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OUR MEMBERS
Joshua Willoughby
Ph.D. Student
Joshua Willoughby is a 2nd year PhD student in Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Clemson. He received a B.S. in Materials Science and engineering with a minor in Chemistry in 2022 from Clemson University. His research interests are energy conversion technologies and co-ionic conducting electrolytes for fuel cells. In his free time, Josh enjoys weightlifting, playing video games, and reading
Nakeshma Cassel
Ph.D. Student
Nakeshma Cassel is a 3rd year PhD student in the MSE department at Clemson University. She previously received her B.S. in chemistry with a minor in Mathematics from the University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas in 2017. Her current research interests are in thermochemistry and crystal structure of hollandite- type materials. In her spare time, Nakeshma enjoys reading, dancing and traveling.
Nathan Cretegny
Masters student
Nathan Cretegny is a 1st year masters student in the MSE department at Clemson University. He received a B.S. in Material Science and Engineering from Clemson University in 2022, with a minor in Chemistry. His undergraduate research focused on properties of triple conducting cathode materials, and he is currently interested in hexagonal layered perovskite materials for electrolyte applications in protonic ceramic fuel cells. When not doing research Nathan enjoys working out, listening to music, playing soccer, and skiing.
Rahul Rajeev
Ph.D. Student
Rahul Rajeev is a 3rd year PhD student in the MSE department at Clemson University. He previously received his Bachelor of Technology with Honors in Materials Science and Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar in 2020. His current research interest is the 3D printing and laser sintering of lithium conducting oxides. In his free time, Rahul enjoys playing soccer, road trips, and exploring new places.
Postdoctoral Researchers
Dr. Abhaya Kumar Mishra
Postdoctoral Researcher
Dr. Abhaya Kumar Mishra is a postdoctoral fellow in Prof. Brinkman Group. He was awarded the Ph. D from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT-KGP), India. He focused his doctoral research on the solution-based synthesis of oxide materials for environment and energy applications. He was a research associate at National Chemical Laboratory Pune, India. Presently, Dr. Mishra is working on tailoring materials’ surface chemistry to develop advanced functional materials. The as-synthesized materials are subsequently studied for electrochemical applications related to energy generation and storage.
Dr. Shraddha Jadhav
Postdoctoral Researcher
Dr Shraddha Jadhav is a Postdoctoral Researcher in Brinkman group. She received her master’s (M.Sc.) in Analytical Chemistry from Fergusson College, Pune, India in 2013. She did her Ph.D. in Chemical Science from Universidad de Guanajuato, Gto. Mexico as well as during academia worked as a research scholar in DOMEN Lab at Shinshu University & The University of Tokyo, Japan during 2018- 2019. Her doctorate worked involved synthesis, characterization and development of heterogeneous metal oxide nanocomposites and their photocatalytic studies toward environmental applications. Currently working on Materials synthesis and characterization efforts on oxides for energy including solid state ionic conductors based on garnet structured LLZO. Shraddha also likes hiking, watching movies, cooking, travelling.
Dr. Nancy R. Birkner
Research Assistant Professor
Dr. Nancy Birkner is a Research Assistant Professor in the Brinkman group. She earned her PhD in Inorganic Chemistry at the University of California Davis in 2015 with her advisor Alexandra Navrotsky. Her PhD focused on the application of experimental thermodynamics to solve difficult research questions about complex oxide minerals and materials at the bulk and nanoscale. Dr. Birkner’s research currently applies experimental thermodynamics and Raman spectroscopy to examine the phase formation, stability, reactivity, and local structure of simple- and complex-structured inorganic oxides, MOFs, and molten salts. She has various additional interests including the violin, ballroom dancing, body building, alpine skiing, and golfing.
GROUP ALUMNI
Jack Duffy
Jack Duffy received his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Clemson University in 2023. He previously received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Northeastern University in 2018. Jack focused on cathode materials for protonic ceramic fuel cell applications, especially the fundamental properties of triple-conducting mixed ionic-electronic conductors. He also works on surface-level and microstructural modification of cathode materials for application. Jack enjoys hiking, watching and playing sports, and listening to music in his free time.
Donovan Moses
Donovan Moses was a PhD student in MSE Department at Clemson University. He previously received his B.S in Materials Science and Engineering with a minor in electronic and photonic materials from Penn State University. His research interests are in functional ceramic energy harvesting devices and anode materials for fuel cells. Donovan likes to hike, play drums, and play basketball in his free time.
Dr. Changlong Li
Changlong Li received his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Clemson University in 2021. He previously obtained his B.S. in Applied Chemistry from Shantou University in Guangdong, China. He also received his M.S. in both Materials Science and Engineering and Computer Science at Clemson University. Changlong focused on solid-state Lithium ion conducting garnets for solid-state lithium ion batteries, including microstructural modification and computational and experimental investigation of material thermodynamics.
Dr. Mingyang Zhao
Mingyang Zhao received his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Clemson University in 2021. He previously received his B.S. from Hohai University in 2013 and his M.S. from the University of Florida in 2015, both in Materials Science and Engineering. Mingyang focused on thermochemistry and electrochemistry of hollandite-type materials as nuclear waste forms and solid-state conductors.
Dr. Jun Gao
Jun Gao received his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Clemson University in 2021. He previously received his B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Nanjing Tech University in 2014 and received his M.S. at Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2017. Jun focused on energy conversion and storage materials, especially on oxygen-ion and protonic-based solid oxide fuel cells and nanostructured ceramic membranes for enhanced tritium management. He also worked on the proton/deuterium surface exchange process using in-situ Raman technique. Currently working as a postdoc in Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
Dr. Yuqing Meng
Dr. Yuqing Meng was a postdoctoral researcher in the Brinkman group from 2018-21. He previously received in PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from University of Science and Technology of China in 2018, and joined the Brinkman group that same year. Dr. Meng’s research interests focused on sustainable clean energy based on solid state ionic materials, including oxygen-ion conducting and proton-conducting ceramics. He has technical expertise in synthesis and electrochemical characterization of ceramic fuel cells, electrolysis cells, and catalytic membrane reactors.
Dr. Christopher Dandeneau was a postdoctoral researcher in the Brinkman Group at Clemson University. He previously received his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Washington. He is currently working in Savannah River National Laboratory.
Dr. Akihiro Iishi
Dr. Akihiro Iishi was a postdoctoral researcher in the Brinkman group from 2019-2020. He previously received his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Tohoku University. While in the Brinkman group, his research focused on 3D printing of oxide materials for solid-state protonic ceramic fuel cells and lithium ion batteries. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Takamura group at Tohoku University.
Dr. Robert Grote
Dr. Robert Grote received his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Clemson University in 2019. His research focused on the effect of composition on the structure, symmetry, and stability of tunnel-structured hollandite ceramics for nuclear waste immobilization. Research Engineer at Semiconductor Solutions in Columbus, Ohio
Mr. Devin Harkins
Quality Engineer at Cooper Standard
Dr. Ye Lin
Senior Engineer/Scientist at Phillips 66
Dr. Yun Xu
Postdoc at DOE-NREL from Nov 2016 to June 2019
Dr. Tao Hong
Assistant Professor at Hefei Institute of Technology, Hefei China
Dr. Cong Ren
Assistant Professor, Xian University, Xian China
Dr. Siwei Wang
Staff Scientist, TDK Ceramics
Dr. Sayful Islam
Senior Research Chemist at Koppers Inc.
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