Tag: Applied Physics

I am honored to receive the finishing fellowship in my PhD from Michigan Tech University, and I am grateful for the opportunity to share my personal statement with the university’s blog. My fascination with the “why” and “how” behind everything led me to pursue Physics from an early age, and I have been fortunate to receive unwavering support from my family and friends throughout my academic journey. Being the first in my family to obtain a college degree is a milestone that I am proud of, and I am grateful for the opportunities that it has afforded me. As a Master’s student in Professor Jae Yong Suh’s lab, I developed an interest in studying chiral metamaterials using angle-resolved optical dispersions. This experience led me to pursue a PhD in the field of materials, particularly the synthesis, stacking, characterization, and study of the optical properties of 2D materials. During my doctoral studies, I had the privilege of acquiring advanced skills in cutting-edge tools and techniques, such as microfabrication, chemical vapor transport, and transfer of films with controlled twist angles. These experiences have been invaluable in shaping my research and personal growth. As an NSF-funded Resident Scholar Visitor at Penn State University’s Materials Research Institute, I was able to broaden my horizons by conducting high-end research in the field of 2D materials and forming collaborations with researchers from different backgrounds. This experience has enriched my research, provided me with diverse perspectives, and prepared me for a successful research career.

I am grateful to the graduate dean awards advisory panel for awarding me the finishing fellowship and to my department chair Dr. Ravindra Pandey for his unfailing support throughout my doctoral studies. I would also like to thank my advisor Dr. Jae Yong Suh for believing in me and fostering my personal and professional growth. Receiving the finishing fellowship is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and passion that I have poured into my research. It is a token of honor and I am excited to see where this journey takes me next.

My love for optics and photonics is deep in my core. I have always been fascinated and motivated by this area of physics. Everything fascinated me, from natural phenomena to optical illusions, from ray optics to wave optics, from ordinary materials to extraordinary materials with optical effects. While my journey in optics and photonics was inevitable, it never lacked an element of surprise. 

I started my PhD here at Michigan Tech in Fall 2018, in the Department of Physics with Dr. Miguel Levy as my advisor. In my research, I focus on investigating the fundamental properties of ultra-thin magneto-optics materials. The surface effects we are investigating will lead to the miniaturization of laser components named optical isolator and, thus, the miniaturization of lasers. We researched the experimental aspects of these properties and the theoretical, i.e., density functional theory aspect of it. This gives a complete picture of our investigation of the non-reciprocity property, i.e., Faraday rotation.  

During my time at Michigan Tech, I made friends and family who helped me grow as a physicist and a better human being. Now that it’s almost time for my journey at Michigan Tech to end soon, I am sure the memories and lessons learned during these five years will always stay with me and guide me in my future endeavors. 

I am indebted to the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory panel for considering and awarding me this fellowship. I am grateful to my advisor; Dr. Levy’s teachings helped me become a better person and student. He always inspired me to contribute to the community while contributing to physics. I am proud and honored to be his student.

I started my Ph.D. program in the Physics Department at Michigan Tech in the fall of 2017 and joined Dr. Nakamura’s group. There I focused on studying lithium dendrite growth in electrolytes using Monte Carlo simulations and deep neural networks in machine learning methods. Motivated by our collaborator’s experiment, I discovered a new mechanism for inhibiting the dendrite growth with large organic salts, such as ionic liquids. Through my research and coursework experiences, I have solidified my confidence in various physics subjects. These include soft-matter physics, solid-state physics, computational physics, physical chemistry, and computer science. As I approach the end of my Ph.D. program, I am currently addressing the challenge of overcoming the vast computational expense of molecular dynamics simulations for salt-free and salt-doped liquids. In order to address this, I am further developing my deep neural network models.

I have enjoyed my Ph.D. life; Houghton has the most beautiful summers I have ever seen. I greatly appreciate the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel and the Dean for granting me the Finishing Fellowship. I would also like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Issei Nakamura, for his enlightening guidance throughout my research, as well as the Physics Department for all their support.