Graduate Research Experience
Mechanical and Structural Properties of Avian Materials
Profs. M.A. Meyers and J. McKittrick Research Groups
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego
Thesis: Investigation of keratinous and osseous laminate and hierarchical structures, functionally graded materials, and cellular solids in avian bone and integumentary appendages; funded by an National Science Foundation, Division of Materials Research grant for Bioinspired Synthesis of Tough Laminates (№ 1006931) and awarded the Abe Hurlich Scholarship by the American Society of Materials, San Diego Chapter
Integrated Nanosensor Characterization
Schuller Nanoscience Group
Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego
Topic: Characterization of metallophthalocyanine films and III-V semiconductor superlattices by X-ray Diffraction (XRD). Funded by Air Force Office of Scientific Research Multi-disciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) on Integrated Nanosensors
Undergraduate Research Experience
Nanoscale Photonic Biological Sensor Development
etylab: Nanoscale Characterization and Devices
Formerly at Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, San Diego
Contributions: Simulation and fabrication by photolithography, chemical and plasma etching, and metal deposition of a photonic bandgap structure; covalent immobilization of antibody to silicon substrate; characterization and imaging by SEM, AFM, and fluorescence microscopy
Miniature Deleterious Vapor Sensor Design
Sailor Group: Silicon Nanomaterials Research Laboratory
Department of Chemistry, University of California, San Diego
Contributions: Design of the housing for sensor elements, assembly of opto-electronic circuit, and successful demonstration of interferometric vapor sensing on porous silicon before an end-of summer deadline
Research of Stress Response in Transgenic Plants
Prof. Julian Schroeder's Laboratory
School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego
Contributions: Cultivation of Arabidopsis plants for Abscisic acid (ABA) stomatal guard cell response experiments; imaging by fluorescence microscopy and measurement of stomatal apertures for correlation with reactive oxygen species (ROS) production; award of Chancellor’s Undergraduate Research Scholarship