Author: Rukudzo Muripira

When I first moved to the United States from my home country, Iran, I carried with me a deep curiosity and determination to expand my research in electrical engineering—without knowing exactly where this journey would lead. I began my PhD at Western Michigan University in 2021 and later transferred to Michigan Technological University in 2023 to pursue advanced research in semiconductor-based devices. Joining Dr. Paul Bergstrom’s group allowed me to focus on microfabrication and semiconductor technology using the M&M facilities, and to benefit from his mentorship and expertise. I am truly grateful to be his doctoral student, as I have learned not only about semiconductor science but also invaluable lessons in perseverance, patience, and resilience throughout my PhD journey.

Over the past two and a half years, I have gained extensive experience in both research and teaching, shaping my technical expertise and hands-on skills in semiconductor and electrochemical systems. My dissertation, titled “Toward Single-Entity Electrochemical Sensing Using Nanoscale Pores in a Planar Electrode Array,” focuses on developing nanoscale platforms for detecting and characterizing individual biomolecules. Traditional electrochemical methods detect analyte composition in bulk but lack single-entity precision. My research addresses this limitation by modeling and fabricating planar microelectrode arrays coated with ultra-thin SiO₂ films containing nanoscale pores. These pores act as molecular traps, confining electrochemical reactions to localized sites and enabling detection of individual biomolecules such as elevated liver enzymes. Validated performance confirmed the potential of nanoscale, pore-confined electrochemical sensing for next-generation diagnostic systems, as presented in my recent work at the IEEE NMDC 2025 Conference and the 248th Electrochemical Society (ECS) Meeting in Chicago.

I was deeply honored to receive the Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award from the Graduate School in Spring 2025 for my work in the Chip Fabrication and Photonic Materials laboratories within the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. This recognition was especially meaningful, as teaching has been one of the most rewarding parts of my PhD journey—an opportunity to inspire curiosity and confidence in students while continuing to learn and grow alongside them.

Outside of research, I find balance through music and nature. I enjoy playing Piano and Hang Drum, hiking, and exploring the peaceful landscapes of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, which have provided inspiration and calm throughout my doctoral journey.

The Michigan Tech Doctoral Finishing Fellowship will support the final stage of my doctoral research and dissertation completion during the Spring 2026 semester. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity to dedicate my full focus to completing and sharing my work in single-entity electrochemical sensing.

I have been a student at Michigan Tech since 2018, when I started my undergraduate degree. I quickly became involved with research at MTU, joining the Advanced Metal Works Enterprise (AME), where we worked on different materials engineering projects. Some of my favorite research projects include alloy development work for metal 3D printing and materials modeling work for FEA simulations.

Given my interest in materials research, I contacted my now advisor, Dr.Paul Sanders, about doing a master’s project. He found me a project with Relativity Space focused on developing aluminum alloy wire for metal 3d printing applications. After my master’s, I wanted to continue on to a PhD. Given my experience with materials modeling and aluminum alloy design, I began work on developing new aluminum alloys for the extrusion industry. The goals of our current research is to develop a high-strength, highly formable alloy that can be used for automotive applications. What I enjoy most about my research is the physical experiments and connecting physical testing with simulation work. I included an image of me performing one of our billet castings in the foundry. This billet is formed into sheets to perform various experiments.

Besides my research, I continue to be involved with the AME enterprise and aid the materials science and engineering senior design teams. My involvement is generally as a subject matter expert who assists with advanced materials characterization techniques. I enjoy being involved with the students’ projects and helping them complete their research.

I would like to thank all the staff and faculty of the materials science and engineering department. Their involvement with research and knowledge makes completing our research projects an enjoyable learning experience. Finally, I would like to thank the graduate school and the graduate dean’s awards advisory panel for considering me for the finishing fellowship.

I am honored to receive the Doctoral Finishing Fellowship at Michigan Technological University. I’m grateful to the Graduate School and the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel for this support, and especially to my advisor, Prof. Raymond Shaw, whose unwavering guidance and support throughout my PhD have been invaluable in shaping both my research and my growth as a scientist. Before joining MTU, I completed an M.S. at the University of Tehran, Iran. At MTU, I have pursued Ph.D. research in atmospheric physics examining how tiny airborne particles tip the balance between haze and cloud.

First, we showed that not only “too many particles” but also “too large particles” can prevent cloud formation and leave the system in haze. In controlled chamber experiments, we held conditions fixed and varied particle size: larger salt particles drew water rapidly yet required extra time to become true droplets, draining the limited water supply and slowing activation. We derived a simple scaling showing that activation time rises sharply with particle size.

Second, we introduced a practical method to diagnose the haze–cloud state without direct supersaturation measurements by tracking how haze-droplet and cloud-droplet counts co-vary. In both chamber experiments and large-eddy simulations, this relationship flips sign across three regimes—near zero in clean conditions, positive in moderate conditions, and negative in polluted conditions—providing an easy way to tag regimes in real fogs and low clouds and to guide interventions (e.g., fog dispersal or seeding) toward situations where they are more likely to work.

I also thank my committee members, the Cloud Chamber group, and the faculty and staff of the Department of Physics for their support throughout my Ph.D. journey.

I’m grateful and honored to be awarded a Doctoral Finishing Fellowship. I would like to thank the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel and the Graduate School for their recognition and support as I approach the end of my PhD studies. Their support will let me dedicate my time to completing my dissertation.

I joined Dr. Yu’s Neural Engineering lab as an undergraduate research assistant in 2021 and quickly became fascinated by the brain and developing treatments for neurological conditions. Knowing that our research could improve people’s lives gave me great purpose and drove me to continue onto my PhD.
My research focuses on optimizing deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson’s Disease (PD) to improve the quality of life of individuals undergoing this treatment. Specifically, I look at optogenetics and adaptive DBS (aDBS). Current clinically used DBS treatment involves delivering high-frequency electrical pulses to target structures in the brain. While effective at treating PD symptoms, adverse effects and limited battery life can limit the quality of life of those implanted. Optogenetics aims to improve on the spatial specificity of DBS by using genetic modification to allow for cells to activate using light. Electrical stimulation is non-specific and can spread to nearby structures whereas using optogenetics, only the specific brain structure is stimulated. aDBS improves the temporal specificity of DBS by using biomarkers found in the neural activity of the brain to deliver stimulation only when the brain needs it. This avoids unnecessary activation to reduce adverse effects and improve battery life of the implanted device. Combining these two powerful optimization strategies creates a more efficient and targeted treatment for PD.

I would like to thank my advisor Dr. Traci Yu for her mentorship throughout this long journey. Her support and guidance helped foster my passion for neural engineering research. I am also grateful for the support of the Biomedical Engineering department and the Michigan Tech community throughout this stage of my journey. As I look forwards to the next chapter, I am thankful for everything I’ve learned and experienced during my time at Michigan Tech.

I started at Michigan Tech in 2022, and I have grown to love the Keweenaw! It has become my home away from home, and I even love the snow. Since I started, I have had the opportunity to teach on campus, work at the Writing Center, teach on Tech Study Away programs in Costa Rica and Wales, attend COP28 in Dubai, and conduct research in El Salvador over 3 separate visits!

My research looks at the incorporation of local traditional knowledge (LTK), which includes Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and Indigenous knowledge, into adaptation strategies. In my first year, I conducted a photovoice project to identify community connections to Nature in the small town of California in rural El Salvador. My results showed that the way participants connected to their environment impacted their perception of vulnerability to climate change. I also research organizational factors that might affect the incorporation of LTK and local contextual perceptions of vulnerability into adaptation strategies by a non-governmental organization working in the region.

My favorite parts of my research and PhD experience have been the multiple opportunities abroad that I have gotten to pursue! Central America has a really special place in my heart, and so any and all time that I have gotten to spend there are some of my favorite memories!

I want to thank the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel for granting me this Finishing Fellowship! I also want to thank my advisers and committee members, Dr. Angie Carter, Dr. Kari Henquinet, Dr. Luke Bowman, and Dr. Pam Martin for their support in my research and helping me secure grants to pursue my research. I also want to thank my colleagues at the Writing Center, my friends, my partner, and my dog, Ducky!