Featured Past Research Mentors
VIPER students have done exciting energy research with many Penn faculty members over the years. Here are some examples of professors VIPER students have worked with in the past.
There are many more professors working on exciting energy projects but not listed here. Check out the Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology (VIEST) website and the department website of your interests and reach out to the professors that you want to work with!
Igor Bargatin
We push the limits of nanofabrication techniques to create materials and structures with unprecedented mechanical properties and to enable applications such as heat-to-electricity direct energy conversion, new levitation techniques for microflyers, and interstellar travel using a lightsail (also known as project Starshot).
Sue Ann Bidstrup-Allen
- Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology
- Energy and Environmental Engineering
- Soft Matter and Complex Fluids
Robert Carpick
The Carpick Group are an interdisciplinary group of researchers who are interested in studying the fundamental origins and the important applications of friction, adhesion, wear, and lubrication at the nanoscale.
Pratik Chaudhari
The General Robotics, Automation, Sensing and Perception (GRASP) Laboratory is an interdisciplinary academic and research center within the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania. Founded in 1979, the GRASP Lab is a premier robotics incubator that fosters collaboration between students, research staff and faculty focusing on fundamental research in vision, perception, control systems, automation, and machine learning.
GRASP Lab (General Robotics, Automation, Sensing & Perception Lab)
Andre DeHon
How do we physically implement computations?
Broadly, my research interests address this question, including physical substrates (VLSI, molecular, ...), programmable media (FPGAs, (multi-) processors, ...), mapping (compilation and CAD), system abstractions and dynamic management (run-time systems, OS, scheduling), and problem capture (programming languages).
Eric Detsi
Research in the 3DAFSN Lab contributes to bridging the gap between Materials Science and Technology with the focus on sustainable synthesis of nanostructured materials with tailored morphology and chemistry for electrochemical energy conversion and storage technologies.
3D Advanced Functional & Structural Nanocomposites (3DAFSN ) LAB
Eric Eaton
My research develops machine learning and AI for versatile systems that are deployed for extended durations in complex dynamic environments. This research combines and integrates techniques from continual or lifelong learning, transfer and multi-task learning, deep learning, reinforcement learning, multimodal learning, collaborative AI, machine perception, and robotic control. We apply these methods to problems in autonomous robotics and precision medicine.
GRASP Lab (General Robotics, Automation, Sensing & Perception Lab)
Liang Feng
We are a research group focusing on integrated photonics and quantum optics.
Karen Goldberg
Research in the Goldberg group is focused on the development of new catalytic systems to efficiently produce chemicals and fuels from a range of available feedstocks. We are interested in transforming both highly saturated feedstocks, such as natural gas and alkanes, as well as highly oxygenated materials like CO2 and those found in biomass. Using catalysis, we seek to develop new environmentally responsible and economically viable methods to convert these feedstocks to more valuable organic products.
Deep Jariwala
- Electrical and Systems Engineering
Charlie Johnson
- Physics and Astronomy (Primary)
- Electrical and Systems Engineering
- Materials Science and Engineering
My research is focused on the development of new families of single-atomic-layer nanomaterials, building a scientific understanding their physical and chemical properties, and translation of device structures into useful applications. The group synthesizes monolayers of graphene, boron nitride, and a number of the transition metal dichalcogenides. To study the electronic properties and create devices, we use tools in the Quattrone Nanofabrication Facility in Singh Center for Nanotechnology. Our fundamental investigations involve collaboration with groups on campus and globally. For applications, we are particularly interested in new chemical detection technologies where biological molecules are used as chemical recognition elements, for use in disease diagnosis, security, and environmental monitoring.
Daeyeon Lee
- Soft Matter and Complex Fluids
- Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology
- Cellular and Biomolecular Engineering
- Energy and Environmental Engineering
The vision of Soft Materials Research and Technology (SMART) Laboratory is to develop deep understanding of the interactions between soft materials (e.g., polymers, colloids and biologicals, etc.) near or at interfaces. We seek to extend the obtained knowledge to direct the assembly of macroscopic structures that have designed properties and functionality. Recent projects in the group include highthroughput synthesis and screening of soft matter/biological systems, infiltration of polymers into nanoparticle packings, interfacial complexation of polymers and nanoparticles, and development of bicontinuous biphasic systems for conversion and separations applications.
Amish Patel
- Soft Matter and Complex Fluids
- Advanced Materials and Nanotechnolog
- Cellular and Biomolecular Engineering
- Energy and Environmental Engineering
- Molecular Simulation and Thermodynamics
The Patel group strives to achieve a molecular-level understanding of solvation and transport in aqueous and polymeric systems, with applications ranging from biomolecular interactions and assemblies to the design of advanced materials for water purification and renewable energy. To study these biological, nanoscopic, and polymeric systems, we use statistical mechanics and liquid state theory in conjunction with the development and use of novel molecular simulation, enhanced sampling and machine learning techniques.
Scott Poethig
- Cell and Developmental Biology
- Genetics, Epigenetics, Genomics Plant Biology
Eric Schelter
Projects in the Schelter Group involve synthesis of inorganic and organometallic complexes for applications in sustainability. Current research interests include critical metals separations and recycling, synthetic lanthanide and actinide chemistry, quantum materials chemistry, and photochemistry.
Talid Sinno
- Soft Matter and Complex Fluids
- Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology
- Molecular Simulation and Thermodynamics
Dr. Sinno’s research in computational materials science is focused on multiscale modeling and simulation of nucleation, aggregation, and crystallization processes in a wide range of material systems. He has published widely in diverse areas, including semiconductor microstructure evolution during crystal growth, self-assembly of colloidal crystals, and platelet cell aggregation (clotting) in blood flow. His group develops and applies numerous computational techniques across length and time scales to study these problems, including molecular dynamics, various flavors of Monte Carlo, and continuum scale modeling.
Eric Stach
His research interests focus on developing and applying electron microscopy techniques to solve a wide range of materials problems, with the most recent emphasis on catalysis, energy storage materials, solar photovoltaics, and nanostructure growth.
Aleksandra Vojvodic
- Catalysis and Reaction Engineering
- Energy and Environmental Engineering
- Molecular Simulation and Thermodynamics
The Vojvodic Lab research focuses on theoretical and computational-driven materials design. The lab uses computational frameworks to obtain fundamental understanding of surface and interface properties of complex materials that can be used to develop theoretical models for chemical transformations and energy conversion. These models have, for example, been used to predict new materials for several chemical reactions which have been experimentally synthesized and tested, validating the desired properties of the computationally predicted catalyst material. The Vojvodic lab mission is to contribute with cutting-edge modern first principle tools and machine learning to help find and engineer future materials and chemistries needed for a better existence on planet Earth.
Patrick Walsh
Our research spans organic asymmetric syntheses, organocatalysis, transition metal-catalyzed reactions, hetero-bimetallic catalysts, lanthanide complexes and other organometallics. We are interested in mechanistic studies and unusual reactivity. The research team is composed of doctoral students, Masters of Chemical Science students, undergraduates and visiting scholars.
Karen I. Winey
The Winey Group at the University of Pennsylvania employs a variety of experimental and computational tools to probe the structural and physical properties of advanced polymers. We are studying and designing functional polymers to improve proton, hydroxide, and ion conductivity targeting a variety of energy applications (fuel cells, batteries, membranes). Building upon our expertise in polymer nanocomposites, our current interests focus on nanoparticle and polymer dynamics in electrochemical devices. We also have a project focusing on polymer-to-polymer upcycling to convert waste polyolefins to higher value polymers.
Shu Yang
We are interested in developing novel materials synthesis, assembly and eco-manufacturing of complex, multi-functional, nano- to macrostructured soft, sustainable materials and composites.