2024 Sandia Graduate Fellows

I am a first-year graduate student majoring in mechanical engineering with a micro/nano engineering concentration. My interests involve fabrication and testing of MEMS devices using different engineering design techniques and CAD software. My research involves membrane resonator sensors for sub-micron diameter particle counting for applications such as air quality monitoring and characterization of nanoparticle properties. I look forward to my fellowship at Sandia National Laboratories working on super high frequency resonators, and I hope to contribute to the field of sensors. In my free time, I enjoy playing badminton, going out to trivia nights, and learning new languages.

I am a third year applied physics PhD student at Stanford working with Professor Daniel Tartakovsky. I am interested in a broad range of topics in statistical physics, and I am working on developing stochastic methods for disordered systems. Recently this has included using the signature transform from rough paths theory to enhance SVM learning for noisy nonlinear dynamics. I hope to pursue a career in academia after I graduate, and in my free time I like to cook, paint, and play cards.

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As a 4th year PhD candidate on the Experimental Petrology team at Rice University, I study how the Earth stores and releases sulfur by experimentally reproducing the inaccessible mantle’s high pressure, high temperature conditions and analyzing the chemistry of the synthesized minerals. I will be joining the HyMARC project at Sandia to pivot this foundation in volatile absorption by solids toward characterizing novel materials for hydrogen storage, and look forward to gaining hands-on experience with an array of state-of-the-art analytical instruments. Outside of the lab, I am an avid cyclist and plan to pedal all over California’s sweeping landscapes this summer.

I am a 3rd year PhD student in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. My current research focuses on using first-principles approaches to study the defect properties of various high-entropy nitrides. Specifically, using an energy density method via Density Functional Theory to predict the vacancy formation energy of nitrogen sites. I am very excited to continue studying defect properties at Sandia, where I will be utilizing both DFT and ML architectures, like graph neural networks, to predict vacancy kinetics in solid-state materials. In my free time, I enjoy playing volleyball, going to the gym, and reading science-fiction novels.

I’m a 3rd year PhD student studying Biochemistry and Molecular Plant Sciences. I am interested in using molecular dynamics and other computational tools to model atom-scale interactions in photosynthetic organisms. My current research focuses on protein-lipid interactions underlying abiotic stress tolerance in plants. At Sandia, I will be using machine learning to investigate the viral tests and their capacity to detect mutated viruses. Outside of the lab, I love reading, riding bikes, and lifting weights.

I am currently a 2nd year Ph.D. student in the Environmental Science and Engineering program at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). I am a San Antonio, TX native who joins URA-SNL from Texas Tech University where I received my B.S. in Geophysics and UTSA where I got a M.S. in Geoinformatics. My research involves using remote sensing to study terrestrial atmospheric, geological, and geophysical processes. Outside of the lab I enjoy cooking, sports, and quality relaxation time.

Embarking on a pioneering path where the worlds of microbiology, molecular genetics, and computational analysis converge, I am currently advancing my academic and professional prowess with a Master’s degree in Data Science at Michigan State University. Rooted in a comprehensive Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology & Molecular Genetics and a minor in Bioethics, my foray into bioinformatics is driven by a commitment to blend these disciplines seamlessly. My journey through the complex world of biobased chemical production at the MSU Bioeconomy Institute has not only deepened my understanding of microbial behaviors but also kindled my fascination with harnessing data to unlock new discoveries in biology. Here, I’ve led projects in process development, mastering microbial culture management and leveraging computational tools to streamline experimental processes in a Biosafety Level 2 lab setting. This rich blend of hands-on and computational experience is further augmented by the discipline, analytical prowess, and leadership skills developed during my service in the U.S. Army. As I transition into a learning role at Sandia National Laboratories, my goal is to harness my unique skill set in microbiology, molecular genetics, and data science to contribute to the cutting-edge field of viral genomics, aiming to uncover new insights into viral mechanisms and contribute to our global health security.

As a fourth-year PhD candidate in chemical engineering, I study process optimization for electrocatalytic systems utilizing industrial wastes to synthesize value-added chemicals. My project emphasizes tailoring electrochemical reactions to optimize activity, selectivity, and durability while minimizing the cost of purification and separation. At Sandia, I will augment these research directions, studying the separation of PFAS degradation byproducts as well as carbon dioxide capture and sequestration. I have a B.S. in Environmental Science from Appalachian State University, where I was also a member of the US national field hockey team. Outside of work, I enjoy weightlifting, playing video games with my fiancé, and dabbling in interior design.