Research Group Inano
PI: Professor Saif Islam
Visiting Professors and Scientists

Dr. Makato Tsubokawa, Visiting Professor
- Ph.D., Applied Physics, Hokkaido University Japan, 1990.
- Professor, Graduate school, Waseda University, Japan.
Research Interest: Silicon Photonics, Optical Waveguide, Fiber-Optic Sensor, Optical Communication Systems, Optical Access Network Systems.

Dr. Ali Karatay, Visiting Professor
- Ph.D., Fine Arts, Dokuz Eylul University, Turkey
Research Interest: Art and Tech, Digital art.

Dr. Ruxandra Vidu, Visiting Research Scientist
- Ph.D., Material Science and Processing, Osaka University, Japan
- Associate Director, California Solar Energy Collaborative

Dr. Ekaterina Ponizovskaya, Visiting Research Scientist
- Ph.D., Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
- NASA Ames Research Center

Soroush Ghandiparsi, Visiting Research Scientist, LLNL
- Ph.D. Candidate, Electrical Engineering, UC Davis, 2020.
- M.S. 2011, Photonics Engineering, Institute for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (INST), Sharif University of Technology, Iran. School of Engineering- Emerging Technologies, University of Tabriz, Iran.
- B.S. 2007, Electrical Engineering- Electronics.
Research Interest: Optical Communication Systems, CNOS Photonics Integrated Circuits, High-speed Datacom Interconnects, Biophotonics, Silicon Photonics, Integrated Circuits for Optical Communication, Photonics Design and Fabrication, UV/NIR photodiodes, Photovoltaics for IoT applications, Numerical Simulations, and Modeling.
Research Scientists and Engineers
Dr. Amita Rawat, Postdoctoral Research Scientist Link
- Ph.D. Electrical Engineering, IIT Bombay, India 2021
Research Interest: Semiconductor device modeling and simulation, Process-induced variability modeling, Process development for low-cost CMOS fabrication, Design and fabrication of high-speed photodetectors, Light-matter interaction (Details)
Graduate Student Researchers

Ahasan Ahamed
- Ph.D. Candidate, Electrical and Computer Engineering, UC Davis
- B.S. 2018, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET)
Research Interest: Design and fabrication of Quenching Circuit for ultrafast SPAD for Quantum communication, Lens-less imaging, Color image sensors.

Lisa Mcphillips
- Ph.D. Student, Electrical and Computer Engineering, UC Davis
- B.Sc. University of California Santa Cruz
Research Interest: Computational imaging, Deepfake, Image sensors.

Zhouhao Yu
- B.Sc. University of California Davis
Research Interest: Engineering semiconductor nanotips for controlling pollution and pathogens
Rifat Bin Sultan
- B.S. Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB)
Research Interest: Thin film solar cells, photon trapping nano-structures for energy harvesting systems.
Undergraduate Researchers
Htet Myet
- B.S. in Computer Engineering, UC Davis 2024
Research Interest: Computational imaging
Bryan White, GREAT Scholar
- B.S. Student in Electrical Engineering, China 2024
Research Interest: Optoelectronic devices.
Teodora Petrovic
- B.S. Student in Electrical Engineering, UC Davis 2024
Research Interest: Optoelectronic devices.
Zbynka Jaroslava Kekula
- B.S. Electrical Engineering, double majoring in Russian, UC Davis, 2024
Research Interest: Single photon detectors.
Grant Lewis
- B.S. Electrical Engineering, UC Davis, 2024
Research Interest: Optoelectronic devices.
Past Inano Members

Ahmed Mayet (Surrati), Ph.D. 2022
- Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, UC Davis 2022
- M.S. Student in Electrical and Computer Engineering, UC Davis
- B.Sc in Physics, Taibah University, 2008
- Email: asmayet at ucdavis dot edu
Research Interest: Optoelectronic devices, Solar Cells, Semiconductor Devices, Nanotechnology.

Dr. Busra Ergul, Postdoctoral Research Scientist 2021-22
- Ph.D. Applied Chemistry, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 2020
Research Interest: Electrochemical energy technologies, nanostructured material synthesis, electrochemical and material characterization, photon-matter interactions

Mauricio Tavares, Undergraduate Researcher 2019-20
- B.S. Student in Electrical Engineering, UC Davis
Research Interest: Optoelectronic devices, infrared systems, solar photovoltaics, and energy harvesting devices.

Cesar Bartolo Perez, PhD. 2022
- M.Sc. Electrical and Computer Engineering, UC Davis 2022,
- M.Sc. Electrical Engineering, National Institute for Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics, Mexico,
- B.Sc in Technology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico
Research Interest: Nanoelectronics and Nanophotonics for Communications, Energy and Biomedical Applications

Dr. Aly Elrefaie, Visiting Professor
- Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, New York University, NY
Research Interest: Silicon Nano-Optoelectronic devices for data centers optical interconnects. 100G/400G optical systems, free space optical communication systems

Dr. Alize Elif Peksu, Postdoctoral Research Scientist, 2020-21
- Ph.D. Engineering Physics, Istanbul Technical University
Research Interest: Flexible photovoltaics, windows solar cells

Howard Mao
- M.S. Student in Electrical and Computer Engineering, UC Davis, 2020
- B.S. Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, UC Berkeley
Research Interest: Photonic devices and nanomaterials

Xuzhi He
- M.S. Electrical and Computer Engineering, UC Davis, 2020
- BS. 2017, Mechanical Engineering, Oakland University
Research Interest: Optoelectronics design, fabrication and characterization, Nano-photonics and 2D material.

Dr. Wayesh Qarony, Postdoctoral Fellow (2020-21)
- Now at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
- Ph.D. Applied Physics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong

Dr. Soroush Ghandiparsi, Ph.D. 2020
- Now at LLNL
- Ph.D. Electrical Engineering, UC Davis.
- M.S. 2011, Sharif University of Technology, Iran.

Dr. Daniel M. Dryden, LLNL Scholar, Ph.D. 2019
- Now at KBR/ Air Force Research Laboratory, Sensors Directorate
- B.S. Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell Univ
- M.S. Materials Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University
Dr. Badriyah Alhalaili, Ph.D. 2019
- Now at Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), Kuwait.
- Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, UC Davis, 2019

Dr. Yang Gao, Postdoctoral Fellow (2015-18)
- Now at Silicon Microstructures, Inc.(SMI)
- PhD, Mechanical Engineering, State of University of New York at Binghamton;

Dr. Hilal Cansizoglu, Postdoctoral Fellow (2015-18)
- Now at Rigetti Computing, CA.
- Ph.D., Applied Physics, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Nicholas Tesoro
- B.S. Electrical Engineering, UC Davis, 2020
Research Interest: Nano-photonics

Dr. Hossein Rabiee Golgir, Postdoctoral Fellow (2018-19)
- Now at Intel, Folsom CA.
- Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, University of Nebraska Lincoln

Prof. Jun Gou, Visiting Research Scientist (2018-19)
- Now Assistant Professor at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
- PhD, MS, Optical Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

Kazim Gurkan Polat, Ph.D. 2018
- Now at Intel, Oregon
- Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, UC Davis, 2019
- M.S. and MS: Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey

Sicong Yu, MS 2018
- Now at Omnivision Technology Inc
- B.S. EE, Iowa State Univ.
Research Interest: memory and logic for extreme conditions.

Dr. Ahmet Kaya, Postdoctoral Fellow
- Now at Qualcomm
- MS and PhD in Physics, Gazi Üniversitesi

Leyla Kabuli, 2015-17
- Now at UC Berkeley
- High School Researcher
- Davis High School, 8-11 th Grade
Research Interest: Nanoengineering, nanotechnology

Ashwin Ganapathy
- M.S. Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science, IIT, Bombay
- B.S. Metallurgical Engineering & Materials Science, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay
Research Interest: Memristors

Anil Shrestha
- M.S. Student in Electrical and Computer Engineering, UC Davis
- B.E. Electrical Engineering, Tribhuwan University, Kathmandu, Nepal, 2011
Research Interest: Semiconductor devices, nanostructured devices, solar cells.

Xinzhi Zhang
Visiting Undergraduate Researcher, Zhejiang University, China 2016

Yinan Wang
Visiting Undergraduate Researcher, Zhejiang University, China 2016

Dongsheng Lyu
Visiting Undergraduate Researcher, Zhejiang University, China 2016

Yangyang Mao
Visiting Undergraduate Researcher, Zhejiang University, China 2016

Yichuan Wang
Visiting Undergraduate Researcher, Zhejiang University, China 2015

Runzhou Zhang
Visiting Undergraduate Researcher, Zhejiang University, China 2015

Dr. Matthew Monari Ombaba
- Postdoctoral Fellow
- Currently at P&G

Mustafa Coskun
- Visiting Researcher from Istanbul Medeniyet University 2014-15
- M.S. Physics., B.S. Physics.

Dr. Salman B. Inayat
Postdoctoral Researcher 2014-15

Hind Reggad
Visiting Student Researcher 2014

Prof. Il Hwan Cho
Visiting Professor from Myongji University, Republic of Korea 2014-15

Mark Triplett, Ph.D. 2014
- Now at Sandia National Labs, CA

Jin Yong Oh
- Ph.D. 2014 (Best Ph.D. Thesis Award)
- Now at Intel, OR

Dr. Dewyani Janardan Patil
Postdoctoral Researcher 2013-14

Prof. Sadik Bagci
Visiting Prof. from Sakariya University, Turkey 2013-14

Russ Islam
- Undergraduate Researcher 2012-14
- B.S. Student in Electrical Engineering, Stanford University

Jacqueline Tran
Undergraduate Researcher 2013-14
Now at NG

Weitang Liu
Undergraduate Researcher 2013-14

Pai Ge
Visiting Undergraduate Researcher 2013
Zhejiang University, China

Tianren Fan
Visiting Undergraduate Researcher
Zhejiang University, China 2013

Matthew Yee
Undergraduate Researcher
University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA) 2013-14 (Now at Lockheed Martin)

Rasheek Noor
Undergrad Researcher 2013

Hideki Nishimura
Visiting Ph.D. Student from Nara Institute of Science and Technology 2012-13

Hiroki Kamitake
Ph.D. Student, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Japan.

Ali Qureshi
M.S. 2012
Now with Intel, Beaverton, Oregon.

Heim Kirin Grewal
MS 2012, now at HRL Labs, Malibu, CA

Prof. Won-Ju Cho
Visiting Prof. from Kwangwoon University 2011-13

Takayuki Hasegawa
Visiting Scientist, Ryukoku University, Japan, 2011-2012

Aaron Katzenmeyer
Ph.D. 2011, Scientist at NIST, MD

Avinash Nayak
MS 2011, Ph.D. UT Austin, TX
Now at AMD

Matthew Amis
Undergraduate Researcher 2010-11, now at Intel Folsom, CA

Rui Li
Undergraduate Researcher 2010-11, now at UCLA

Ta-Chu Lin
Undergraduate Researcher 2010-11

Marion Ore de Boddy
Undergraduate Researcher 2009-11
Now at Project Engineer at Blue Oak Energy

Dr. Emre Yengel
Postdoctoral Scholar 2010-11,
Assistant Professor, Cankaya University, Turkey

Dr. Hakan Karaaǧaç
Postdoctoral Scholar 2011-13
Now, Assistant Professor, Istanbul Technical University, Turkey

Dr. Logeeswaran VJ
Ph.D. 2010, Postdoctoral Scholar 2011-12, Now at Invensense, Inc

Mohd Adzir Mahdi, Ph.D.
Visiting Professor 2011, Universiti Putra Malaysia

Yang Xie
Visiting Undergraduate Student from Zhejiang University, China, 2012

Miao Zhang
Visiting Undergraduate Student from Zhejiang University, China, 2012

Yuqing Xing
Undergraduate Student, visitor from Zhejiang University, China, 2011

Yusuke Yasuda
Graduate Researcher, Visiting PhD Student from Nara Institute of science and technology(NAIST), 2011

Emi Sugimura
Graduate Researcher, Visiting PhD Student from Nara Institute of science and technology(NAIST), 2011

Yumi Kawamura
Visiting PhD Student from Nara Institute of science and technology(NAIST), 2011

Lingli Lu
Graduate Researcher, Visiting PhD Student from Nara Institute of science and technology(NAIST), 2011

Dr. Ja-Yeon Kim
Research Scientist, 2009-2010
Currently with Korea Photonic Technology Institute,

Professor Savas Kaya
Visiting Professor, Ohio University, OH, 2010

Dr. Sonia Grego
Visiting Research Scientist, Center for Materials and Electronic Technologies, RTI International, NC, USA, 2009

Hidenori Koketsu
Visiting Ph.D Student, Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST) Dept. Materials Science, 2009

Hong Lingfei
CSC Doctoral Fellow, Visiting Graduate Student, China , 2009-2011

Nicholas Shrake
Currently a graduate student at UC Davis

Soham Chowdhury
Currently with Tesla Motors

Jacquse Wyatt
9th Grade, Bay Area Technology School

Said Mentese
9th Grade, Bay Area Technology School

Shyamal Buch, 9th grade student
Currently at Stanford Univ

Hui-Lin Hsu
Graduate Student

I-Ju Teng
Visiting Student

Dr. Ramin Banan Sadeghian
Research Scientist, 2009-2010
Currently with H2scan Corporation

Dr. Min-Ki Kwon
Research Scientist, 2009-2010
Professor at Chosun University, Korea

Professor Jong Tae Park
Visiting Professor, University of Incheon, Nam-gu, Incheon, South Korea

Yavuz Bayam, Ph.D.
Visiting Graduate Student, Sakarya Univ, Turkey

Dai Okamoto
Visiting Graduate Student (Jan-April 2009), Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), Japan

Jacob Goodwin
Sandia National Labs

Eric Lin
Broadcom

Professor Bayram Tekin
Visiting Professor 2007-08 Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

Feiyang Wu
M.S. 2009
OSIsoft Inc, San Leandro, CA.

Christopher Edgar
M.S. 2006
Dryden & LaRue, Inc.

Chad Johns
M.S. 2006
Materials and Process Development Engineer, Cooper Bussmann, CA

Han Huilan, Ph.D.

Ibrahim Kimukin, Ph.D.
Research Scientist at Carnegie Mellon University

Hiromichi Matsumoto, Ph.D.
Tohoku University, Japan

Jeff Wurz
Department of Energy

Anurag Chaudhry
Intel Corporation, OR.

Akash Anand
Intel Folsom

Swapnil Jain
Apple

David van Schravendijk
Texas Instrument

Bokuba Nwengela
Winner Best Oral Presentation at the California Alliance for Minority Participation Symposium
Intel, Folsom, CA

Byunghun Lee
Undergraduate Researcher 2007

Erin Fong, Ph.D.
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

Alexander Stameroff
Undergraduate Researcher, 2007-2008
Now at Keysight Technologies

Jonathan Marrs
Ph.D. student at UC Davis

Long Do
Western Digital

Michael Chen
Carnegie Mellon University

Natasha Bhat
Intel, Santa Clara, CA

Ravi Karra
Senior Market Specialist, Calypso Technology