Current Members
Samjhana Maharjan
Ph.D. Candidate
(B.Sc. & M.Sc., Nepal)
Research snapshot: Sam explores organo-photocatalytic platforms for chemical transformations and HER. She also works on triplet photochemical processes and photometric sensing of heavy metals.
Joseph O’Shea
Ph.D. Candidate
(B.Sc. & M.Sc. Illinois Tech, IL)
Research snapshot: Joe investigates doublet and triplet photophysical processes, including photon upconversion and multi-triplet excitonic systems!
Sarita Rawool
Ph.D. Candidate
(B.Sc. & M.Sc IIT Hyderabad)
Research snapshot: Sarita investigates organic-inorganic hybrid photo-materials for catalysis, PDT, and theragnostic applications
Balaka Ghosh
Ph.D. Candidate
(B.Sc. & M.Sc @ Central University of Gujarat, India)
Research snapshot: Balaka develops photo/bio-active materials for synergistic (photo)medicinal applications and consumer products
Pamela Ondiek
Ph.D. Student (B.Sc. @ Machakos University, Kenya)
Research snapshot: Pamela engineers eco-friendly materials for environmental remediation and water purification
Garvisha Mittal
Ph.D. Student (B.Sc. @ Shiv Nadar University, India)
Research snapshot: Garvisha investigates CT-SOC photophysics & photomaterials for non-linear processes, PDT, and theragnostic applications
Roy Liu
Ph.D. Student (B.Sc. @ UIC, IL)
Research snapshot: Roy works on method development to prepare sulfur-containing bioactive compounds for medicinal applications
Undergraduate Researchers
Sergena Merisier
(Chem Major, Class of 2026)
Research snapshot: Sergie works on organic sensing materials for biomedical applications
- LASURI & NSF M-STEM Scholar (F23 to S24)
- UIC NOBCChE President (2025-26)
- Gilbert Peterson & CURA Scholar (S23, S24)
Khushi Sharma
(Biochem/Biology Major, Class of 2025)
Research snapshot: Khushi works on organic-inorganic hybrid photo-materials for PDT and theragnostic applications
Nyarai Terry
(Chem Major, Class of 2025)
Research snapshot (CHEM 499): Nyarai explores photo-active anti-microbial cleaning formulations
Group Alumni
- Dr. Ravi Khishore (Now at Northwestern University, Postdoc with Mike Wasielewski’s group)
- Dr. Guang Yang (Ph.D. 2024, Postdoc at UIC with Rui Gao’s group)
- Roy Liu (B. Sc. 2024, transferred to Ph.D. at UIC)
- Maxim V. Scherbakov (B. Sc. 2024, Ph.D. Student at Illinois Tech)
- Omega Berhanu (B. Sc. 2023, Ph.D. Student at the Ohio State University)
- Dr. Abed Jamhawi (Now at St. Xavier University, IL)
- Dr. Young Ju Yun (Ph.D. 2022, Postdoc at Northwestern University with Julia Kalow’s group)
- Jayla Morgan (M. Sc. 2022, now at Mars Wrigley, Chicago, IL)
- William Blodgett (M. Sc. 2021, Ph.D. student at CUNNY)
- Alysia Desimone (M. Sc. 2021)
- Ismael Sanchez (M. Sc. 202, Chemist/Scientist at Abbvie)
- Dr. Nareshbabu Kamatham (Chemist/Scientist at Intel)
- Dr. Manoj K. Manna (Scientist/Postdoc at Stanford Univ.)
- Dr. Siamak Shokri (Ph.D. 2018, now at Pfizer–Scientist I)
- Yuxin Ye (M. Sc. 2019, Scientist/Research Associate at Charles River Lab)
- Zhengyu Hu (M. Sc. 2019, Scientist, China)
- Kuo-Hao Chen (M. Sc. 2017, Ph.D. student at Butler Univ.)
- Jomana Hatahet (B.Sc. 2017, Ph.D. at Loyola Univ.)
Collaborators
- Prof. Mike Wasielewski, Northwestern Univ., IL
- Prof. Ying S. Hu, UIC
- Prof. Bill Wuest, Emory University
- Dr. Martin Ata Lawson, Université Le Havre Normandie (France)
- Prof. Steve Lopez, Northeastern University
- Prof. Barry Pemberton, Stockton College (NY)
- Prof. Eric Detsi, UPenn
- Dr. Gary Wiederrecht, CNM-ANL
- Dr. David Gosztola, CNM-ANL
- Prof. Gonzalo Ossès Jimenez (Basque Res. Ctr., Spain)
- Prof. Preston Snee, UIC
- Prof. Andrey Rogachev, Illinois Tech
- Prof. Nikita Durandin, Tampere Univ. (Finland)
- Dr. Steffen Jockusch, BGSU
