Krauss Group Alumni

Staff Scientist

1. Sanela Lampa-Pastirk

   Staff Scientist

   Project: Ultrafast spectroscopic studies of single walled carbon nanotubes. Next Position: Professor of Chemistry at Nazareth University.

2. Jeffrey Peterson

   Staff Scientist

   Project: Electrostatic force microscopy of single CdSe quantum dots. Next Position: Professor of Chemistry at SUNY Geneseo.

Post Doc

1. Sean O’Neil

   Post Doc

   Project: Photophysics of SnTe quantum dots.

2. Kevin McClelland

   Post Doc

   Project: Photophysical studies of the electron and hole transfer from CdSe nanocrystals to molecular and cluster charge acceptors and catalysts.

3. Petier Lamberg

   Post Doc

   Project: Electrogenic energy transfer from Schwanella bacteria and bacterial fuel cells to CdSe quantum dots for solar fuels production. Co-advised with Prof. Kara L. Bren.

4. Sebastian Schäfer

   Post Doc

   Project: Spectroelectrochemistry of individual carbon nanotubes. Next Position: Project Manager OCT Applications at Thorlabs, Inc. (Lübeck, Germany).

5. Brett Swartz

   Post Doc

   Project: Large scale synthesis of PbSe and CdSe semiconductor nanocrystals. Next Position: CTO of Advanced Quantum Imaging, LLC (Rochester, NY).

6. Michael Odoi

   Post Doc

   Project: Single Carbon Nanotube Photophysics. Next Position: Senior Scientist at KLA-Tencor (Milpitas, CA).

7. Anni Siitonen

   Post Doc

   Project: Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotube Membranes for Solar Hydrogen Production. Next Position: Senior Scientist at Polestar Technologies (Needham Heights, MA).

8. Andrea Lee

   Post Doc

   Project: Single protein folding studies of cytochrome c. Co-advised with Prof. Kara L. Bren. Next Position: Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Vermont.

9. Marat Khafizov

   Post Doc

   Project: Ultrafast optical studies of carbon nanotube photophysics. Next Position: Staff scientist at Idaho National Laboratory.

10. Xiaoyong Wang

    Post Doc

    Project: Single semiconductor quantum dot and carbon nanotube fluorescence studies. Next Position: Tenure Track Professor at Nanjing University

11. Zhihui Ban

    Post Doc

    Project: Synthesis of biologically compatible semiconductor and metal quantum dots and their cytotoxic effects. Next Position: Seeking employment in the Boston, Massachusetts area.

12. Megan Hahn

    Post Doc

    Project: Synthesis of semiconductor quantum dots for improved solid state lighting. Next Position: Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Particle Engineering Research Center at the University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.

13. Fengzhi Jiang

    Post Doc

    Project: Correlating the optical properties of single CdSe quantum dots with their charge. Next Position: Professor of Chemistry at Yunnan University in China.

14. Hui Du

    Post Doc

    Project: Studies of surface immobilized molecular beacons for highly sensitive and selective DNA sensors for pathogenic organisms. Next Position: Research Scientist at Nanogram Corporation, San Jose, California.

Ph.D.

1. Cunming Liu

   Thesis Title: Exciton Relaxation and Electron Transfer Dynamics of Semiconductor Quantum Dots. Next Position, Postdoctoral research fellow at USF, Tampa, FL.

2. Gregory Pilgrim

   Thesis Title: “Electrons, Protons, and Solvents in Carbon Nanotubes,” Next position: JSPS Postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Kyoto, Japan.

3. Kelly Sowers

   Thesis Title: Synthesis, Photophysics, and Applications of Colloidal Semiconductor Quantum Dots. Next position: Postdoctoral Fellow at Ultrecht University, Netherlands.

4. Julie Smyder

   Thesis Title: Elucidating the Single-Molecule Fluorescence Intermittency and Quantum Yield of Nanoscale Particles with Confocal and Scanning Probe Microscopies.” Next Position: Lecturer for general chemistry.

5. Beckah Burke

   Thesis Title: “Colloidal Semiconductor Nanocrystals for Photocatalytic Proton Reduction.” Next position: Independent science writer.

6. Abby Freyer

   Thesis Title: “Investigation of Doped Nanocrystals Utilizing Electrostatic Force Microscopy.” Next position: Applications Scientist at Semrock Inc.

7. Jennifer Urban

   Project: Engineered, responsive semiconductor quantum-dot/poly-peptide self assemblies for super-resolution imaging of neurons. Co-advised with Prof. Bradley Nilsson. Next position: Scientist position at Bausch and Lomb.

8. Amanda Amori

   Thesis Title: “Photophysics of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes and their Applications.” Next position: Applications Scientist at Semrock Inc.

9. Zhentao Hou

   Thesis Title: “Photophysical; properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes” Next position: Masters Program in Data Science.

10. Leah Frenette

    Thesis Title: Colloidal Quantum Dot Synthesis, Mechanistic Studies, and Applications in Photocatalysis. Next position: Postdoctoral Fellow at Imperial College, London, UK.

11. Amanda Preske

    Project: Applications of semiconductor quantum dots for solar energy applications. ,” Next position: Started Circuit Breaker Labs, a company to sell her science art and jewelry.

12. Fen Qiu

    Thesis Title: “Semiconductor Nanocrystals for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production.” Next position: Postdoctoral research fellow at LBNL, Berkeley, CA.

13. Helen Wei

    Thesis Title: “Synthesis of Colloidal Semiconductor Quantum dots: Gradient Alloy Core and Tunable Surface Composition. Next position: Working at the family business in Tawain.

14. Wesley Asher

    Project: Single molecule studies of the unfolding of cytochrome c. Co-advised with Prof. Kara L. Bren. Next position: Postdoctoral Fellow at Columbia University, New York, New York.

15. Christopher Evans

    Project: Thesis Title: “Insight into Quantum Dot Synthesis: Metal-Metal Bond Formation and Particle Growth.” Next Position: Postdoctoral Fellow at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.

16. Shujing Wang

    Project: Studies of multiple exciton generation in isolated single walled carbon nanotubes.

17. Lisa Carlson

    Thesis Title: Photophysics of individual single-walled carbon nanotubes. Next position: Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, Connecticut.

18. Amy Ensign

    Thesis Title: Studies of Horse Heart cytochrome c folding. Co-advised with Prof. Kara L. Bren. Next position: Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Roberts Wesleyan College, Rochester, New York

19. Kathryn Leach

    Thesis Title: The Chemistry of Single Carbon Nanotube Optics and Electronics. Next position: Research Scientist at Advanced Concepts and Technologies International, Crown Point, Indiana.

20. Li Guo

    Thesis Title: Energy transfer between colloidal semiconductor quantum dots. Next position: Staff scientist with ASML Corporation, Wilton, Connecticut.

21. Jeffrey Peterson

    Project: Investigations of single PbS and PbSe quantum dot fluorescence properties. Next position: Postdoctoral research fellow at JILA/NIST, Boulder, Colorado.

22. Megan Hahn

    Thesis title: Use of functionalized colloidal semiconductor nanocrystal quantum dots in selective labeling of pathogenic bacteria. Next position: Postdoctoral research fellow with the University of Rochester and Eastman Kodak Corporation, Rochester, New York.

23. Libai Huang

    Thesis title: Ultrafast studies of photoexcited exciton dynamics in isolated single-walled carbon nanotubes. Next position: Postdoctoral research fellow at Argonne National Laboratory, Chicago, Illinois.

24. Hermen Pedrosa

    Thesis title: The optical properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes. Next Position, Industrial postdoctoral fellow at Church and Dwight Company Inc., Princeton, New Jersey.

M.S.

1. Wesley Chiang

   Thesis Title,” Super-resolution Microscopy to Examinge Cellular Uptake of Micelle Encapsulated Quantum Dots.” Next Position: Ph.D. student in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Rochester.

Undergraduates

1. Kaelyn McFarlane-Connelly

2. Rulin Gao

   Project: Synthesis and photophysical characterization of SnS and SnSe nanoplatelets.

3. Aiden Oi

   Project: Atomic Force Microscopy and Single Molecule Fluorescence Correlation. Next Position: Ph.D. Candidate, Boston University.

4. Caleb Whittier

   Project: Synthesis of Ag-doped CdSe nanocrystals.

5. Austin Bailey

   Project: Synthesis of Polyfluorenes for solubilization of single walled carbon nanotubes with high structure specificity. Next Position: Take-5 Program University of Rochester.

6. Peter Fiala

   Project: Plasmon enhanced Carbon Nanotube Fluorescence. Next Position: Ph.D. candidate EPFL, Switzerland.

7. Ji Yoon Roh

   Project: Separation of single walled carbon nanotubes by chiral species using large scale methods.

8. Kevin McClelland

   Project: CdTe Quantum Dots for Photochemical Water Splitting and H2 production. Next Position: Ph.D. Candidate at Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.

9. Joanne Leadbetter

   Project: Vertically aligned carbon nanotube membranes for photochemical water splitting. Next Position: FDA staff scientist.

10. Taylor Moot

    Project: Carbon nanotube solutions highly enriched in a single chirality. Next Position: Ph.D. Candidate, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.

11. Donald Polaski

    Project: Photophysical properties of PbSe magic sized clusters and their use in molecular beacons.

12. Matt McKay

    Project: PbSe magic sized clusters for high contrast in vivo fluorescence imaging agents. Next Position: Medical School Student at the University of Pennsylvania.

13. Mike McCoy

    Project: Synthesis of water soluble CdSe quantum dots and quantum rods for biological sensing applications. Next Position: Ph.D. Candidate, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.

14. Sara Rupich

    Project: Improved photoluminescence of carbon nanotubes. Next Position: Ph.D. Candidate, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.

15. Jeff Hsu

    Project: Improved fluorescence from DNA solubilized carbon nanotubes through plasmonics.

16. James Camera

    Project: DNA sensing Silica Microspheres. Next Position: Ph.D. Candidate, Columbia University, New York, New York.