Members

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Prof. Li Shi

GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCHERS 

Devika Mehta:

B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania;

Recipient of Cockrell School of Engineering Thrust Fellowship

Qianru (Sally) Jia:

M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin;

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University;

Recipient of Cockrell School of Engineering Thrust Fellowship and University Graduate Continuing Fellowship

Yajie Huang:

M.S. & B.S. in Materials Science & Engineering, Tsinghua University

Recipient of Cockrell School of Engineering Thrust Fellowship

Peter Sokalski:

M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Recipient of UT Graduate School Fellowship and Cockrell School of Engineering Thrust Fellowship

Emma Peavler

B.S. in Astrophysics, University of California at Los Angeles;

Recipient of UT Graduate School Fellowship and Cockrell School of Engineering Thrust Fellowship

Chuting Cai:

B.S. in Material Science and Engineering,  Tsinghua University, Beijing;

Rodolfo Cantu:

Integrated BS/MS Program in Mechanical Engineering,  The University of Texas at Austin;

PAST PhD and PhD/MS STUDENTS

Choongho Yu:

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, August 2004;
Ph.D. Dissertation: Nanomaterials Characterization and Bio-chemical Sensing using Microfabricated Devices;

Recipient of Continuing University Fellowship;

Post-doctoral fellow, Berkeley, 2004-2007;

Currently Professor in Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station

Jianhua Zhou:

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, December 2005;
Ph.D. Dissertation: Thermal and Thermoelectric Transport Measurements of One-Dimensional Nanostructures;
Currently at Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA

Sanjoy Saha:

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, May 2007;
Ph.D. Dissertation: Theoretical Study of Thermal Transport at Nano Constrictions and Nanowires with Sawtooth Surface Roughness;

Recipient of David Bruton, Jr. Graduate Fellowship;

Currently at Intel, Inc., Oregon

Luz Cristal Glangchai:

Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, May 2008;
Ph.D. Dissertation: Nanoimprint Lithography Based Fabrication of Size and Shape-Specific, Enzymatically-Triggered Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery Applications;
Recipient of NSF IGERT Traineeship; co-advised by Profs. Krishendu Roy and Li Shi;

Currently Founder/CEO, Venture Lab

Anastassios Mavrokefalos:

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, December 2008;

Ph.D. Dissertation: Thermoelectric and Structural Characterization of Individual Nanowires and Patterned Thin Films;

M.S. & B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin;

M.S. Thesis: Nano-patterning and Transport Measurements of Nanowire Structures for Interconnect and Thermoelectric Applications;

Recipient of Fulbright Fellowship and David Bruton, Jr. Graduate Fellowship;

Post-doctoral fellow, MIT, 2009-2012;

Currently Engineering Consultant

Feng Zhou:

Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, May 2009;
Ph.D. Dissertation: Thermoelectric Transport in Semiconducting Nanowires;
M.S. in Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences; B.S. in Physics, Jilin University;
Recipient of David Bruton, Jr. Graduate Fellowship;
Currently at Microchip Technology Inc, San Jose, CA

Jae Hun Seol:

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, December 2009;Ph.D. Dissertation: Thermal and Thermoelectric Measurements of Silicon Nanoconstrictions, Supported Graphene, and Indium Antimonide Nanowires;
M.S.& B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Seoul National University;
Recipient of David Bruton, Jr. Graduate School Fellowship;
Post-doctoral fellow, Berkeley, 2010-2012;
Currently Associate Professor, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Korea

Mary Caldorera-Moore:

Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, May 2010;
Ph.D. Dissertation: Development and Optimization of Shape Specific, Stimuli-Responsive Drug Delivery Nanocarriers Using Step and Flash Imprint Lithography;
co-advised by Profs. Krishendu Roy and Li Shi;
B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, Louisiana Tech University;
Recipient of NSF Graduate Research Fellowship;
Post-doctoral fellow at UT Austin, June 2010-August 2013;
Currently Associate Professor in Biomedical Engineering, Louisiana Tech University

Arden L. Moore:

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, May 2010;
Ph.D. Dissertation: Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Thermal and Thermoelectric Transport in Nanostructures;
M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin;
M.S. Thesis: Synthesis and Thermoelectric Characterization of Individual Nanowires;
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Louisiana Tech University;
Recipient of NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Honorable Mention and Cockrell School of Engineering Thrust Fellowship;
Post-doctoral fellow at UT Austin, June 2010-August 2011;
Thermal Advisory Engineer, IBM, September 2011-August 2013;
Currently Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering, Louisiana Tech University

Michael T. Pettes:

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, May 2011;
Ph.D. Dissertation: Experimental Investigations of Thermal Transport in Carbon Nanotubes, Graphene, and Nanoscale Point Contacts;
M.S. Thesis: Thermal Transport in Individual Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes;
B.S., Duke University;
Recipient of Harrington Fellowship, NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, Cockrell School of Engineering Thrust Fellowship, and NSF CAREER award;
Post-doctoral fellow, UT Austin, June 2011-August 2013;
Currently Scientist, Los Alamos National Laboratory

Chad Baker:

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, December 2012;
Ph.D. Dissertation: Simulation, Design, and Experimental Characterization of Catalytic and Thermoelectric Systems for Removing Emissions and Recovering Waste Energy from Engine Exhaust;
M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, August 2009;
M.S. Thesis: Vapor Transport Techniques for Growing Macroscopically Uniform Zinc Oxide Nanowires;
co-advised by Profs. Mathew J. Hall and Li Shi;
Currently at Ford

Insun Jo:

Ph.D. in Physics, University of Texas at Austin, December 2012;
Ph.D. Dissertation: Experimental Investigation of Thermal Transport in Graphene and Hexagonal Boron Nitride;
Co-advised by Profs. Zhen Yao and Li Shi;
Post-doctoral fellow, UT Austin, January 2013 -August 2013;
Post-doctoral fellow, Princeton University, September 2013 – April 2017;Dr.
Currently at Intel, Portland

Xi Chen:

Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, December 2014;
Ph.D. Dissertation: Synthesis and Thermoelectric Properties of Higher Manganese Silicides for Waste Heat Recovery;
Co-advised by Profs. Li Shi and JIanshi Zhou;
Post-doctoral fellow, UT Austin, January 2015-July 2019;
Assistant Professor in Quantum Materials, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California at Riverside, August 2019-

JaeHyun Kim:

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, August 2015;
Ph.D. Dissertation: Four-Probe Thermal and Thermoelectric Transport Measurements of Bismuth Antimony Telluride, Silicon, and Boron Arsenide Nanostructures;
Recipient of Warren A. and Alice L. Meyer Endowed Scholarship in Engineering;
Post-doctoral fellow, UT Austin, September 2015-February 2018;
Currently Assistant Professor, Hongik University

Mir Mohammad Sadeghi:

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, August 2015;
Ph.D. Dissertation: Experimental and Theoretical Investigations of Thermal Transport in Graphene;
Recipient of Warren A. and Alice L. Meyer Endowed Scholarship in Engineering;
Post-doctoral fellow, UT Austin, October 2015-February 2019;
Currently Technical Staff Member, AMD, Austin

Patrick L. Jurney:

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, August 2015;
Ph.D. Dissertation: Nanoparticle Margination, Adhesion, and Uptake in Microflow;
M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, August 2011;
M.S. Thesis: The Effect of Particle Size and Shape on Margination and Adhesion Propensity;
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Portland;
Recipient of NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Honorable Mention, Cockrell School of Engineering Thrust Fellowship, and David Bruton, Jr. Graduate School Fellowship;
Post-doctoral fellow at Oregon Health & Science University, 2016-2019;
Assistant Professor, San Jose State University, Fall 2019-

Annie Weathers:

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, May, 2016;
Ph.D. Dissertation: Transport and Coupling of Phonons, Electrons, and Magnons in Complex Materials;
M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, August 2012;
M.S. Thesis: Thermal and Thermoelectric Transport in Organic and Inorganic Nanostructures;
B.S. in Physics, New York University;
Recipient of NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, Cockrell School of Engineering Thrust Fellowship, Warren A. and Alice L. Meyer Endowed Scholarship in Engineering, Ben Streetman Junior Award for outstanding research by a graduate student in microelectronics, and 2017 Caltech Young Investigator Lecturer in Engineering and Applied Science;
Post-doctoral fellow, University of Texas at Austin, June 2016-April 2017;
Currently Technical Staff, MIT Lincoln Laboratory

Evan Fleming:

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, August 2018,
Ph.D. Dissertation: Multi-Scale Investigation of Composite Materials for Enhanced Phase Change Thermal Storage Systems;
M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, May 2013,
M.S. Thesis: Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of a Novel Thermal Storage System for Electric Vehicle Climate Conditioning (co-advised by Profs. Li Shi and Alex da Silva);
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan;
Recipient of Cockrell School of Engineering Thrust Fellowship;
Currently at Advanced Micro Devices, Austin

Gabriella Coloyan:

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, August 2018,
Ph.D. Dissertation: Electrothermal and Optothermal Characterization of Thermal Transport in Two-dimensional Materials;
M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, May 2014;
M.S. Thesis:Basal Plane Thermal Conductivity of Thin Germanane Layers;
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University;
Post-doctoral fellow, UT Austin, September-October 2018;

Currently Post-doctoral fellow at UT Austin

Kevin Olsson:

Ph.D. in Physics, University of Texas at Austin, Fall, 2018;
Ph.D. Dissertation: Phonon and Magnon Thermometry using Light Scattering Techniques;
co-advised by Profs. Elaine Li and Li Shi;
Post-doctoral fellow, Harvard University, June 2019-

Sean Sullivan:

Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, December 2018,
Ph.D. Dissertation: Nonequilibrium Heat and Spin Transport in Materials with Long Carrier Relaxation Lengths;
M.S. & B.S. in Materials Science&Engineering, Purdue University;
Recipient of UT Graduate School Fellowship and Cockrell School of Engineering Thrust Fellowship;
co-advised by Profs. Li Shi and Jianshi Zhou;
Post-doctoral fellow, UT Austin, January 2019-July 2019;
Post-doctoral Fellow, Argonne National Laboratory, August 2019-

David Choi:

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, December 2018,
Ph.D. Dissertation: The Thermal Effect of Hexagonal Boron Nitride Supports in Graphene Devices;
M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, August 2014;
M.S. Thesis: Nanoparticle Characterization with Nanopore Sensors;
co-advised by Profs. Li Shi and S.V. Sreenivasan;
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Los Angeles;
Recipient of UT Graduate School Fellowship and Cockrell School of Engineering Thrust Fellowship;
Currently Post-doctoral Fellow, UT Austin

Dr. Brandon Smith:

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, August 2020
Ph.D. Dissertation: Experimental Investigations of Energy Carrier Interactions with Atomic Disorders and Artificial Long-Range Orders;

M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, August 2016
M.S. Thesis: Four-Probe Measurements of Anisotropic In-Plane Thermal Conductivities of Thin Black Phosphorus;
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign;
Recipient of Cockrell School of Engineering Graduate Fellowship;
Currently Post-doctoral Fellow at Sandia National Laboratories

Eric Ou:

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, August 2020
Ph.D. Dissertation: Four-Probe Thermal Transport Measurements of Few-Layer Graphene and Ultrathin Graphite;

M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, August 2015;
M.S. Thesis: Four-Probe Thermal Measurement of a Carbon Nanotube Sheet;
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin;
Recipient of UT Graduate School Fellowship and Cockrell School of Engineering Thrust Fellowship;
Post-doctoral fellow, University of Texas at Austin, September 2020-December 2020

Currently Post-doctoral Fellow at Sandia National Laboratories

Yuanyuan Zhou:

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, August 2021

Ph.D. Dissertation: Peak Thermal Conductivity Measurements of Bulk Boron Arsenide Crystals and Individual Carbon Nanotubes

M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, August 2017

M.S. Thesis: Four-Probe Thermal Measurements of Mesoscale Structures;

B.E. in Thermal Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing;

Recipient of Cockrell School of Engineering Graduate Fellowship

Post-doctoral fellow, University of Texas at Austin, October 2021-September 2022

Currently at Samsung, Austin, Texas

Hwijong Lee:

Ph.D. in Material Sciences and Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, August 2022

Ph.D. Dissertation: Synthesis and Characterization of Compound Crystals with Weak Phonon Couplings

co-advised by Profs. Li Shi and Jianshi Zhou

M.S. & B.S. in Materials Science & Engineering, Yonsei University;

Recipient of Cockrell School of Engineering Thrust Fellowship;

Currently Post-doctoral Fellow at Sandia National Laboratories

PAST M.S. STUDENTS

Qing Hao:

M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, May 2004;
M.S. Thesis: Thermal Investigation of Silicon-on-Insulator Devices and Tin Dioxide Nanobelts;
Ph.D. in Mechaicnal Engineering, MIT, 2010;
Currently Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering, University of Arizona

Olen Anderson:

M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, August 2004;
M.S. Thesis: Experimentation and Modeling of Magnetohydrodynamic Pumps

Antonette Cummings:

M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, May 2005;
M.S. Thesis: Thermal Conductivity of Nylon 11 Nanocomposite Materials;
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, August 2003;
Currently at Bell Helicopter

Colin M. Folta:

M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, December 2005;
M.S. Thesis: Development of a Scanning Thermoelectric Microscope for Profiling the Local Seebeck Coefficient in a Thin-Film Superlattice;
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, May 2004

Nathan Malcolm:

M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, May 2009;
M.S. Thesis: Simulation of a Plasmonic Nanowire Waveguide;
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Arkansas in Fayetteville;
Recipient of Applied Materials Graduate Fellowship and Thrust 2000 Fellowship;
co-advised by Profs. John R. Howell and Li Shi;
Currently at Lockheed Martin, Inc

Qianru (Sally) Jia:

M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin;
M.S. Thesis: Synthesis and Characterization of High-Surface Area Hexagonal Boron Nitride Foam Structures;
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University;
Recipient of Cockrell School of Engineering Thrust Fellowship;
Currently Ph.D. student at University of Texas at Austin

Peter Sokalski:

M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin;
M.S. Thesis: Optical Excitation and Probing of Nonequilibrium Phonons in Molybdenum Disulfide;
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champion;
Recipient of UT Graduate School Fellowship and Cockrell School of Engineering Thrust Fellowship;
Currently Ph.D. student at University of Texas at Austin

Emma Peavler:

M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin;
M.S. Thesis: Design and Fabrication of Electrothermal Measurement Devices to Probe Coulomb Heat Transfer across Two-Dimensional Heterostructures;
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University;
Recipient of UT Graduate School Fellowship and Cockrell School of Engineering Thrust Fellowship;
Currently Ph.D. student at University of Texas at Austin

PAST POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCHERS

Dr. Yunyu Wang:

Ph.D. in Physics, North Carolina State University;
Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Texas at Austin, Fall 2004-Spring 2006, co-advised by Profs. P. S. Ho, L. Shi and Z. Yao;
Currently at Applied Materials, Inc.

Dr. Jianlong (Steve) Li:

Ph.D. in Physics, Beijing University;
Post-Doctoral Fellow, August 2005 to October 2006;
Currently Associate Professor, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University

Dr. Huijun Kong:

Ph.D. in Physics, University of Michigan;
Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Texas at Austin,October 2008 to August 2009;
Currently at CGGVeritas, Houston

Dr. Yong Lee:

Ph.D. in Physics, University of Texas at Austin;
Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Texas at Austin, May 2007-August 2010;
Currently on the faculty of Kyungpook National University

Dr. Daniel Sellan:

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Toronto;
Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Texas at Austin, June 2012-June 2014;
Recipient of NSERC Alexander Graham Bell Canada Scholarship and NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship;
Currently McKinsey & Company

Dr. Shaoyi Wen:

Ph.D. in Mechancial Engineering, Purdue University;
Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Texas at Austin, June 2012-April 2015;
Currently at HP, Inc, Houston

Dr. Abhijit Paul:

Ph.D. in Chemistry, Oklahoma State University;
Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Texas at Austin, June 2012-

PAST VISITORS

Dr. Dae-Jin Kang:

Visiting Scholar, September 2003 to July 2004.
Currently Associate Professor, Korea Polytechnic University.

Dr. Baozhi Sun:

Visiting Scholar, November 2007 to November 2008.
Currently Associate Professor, Harbin Institute of Technology, China

Hideto Ito:

Visiting M.S. Student, Nihon University, Japan, September 2007 to September 2008

Dr. Kedong Bi:

Associate Professor, Southest University, Nanjin, China, October 2011-November 2012

Keivan Davami:

Ph.D. candidate, Pohang University of Science and Technology(POSTECH), Pohang, South Korea. May 2012-August 2012

Dr. Xihong Chen:

Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. February 2013-August 2013

Chenguan Fu:

Ph.D. candidate in Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University. November 2014-May 2015

Ms. Sarah DiMaria:

Visiting High-School Teacher, Summer 2015;
Geometry Teacher, Manor New Tech High School.

Ms. Kim Collins:

Visiting High-School Teacher, Summer 2016;
Teacher, Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders

Yangyu Guo:

Ph.D. Candidate in Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Fall 2017-Spring 2018

Zhiguo Tian:

Undergraduate Student, Tsinghua University, summer 2018

PAST UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHERS

Sarah E. Ruch:

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with Honors, University of Texas at Austin, May 2006;
Recipient of NSF Graduate Research Fellowship for graduate study at Stanford.

Anthony Hayes:

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with Highest Honors, University of Texas at Austin, August 2004.

Robert V. Pearsall:

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, December 2004.

Carlos Villalobos:

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, December 2004.

Katherine P. Carpenter:

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Spring 2008.
Recipient of Intel Undergraduate Research Fellowship

Justin M. Jensen:

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Spring 2007.
Recipient of Intel Undergraduate Research Fellowship

Katherine Aristizabal:

B.S. in Chemistry, NNIN Summer REU program

Clifton Roozeboom:

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Spring 2008

Edgar Soto:

B.S. candidate in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Spring 2008

Sally McMenamin:

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Summer and Fall 2011

Ivan Davydychev:

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Summer and Fall 2011

Alberto Salinas:

B.S. candidate in Mechanical Engineering, California State University, Long Beach, NNIN Summer REU program, Summer 2014

Alex Aviles:

B.S. candidate in Physics, University of Texas at Austin, Summer 2014

Kevin Chen:

B.S. candidate in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, 2014-2015

Nicholas M. Willems:

B.S. candidate in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, 2015-2016

Rebecca Moore:

B.S. candidate in Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Summer 2016

Andrew Chen:

B.S. candidate in Mechanical Engineering, Rice University, Summer 2016

David Kristek:

B.S. candidate in Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Fall 2016, Summer 2018

Rodrigo Issac Mesta:

B.S. Candidate in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at El Paso, Summer 2017

David Lonstein:

B.S. Candidate in Mechanical Engineering, University at Albany, Summer 2017

Edgar Blanco

B.S. candidate in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at El Paso, Summer 2019

Kyle Meche

B.S. candidate in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Fall 2019

Ho “Ray” Tin

BS candidate in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Spring-Summer 2020