2011 Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Omar Fabian, Graduate Intern, 2011Program of Materials Science and Engineering, UT-Austin Ian George, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2012Department 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- 2012Department of Electric Engineering, UT-Austin Christian Reding, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2012- 2013Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Bryan Boyd, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2012- 2013Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Xiaoyi Lu, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2013Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Andres Sada, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2013Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Andrew Duggan, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2012- 2013Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Virgilio Martinez, 2012-2014Undergraduate Research Fellowship from the Office of the Vice President for ResearchDepartment 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- 2014Department of Physics, UT-Austin Cheng Zhao, Undergraduate Summer Intern, 2014Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rochester University Ari J. Garcia, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2014Physics and Aerospace Engineering, UT-Austin Mingliang Liu, Undergraduate Summer Research Assistant, 2015, Co-authored a journal article in ACS Applied Materials & InterfacesZhejiang University, China Terry Huang, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2015 JuneDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Ashley Tom, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2015- 2017, Co-authored a journal article in ACS NanoDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Jeremie J. Gallegos, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2015-2017, FIRE Program, Co-authored a journal article in ACS NanoDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Tristen Head, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2014- 2016 Department of Physics, UT-Austin Jennifer Zvonek, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2015, FIRE ProgramUndergraduate Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Matthew T Vu, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2015-2016, FIRE ProgramDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Keith Chan, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2015-2016Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Olivia Conroy, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2015, FIRE ProgramDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Robert Stephany, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2015Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Jingwei Yu, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2015University of Science and Technology of China Yuchuang Yao, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2016University of Science and Technology of China Ruhui Chen, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2016University of Science and Technology of China Chengfei Yu, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2016University of Science and Technology of China Zhengtianye Wang, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2016University of Science and Technology of China Chang Liu, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2016Nanjing University, China Daniel Teal, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2017- 2019, second author of a journal article in Nature Communications and Nature NanotechnologyCurrent position: Ph.D. candidate, University of California at BerkeleyUndergraduate Student, Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe 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-AustinDepartment of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin Rohit Swaminathan, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE program, Fall 2016Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin Vikram Ramanathan, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE program, Fall 2016Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin Hansen Qin, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE program, Fall 2016- 2017 Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin Catherine Xu, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE program, Fall 2016- 2017 Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin Victoria Do, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE program, Fall 2016- 2017Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin Zahin Nambiar, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE program, Fall 2016- 2017Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin Zheng Li, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2016University of Science and Technology of China Shengnan Liao, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2016Nanjing University, China Karina Bertelsmann, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2017, Co-authored a journal article in Advanced Materials Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin Max Lau, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2017, co-authored a journal article in Advanced Energy MaterialsDepartment of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin Justin Lin, Undergraduate Student in ME 377K Project, 2017- 2018Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin Haewon Kim, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2018 summer- FallDepartment of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin Sharon Samuel, Undergraduate Student in ME 377K Project, 2016Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe 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 MaterialsCurrent position: Ph.D. candidate, Columbia UniversityUndergraduate Research Fellowship, Vice President Office for Research at UT-AustinHonor Undergraduate Thesis, 2018- 2019Department of Chemical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin Upayan Mathkari, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE Program, 2017Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin John E. Clay, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE Program, 2017Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin Brunon Walczak, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE Program, 2017Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin William Deas, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE Program, 2018, first place in the poster presentation competitionDepartment of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin Hanson Huang, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE Program, 2018, first place in the poster presentation competitionDepartment of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin Kyser Lim, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE Program, 2018, first place in the poster presentation competitionDepartment of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin Sonia Lopez, Undergraduate Research Assistant, FIRE Program, 2018, first place in the poster presentation competitionDepartment of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin Shuheng Ma, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2018- 2019Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin YeongBeom Heo, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2018Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin Yuhang Ma, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2018, co-authored a publication in Advanced Materials InterfaceTianjin University Ziyang Shen, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2018University of Science and Technology in China Joseph Caulkins, Undergraduate Summer Intern, 2019 Zhifeng Wu, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2019University of Science and Technology in China Samir Hassam, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2018-2019Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin Sachin Kasetti, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2018-2019Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin Ben Chen, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2019Electric and Computer EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin Junnan Yu, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2019Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin Zhifeng Wu, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2019University 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- 2021Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin David Huo, NSF REU, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Summer 2021; Co-authored a journal paper in Nature NanotechnologyDepartment 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 2021Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Prithika Sen, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Spring 2021Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Jason Juliette, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2019- 2121Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Alison Jin, Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2019- 2021Department 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- 2022Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Shaw-Long Hsueh, NSF-REU-supported Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2019- 2023Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Jack Qiao, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Spring and Summer 2021, then NSF-REU-supported in Fall 2021- Spring 2022Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Conny Cai, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2021- Spring 2022First place in FIRE program poster presentation competitionDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, UT-AustinTyler Yan, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2022- Fall 2023First place in FIRE program poster presentation competitionDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Liam Martin Ignacio, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2022- Fall 2023First place in FIRE program poster presentation competition, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UT-AustinAiden Benson, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2022- Fall 2023First place in FIRE program poster presentation competitionDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, UT-AustinLuke Abrahams, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2021- Summer 2022First place in FIRE program poster presentation competitionDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Justin Wei, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2023First place in FIRE program poster presentation competitionDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Carter Peeler, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2023First place in FIRE program poster presentation competitionDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Ana Millan, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2023First place in FIRE program poster presentation competitionDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin Vikash Vijayakumar, FIRE program, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Fall 2023First place in FIRE program poster presentation competitionDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, UT-Austin
