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If interested in joining our team, see details here.

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Abdon Pena-Francesch ("Don")
Assistant Professor (2021-...)
Materials Science & Engineering
Macromolecular Science & Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Robotics Institute
2018-2020 Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellow, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (Stuttgart, Germany)
2013-2017 Ph.D. (Engineering Science and Mechanics), Penn State University (PA, USA)
2011-2013 M.Sc. (Chemical Engineering), Institut Químic de Sarrià (Barcelona, Spain)
2006-2011 B.Sc. (Mechanical Engineering), Institut Químic de Sarrià (Barcelona, Spain)
Bio & personal info here
Email: abdon@umich.edu

Postdoctoral Fellows
(ICECycle project, co-advised with the Tuteja, Mehta, and Reddy groups)

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Dezhong Tong
Postdoctoral fellow

Research: robotics, simulation, machine learning, controls
Personal: basketball, swimming, hiking
2023 Ph.D. (ME), University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
2018 B.Sc. (MSE), Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU, CN)

Email: dezhong@umich.edu
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Lidia Kuo
Postdoctoral fellow

Research: bioinspired materials, solution processing, composites, sustainability 
Personal:  thrifting, sustainable fashion, singing, bass guitar
2023 Ph.D. (MSE), Northwestern University, IL 
2018
 B.Sc. (MSE), Rice University, TX 
Email: lidiakuo@umich.edu
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Carlos Fitzgerald Grandes Reyes
Postdoctoral fellow 

Research: zwitterionic polymers, RAFT polymerization, stimuli-responsive polymers, coatings. 
Personal: cycling, soccer, gym.

2022 B.Sc. (Chem), University of Queensland (AUS)
2017 B.Sc. (BioEng), University of Queensland (AUS)

Email: carlor@umich.edu
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Sudeep Sharma
Postdoctoral fellow

Research: 2D bioelectronics, stretchable and flexible electronics, wearable physical sensors, polymer nanocomposites
Personal:  traveling, watching movies, gym
2023 Ph.D. (EE), Kwangwoon University (KR)
2015 B.Sc. (ECE), Tribhuvan University (NPL)

Email: sudeeps@umich.edu
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Jeong Eun Park
Postdoctoral fellow

Research: de-icing, surface modification, microfabrication, magnetic actuation
Personal:  cooking, listening to music, watching drama

2023
 Ph.D. (PSE), Inha University (KR) 
2017 B.Sc. (PSE), Inha University (KR) 

Email: jeunpark@umich.edu
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Sumbul Hafeez
Postdoctoral felow

Research: macromolecular architecture, polymers, surface modification, sensors, environmental and biomaterial applications
Personal: travelling, cooking, photography

2020 Ph.D. (MSE), Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IN)
Email: sumbulhafeez03@gmail.com

Ph.D. Students

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Zane Zhang
Ph.D. student (MSE)

Research: soft magnetic materials, nanocomposites, soft actuators
Personal:  road trips, cooking
2021 M.Sc. (MSE), UMich
2019 
B.Sc. (MSE), Beijing University of Chemical Technology (BUCT, CN)
Email: zzenghao@umich.edu
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Cecelia Kinane
Ph.D. student (MACRO)

Research: polymer design, structure-property relationships, hydrogels, 3D printing
Personal:  rowing, baking, camping, cats, museums

2019 B.Sc. (Chem), University of St. Thomas (St. Paul, MN) 
Email: cakinane@umich.edu
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Chuqi Huang
Ph.D. student (MSE)

Research: soft responsive materials, functional biopolymers, microrobotics
Personal:  baking, cats, dogs, swimming, travel

2019 M.Sc. (MSE), Cornell University
2014
 B.Sc. (MSE & ME), Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST, CN)
Email: chuqi@umich.edu
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Caroline Harms
Ph.D. student (MSE)

Research: functional polymeric coatings, bioinspired materials, polymer design and characterization
Personal:  baking, running, writing, crocheting
2023 B.Sc. (MSE), Northwestern University (Evanston, IL)
Email: cfharms@umich.edu
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Qiming Li
Ph.D. student (MSE, co-advised with Tuteja)

Research: polymer synthesis, functional polymers, materials interfaces
Personal:  cats, cooking, basketball

2021 M.Sc. (MSE), Cornell University 
2017 B.Sc. (MSE), Donghua University (CN) 
Email: qiming@umich.edu
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Kanyarat Mantala (Nong)
Ph.D. visiting student (MSE, VISTEC, TH)

Research: polymer synthesis, self-healing materials, colloids
Personal:  travelling, listening to music, cooking

2019 M.Sc. (Polym. Sci. Technol.), Mahidol University (TH)
2015
 B.Sc. (Chem), Mahidol University (TH)
Email: kmantala@umich.edu

M.Sc. Students

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Yiqun Li
M.Sc. student (MSE)

Research: 3D printing of soft functional materials
Personal:  soccer, traveling, cooking, gym
 2023 B.Sc. (MSE), Ohio State
Email: yiqunli@umich.edu
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Lakshman Sivakumar Vijay
M.Sc. student (MSE)

Research: self-assembly, proteins, functional polymers
Personal: motorsport, painting, history
2022 B.Tech. (ME), Vellore Institute of Technology (IN)
Email: lakshvj@umich.edu
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Yushen Liu
M.Sc. student (MSE)

Research: polymer synthesis, soft mechanics
Personal:  soccer, basketball, music
2022 B.Sc. (ESM), Penn State University
Email: nickliu@umich.edu

Undergraduate Students

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Ernesto Gomez
B.Sc. student (EECS)
Research: embedded systems, electronics, controls
Personal:  running, lifting weights, philosophy, travelling
Email: netog@umich.edu
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Madison Forstner
B.Sc. student (MSE)

Research: rheology, biofluids, soft matter physics, 
Personal: hiking, rock climbing, reading, herpetology
Email: madifay@umich.edu
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Noah Black
B.Sc. student (Biophys)

Research: protein dynamics, nanostructure, nanocharacterization, machine learning
Personal:  gym, hiking, and travel
Email: noahbl@umich.edu
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Margot Helft
B.Sc. student (MSE)

Research: mechanical properties of biomaterials, microstructure analysis
Personal:  violin, blacksmithing, hiking
Email: mhelft@umich.edu
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Hailey Kuncoro
B.Sc. student (ChE)

Research: hydrogels, 3D printing, self-healing materials, biopharmaceuticals
Personal:  cooking, traveling, music, dance
Email: haileyku@umich.edu
Where are we from?
Alumni


​​Hyungwoo Kim, Ph,D. (MSE, visiting prof)
- 2023
Now at: Chonnam National University, KR


Tiwa Yimyai, Ph,D. (ChE, VISTEC, visiting)
- 2022-2023
Now at: PTT Global Chemical, Bangok, Thailand

Pol Cabanach, Ph.D. (Bioengineering, Max Planck Institute / IQS-GEMat) - 2021
Now at: ABLE Human Motion, Barcelona, Spain


Tathya Shinde, M.Sc. (MSE, UM) - 2022-2023​
Now at: Owens Corning, OH


Shuo Zhang, M.Sc. (Macro, UM) - 2021-2023
Now at: UC Berkeley, CA


Yi-Hua Chen, M.Sc. (MSE, UM) - 2021-2023
Now at: Applied Materials, Santa Clara, CA


Leah Marks, M.Sc. (MSE, UM) - 2021-2022
Now at: Procter & Gamble, Cincinnati, OH

Chia-Heng Lin, M.Sc. (MSE, UM) - 2021-2022
Now at: TSMC, Phoenix, AZ

Rich Kaplan, M.Sc. (Macro, UM) - 2021
Now at: UPenn, PA


Dario Perez Balaguer, M.Sc. (Max Planck Institute / IQS-GEMat) - 2020
Now at: Venair GmbH, Freiberg am Neckar, Germany (silicones team)

Laszlo Cline, B.Sc. (MSE, UM) - 2023
Now at: Argonne National Laboratory


Reegan Ketzenberger, B.Sc. (MSE, UM)
- 2022
Now at: MSE, UM


Leela Mukherjee, B.Sc. (CS, UMich) - 2021-2022
Now at: SpaceX, FL

BIOINSPIRED MATERIALS LAB

© Abdon Pena-Francesch 2024

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University of Michigan

North Campus Research Complex
2800 Plymouth Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48109 

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