Team

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PI: Ellen Hyeran Kang, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Physics and Associate Chair of Academics

Department of Physics | NanoScience Technology Center (NSTC)

University of Central Florida

Secondary joint appointment, Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Graduate faculty, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences

  • Postdoctoral Research Associate, Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT (Advisor: Prof. Enrique De La Cruz)
  • M.S./Ph.D. in Physics, Brown University, Providence, RI (Advisor: Prof. Jay Tang)
  • B.S./M.S. in Physics, Seoul National University, South Korea (Advisor: Prof. Yung Woo Park)

Current Members:

A person wearing glasses, a black suit, purple shirt, and patterned tie smiles against a plain background.Bryan Demosthene

Ph.D. student in Biomedical Sciences

M.S. in Nanotechnology (Thesis track), University of Central Florida

B.S. in Biomedical Science, University of Central Florida

NSF PREM Scholar & Former NSF REU student in Kang lab (Summer 2018)

 

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Taylor Douglas

Ph.D. student in Physics

M.S. in Physics, University of Central Florida

B.S. in Biophysics, Rowan University, NJ

NSF PREM Scholar

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Ramsha Hashmi

Ph.D. student in Biomedical Sciences

M.Tech in Bioinformatics, Delhi Technological University, India

B.Tech in Biotechnology, Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam Technical University, India

 

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Shaun Montoya

APS Bridge student in Physics

B.S. in Physics, Montclair State University, NJ

 

 

 

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Alyssa Boyd

Undergraduate Student, Biomedical Science major

Honors Undergraduate Thesis Track

National Merit Scholar

 

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Tristen Gerren

Undergraduate Student, Biotechnology major

NSF PREM Scholar

 

 

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Pedro Henrique Rodrigues Bezzera

Undergraduate Student, Physics major (Biophysics)

 

 

 

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Maddison Walker

Undergraduate Student, Physics major 

NSF PREM Scholar

 

 

A man wearing glasses and a short-sleeve, checked button-up shirt stands smiling against a plain, light-colored wall.Yasiel Rivera

MS Student, Nanotechnology program

 

 

 

Moitri Santra

High School Student, Oviedo High School


Former Lab Members:

Visiting Scholar

Dr. Sang Wook Lee (2022-2023) Professor, Ewha Womans University, Department of Physics 

Postdoctoral Researcher

Dr. Myeongsang Lee (2018-2019) Current: Postdoctoral scholar at NIH

Dr. Hector Rivera-Jacquez (2015-2016) Current: MD program at Trinity Medical Sciences University

Graduate Students

Brianna Ariza (2022-2023) MS student (thesis) in Nanotechnology, Current: University of South Florida Molecular Biosciences PhD program

Pavlo Kravchuk (2020-2022) MS student (thesis) in Nanotechnology, Current: Florida State University Medical School

Jinho Park (2017-2021) PhD student in Materials Science and Engineering, Current: Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Florida 

Nicholas Castaneda (2016-2021) PhD student in Biomedical Sciences, Current: Data Scientist at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Claire Toland (2020-2021) MS (thesis) in Nanotechnology, Current: Research Scientist at Dry Eye and Cornea Treatment Center, Tampa, FL

Connor Harmon (2021) MS (non-thesis) in Nanotechnology, Current: Nova Southeastern University Medical School

James Heidings (2017-2020) MS (thesis) in Biotechnology, a former undergraduate researcher, Current: PhD student at University of Florida 

Zachary Untracht (2017-2019) MS (thesis) in Nanotechnology, a former undergraduate researcher

Sarah Bartley, APS Bridge Program Fellow (2019)

Angie Diaz (2016-2018) MS (thesis) in Nanotechnology, Current:Professional & Technical Scientist at AECOM (a Kennedy Space Center branch)

Ryan Marracino (2017-2018) PhD student in Biomedical Sciences

Michael Atilola, PSM in Nanotechnology (2016-2017)

Aaron Marbin, PSM in Nanotechnology (2016-2017) Current: MD program, Nova Southeastern Univ.

Montherson Saint-Juste, PSM in Nanotechnology (2016)

Taylor Wood, PSM in Nanotechnology (2016)

Undergraduate Students

Sydney Paulin (2021-2025) Current: Dr Pepper

Lucy Bosses (2024-2025) Current: USF Masters of Science in Medical Sciences

Ephraim Weiss (2025) NSF REU student from Washington University in St. Louis

Ahad Ansari (2022-2025) Honors Undergraduate Thesis Scholar

Giosue Pagan (2024) NSF REU student from Penn State University

Abdulrazak Kalae (2022-2023) Honors Undergraduate Thesis Scholar, Current: Nova Southeastern University Medical School

Melissa Deinys (UCF L.E.A.R.N. mentee; 2023)

Kayla Pagan (UCF L.E.A.R.N. mentee; 2023)

Hunter Sjobom (NSF REU student from Catawba College; 2022)

Aliya Hyman (NSF REU student from the Univ. of Buffalo; 2021)

Tevin Um (2019-2020) Honors Undergraduate Thesis Scholar, Current: MD program, Nova Southeastern Univ.

Ryan Mobley (2018-2020)

Nouha Acouri (2019)

Mahammad Gardashli (2018-2019)

Edgar Cruz (2016-2017) Current: Science Teacher at Oak Ridge High School

Amirah Mathin (2016-2017) Current: MS student in Johns Hopkins Univ.

Felix Yeung (2016)

Theresa Merlino (NSF REU student from Penn State Univ., 2017) Current: Associate Scientist, The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies

High School Students

Max Choung (Lake Highland Preparatory School)

Avi Selskey (Trinity Preparatory School), Current: Undergrad at University of Florida

Diya Behal

Ahad Ansari (Lake Highland Preparatory School), ASPIRE program mentee (2019-2021)

Ariana Zhai (Seminole High School) (2017-2019), University of Florida