Current Members

Sean Foradori

foradoriwiscedu
Sean completed a B.S. in Chemistry at Lawrence Technological University, an M.S. in Chemistry at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering at UW-Madison. He also worked as a Chemist at Ford Motor Company and Analytical Chemist and Quality Manager at Stepan Company before joining the Arnold Group. Now, he works as a postdoctoral researcher for the Arnold Group and Sixline Semiconductor. His research focuses on carbon based field-effect transistors. In his free time, he enjoys watching ridiculous satire movies (such as Llamageddon, Sharktopus vs. Whalewolf, and Addams Family Values) and baking homemade bread with whatever ingredients are lying around.

Jia Wang

jwang3256wiscedu

Jia graduated with a B.E. in Materials Science and Engineering from Beijing Institute of Petrochemical Technology, an M.S. in Solid-State Electronic Physics from Ningbo University, and a PhD in Materials Engineering from University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She also worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. Her research focuses on 2D/1D material synthesis via chemical vapor deposition, including graphene nanoribbon growth and graphene/hBN heterostructure growth, characterization, as well as device fabriation and characterization using these materials. In her leisure time, she enjoys engaging in sports, spending time with her cat, and exploring culinary arts through cooking.

Frederick (Songying) Li

sli688wiscedu
Frederick received a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and an M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering at Cornell University prior to joining the Arnold Group. His research includes the fabrication and simulation of layered functional graphene separation membranes. In his free time, he enjoys cooking and baking.

Abitha Dhavamani

dhavamaniwiscedu
Abitha received a B.Eng. at the R.V. College of Engineering in Bangalore, India before completing M.S. degrees in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at KU Leuven in Belgium and TU Dresden in Germany. She has also worked as an Undergraduate Research Assistant at the Indian Institute of Science and Scientific Researcher at Fraunhofer IPMS-CNT. Her current research focuses on photophysics and enhancement of carbon nanotube polaritons for advanced optoelectronics. In her free time, she loves to perform and choreograph Indian classical dance routines, paint, travel, and participate in outdoor activities like trekking and jogging. She is also part of the Indian Graduate Student Association and serves on the UW-MSE and UW-CoE Graduate Student Advisory Committee.

Xiaoqi Zheng

xzheng237wiscedu
Xiaoqi obtained a B.Eng. in Materials Science and Engineering at ShanghaiTech University. While at ShanghaiTech, she worked as an undergraduate research assistant and was a visiting student at Pennsylvania State University. Her research focuses on graphene nanoribbon (GNR) synthesis and GNR-based field-effect transistors. In her free time, Xiaoqi enjoys books, movies, piano, food, and traveling. She identifies as a 70% cat and 30% dog but 100% panda person. Her guiding philosophies include a longing for love, the search for knowledge, and an unbearable pity for the suffering of mankind. She still awaits her letter from Hogwarts.

Christopher Blackwell

cjblackwellwiscedu
Chris earned a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering at The Ohio State University. While at The OSU, he worked as an Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Jinschek Group, as a Laboratory Intern at the Institute of Chemical Technology at TU Bergakademie Freiberg, and as an R&D Intern at Touchstone Research Laboratory. His research in the Arnold Group focuses on carbon nanotubes and photovoltaics. Outside of the lab, he is an avid outdoorsman, budding backpacker, and novice scuba diver.

Katherine Su

kasuwiscedu
Katherine completed a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University. While at Northwestern, she worked as an Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Hersam Group, at Friedrich Schiller University-Jena, and at the National Insitute of Standards and Technology. Her current research focuses on the chemical vapor deposition of graphene and hexagonal boron nitride, as well as graphene-mediated assembly of block copolymers. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, running, and fishkeeping.

James Unzaga

unzagawiscedu
James completed a B.S. in Chemistry at Montana State University-Billings. While an undegraduate, he worked as an Undergraduate Research Assistant at MSUB, an Undergraduate Research Asssitant at Kansas State University, and an intern at Energy Laboratories, Inc. His research interests include carbon nanotubes, transistors, and liquid crystals. His hobbies include cooking, baking, going to the gym, and hiking. He also enjoys collecting plants, and his favorite dish to make is tarts.

Leonidas Georgopoulos

leo.georgopouloswiscedu
Leo completed his B.S. in Materials Science Engineering at Northwestern University. While at Northwestern, he worked as an Undergraduate Researcher in the Hersam Group. He has also worked as a Post-Baccalaureate Researcher at Argonne National Laboratory in the Functional Nanoscale Heterostructures Group. His research interests include semiconducting carbon nanotubes for advanced nanoelectronics. In his free time, he enjoys exercising and being active, namely weightlifting, swimming, biking, and going on long walks. He also enjoys playing and competing in Pokemon Go and touring breweries from all over the place.

Yashwrdhan Pathaare

Pathaarewiscedu
Yashwrdhan completed his BTech in Metallurgical Engineering at the College of Engineering Pune. While there, he worked as an R&D Intern at the Defence Institute of Advanced, Pune, India and at Varroc Engineering. His research interests include thermal and thermo-chemical routes for the purification of carbon nanotubes. In his free time, he enjoys piano, poker, pool, singing, and theater.

Evan Wehbe

ewehbewiscedu
Evan is currently pursuing a B.S. in Chemical Engineering at UW-Madison. His research interests include carbon nanotube liquid crystals and semiconductors. He enjoys playing basketball, baking, and visiting his family in France.