Xinqi Li
Department: Materials Science and Engineering Supervisor: Miqin Zhang/ Jim de Yoreo/ Shuai Zhang My research focuses on developing novel methods for recycling metal ions using bio-structure induced crystallization. We explore two mechanisms: coordination-based positioning of metal ions and indirect positioning via water molecules. Using Peptoid, a stable peptide mimic with diverse side-chain chemistry, we aim to efficiently capture metal ions like zinc, common in battery industry waste, to form functional nanocrystals. This work bridges fundamental science with practical applications in clean energy technologies like photocatalysis and solar cells, advancing sustainable environmental solutions....
Jay Lee
Department: Chemistry PI: Douglas Reed I am a third-year graduate student in the Reed lab. My research is centered around making porous materials which are normally electronically insulating into highly conductive materials for applications in energy technology. Porous material of my choice is a class of molecules called metal-organic cages. These cage molecules are often solution processible and are amenable to traditional solution chemistry which are often difficult for similar heterogeneous materials. Using cage molecules as a platform we are investigating both non-covalent and covalent functionalization of cage molecules to enable electronic conductivity to these otherwise insulating materials....
Shiqi Ding
Department: Urban Design and Planning Faculty advisor: Dr. Lingzi Wu I am interested in community-engaged clean energy transition through infrastructure planning to make our cities sustainable and equitable. My anticipated research will support policy and planning for Seattle's electric vehicle charging infrastructure expansion at the community level....
Minh Duong
Department: Materials Science & Engineering Advisor: Jun Liu As a graduate student at the University of Washington Materials Science & Engineering, I am pursuing my PhD in the field of rechargeable batteries, with a focus on applying machine learning to accelerate the development and optimization of novel materials, particularly electrolytes for lithium-metal batteries. My passion for battery research stems from my belief that sustainable energy is one of the most pressing challenges and opportunities of our time, and that innovative solutions are needed to address the environmental, social, and economic impacts of fossil fuels. I am motivated by the potential of machine learning to unlock new...
Haiely Akins
Department: Chemistry Faculty Advisor: Alexandra Velian Research Statement: Designing better, more energy-efficient catalysts is crucial for reducing worldwide energy consumption. Towards this goal, I am looking to create complex, atomically precise catalytic sites on the surface of material supports. This combines the stability and longevity of traditional material catalysts with the tunability and mechanistic insight associated with small molecule catalysts. My chosen support – black phosphorus – is ideal for this goal as it has an abundance of reactive electron lone pairs on its surface primed to form bonds. Currently, I am investigating the range of complexity accessible on the surface of black phosphorus via a...