Yingkai Liu
Jan. 2001 – June 2005
Currently: Entegris Inc., www.entegris.com

Thesis Title:   Fabrication and Characterization of Polypyrrole/Gold Bilayer Micro-Actuators for Bio-MEMS Applications

Journal Publications:

1.  Y. Liu, Q. Gan, S. Baig, and E. Smela, "Improving PPy adhesion by surface roughening," J. Phys. Chem. C, 111 (30), 11329-11338 (2007).

Mario Urdaneta
Jan. 2003 – Aug. 2007,
then postdoc Aug-Oct 2007
Currently: Weinberg Medical Physics LLC

Thesis Title:   Design of a Dielectrophoretic Cell Loading Device
Thesis nominated by Mechanics and Materials Division for Best Dissertation Award, 2008.

Journal Publications:

1. M. Urdaneta and E. Smela, "The design of dielectrophoretic flow-through sorters using a figure of merit," J. Micromech. Microeng., 18 (available online), doi:10.1088/0960-1317/1018/1081/015001 (2008).

2. M. Urdaneta and E. Smela, "Parasitic trap cancellation using multiple frequency dielectrophoresis, demonstrated by loading cells into cages " Lab Chip , 8 (4), 550-556 (2008). This article was selected for inclusion in the RSC's Chemical Biology Research Articles virtual journal.

3. M. Urdaneta and E. Smela, "Multiple frequency dielectrophoresis," Electrophoresis, 28 (18), 3145-3155 (2007).

4. M. Urdaneta, R. Delille, and E. Smela, "Stretchable electrodes with high conductivity and photopatternability," Adv. Mater., 19 (18), 2629-2633 (2007).

5. S. B. Prakash, M. Urdaneta, M. Christophersen, E. Smela, and P. Abshire, "In situ electrochemical control of electroactive polymer films on a CMOS chip," Sens. Act. B, 129 (2), 699-704 (2008).

6. R. Delille, M. Urdaneta, S. Moseley, and E. Smela, "Benchtop polymer MEMS," J. Microelectromech. Syst., 15 (5), 1108-1120 (2006).

7. R. Delille, M. Urdaneta, K. Hsieh, and E. Smela, "Compliant electrodes based on platinum salt reduction in a urethane matrix," Smart Mater. Struct., 16 (2), S272 -279 (2007).

Xuezheng Wang
Aug. 2001 – April. 2007
Currently: Frommer Lawrence & Haug LLP

Thesis Title:   Understanding Actuation Mechanisms of Conjugated Polymer Actuators: Ion Transport

Journal Publications:

1.  X. Wang, B. Shapiro, and E. Smela, "Visualizing ion transport in conjugated polymers," Adv. Mater., 16 (18), 1605-1609 (2004).

2.  X. Wang and E. Smela, "Color and volume change in PPy(DBS)," J. Phys. Chem. C, 113 (1), 359-368 (2009).

3.  X. Wang and E. Smela, "Experimental studies of ion transport in PPy(DBS)," J. Phys. Chem. C, 113 (1), 369–381 (2009).

4.  X. Wang B. Shapiro, and E. Smela, "Development of a model for charge transport in conjugated polymers," J. Phys. Chem. C, 113 (1), 382-401 (2009) .

X. Wang, B. Shapiro, and E. Smela, "Model predictions of behavior during reduction of cation-transporting conjugated polymer films," in preparation.

X. Wang, B. Shapiro, and E. Smela, "Model predictions of behavior during oxidation of cation-transporting conjugated polymer films," in preparation.

Vytenis Benetis
co-supervisor:   Michael Ohadi, Mechanical Engineering
June 2001 – June 2005
Currently: Lithuanian navy

http://webpages.charter.net/adventureracing/members/Vytenis/vytenis.html

Thesis Title: Experimental and Computational Investigation of Planar Ion Drag Micropump Geometrical Design Parameters

Marc Christophersen
Nov. 2004 – Jan. 2007
Currently:   NRC Postdoctoral Fellow at the Naval Research Laboratory

http://www.marc-christophersen.de/
http://www.linkedin.com/in/mchristo

Research Topic:  Cell-based sensing

Journal Publications: 

1. M. Christophersen, B. Shapiro, and E. Smela, "Characterization and modeling of PPy bilayer microactuators. Part 1: Curvature," Sens. Act. B, 115, 596-609 (2006).

2. S. B. Prakash, M. Urdaneta, M. Christophersen, E. Smela, and P. Abshire, "In situ electrochemical control of electroactive polymer films on a CMOS chip," Sens. Act. B, 129 (2), 699-704 (2008).

M. Christophersen, Y. Liu, B. Shapiro, and E. Smela, "Characterization and modeling of PPy bilayer microactuators. Part 2: Force," Sens. Act. B (in preparation) (2007).

M. Christophersen and E. Smela, "Characterization and modeling of PPy bilayer microactuators. Part 3: Speed," Sens. Act. B (in preparation) (2007).

M. Christophersen and E. Smela, "Characterization and modeling of PPy bilayer microactuators. Part 4: Effect of temperature," Sens. Act. B (in preparation) (2007).

Peyschuan Jian
March 2004 – June 2005
Currently: NASA

Research Topic:  Fiber optic sensing of changes in index of refraction

Journal Publications:

1. P.-S. Jian and E. Smela, "Modeling the performance of a long-period Bragg grating ambient-index sensor," Smart Mater. Struct., 15, 821-828 (2006).

Journal Publications:

1. B. Balakrisnan, S. Patil, E. Smela, "Patterning PDMS using a combination of wet and dry etching," J. Micromech. Microeng., 19, 047002 (2009).

Menake Piyasena
menake@umd.edu
June 2007 – June 2009

Research Topics:  Nastic actuators, microfluidics for cell-based sensing

Journal Publications:

1.  M. E. Piyasena, R. Newby, T. J. Miller, B. Shapiro, and E. Smela, "Electroosmotically driven microfluidic cells," Sens. Act. B, 141, 263-9 (2009).

Remi Delille
Aug. 2002 – Aug. 2006
Currently: Cree Inc., www.cree.com

Thesis Title:   Development and Characterization of High-Strain Electrodes

Journal Publications:

1.  R. Delille, M. Urdaneta, S. Moseley, and E. Smela, "Benchtop polymer MEMS," J. Microelectromech. Syst., 15 (5), 1108-1120 (2006).

2. R. Delille, M. Urdaneta, K. Hsieh, and E. Smela, "Compliant electrodes based on platinum salt reduction in a urethane matrix," Smart Mater. Struct., 16 (2), S272 -279 (2007).

3. M. Urdaneta, R. Delille, and E. Smela, "Stretchable electrodes with high conductivity and photopatternability," Adv. Mater., 19 (18), 2629-2633 (2007).

Steve Fanning
Aug. 2002 – Aug. 2005

Thesis Title:   Characterization of Polypyrrole/Gold Bilayers for Micro-Valve Design

Yunhan Huang
hyh@umd.edu
Sept. 2008 – Sept. 2009
Currently:  working with Dr. Ravi Doraiswami, CALCE

Research Topic:  Dielectric elastomer actuators

Sam Moseley
May 2003 – Aug. 2005
Currently: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Research topic:  Dielectric elastomer actuators

Journal Publications:

1. R. Delille, M. Urdaneta, S. Moseley, and E. Smela, "Benchtop polymer MEMS," J. Microelectromech. Syst., 15 (5), 1108-1120 (2006).

Hyo “Lance” Oh
Jan. 2002 – Nov. 2003
Currently: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Thesis Title:   Development of a Micro-Valve Actuated by Polypyrrole/Gold Bilayers

Natasha Reeves
Aug. 2003 – Feb. 2004
Currently: Second Sight Medical Products

http://www.linkedin.com/in/natashareeves

Research Topic:  Cell-based sensing

Shermeen Baig
Mechanical Engineering
2004 - 2005
Currently:  Concurrent Technologies Corp.
Research Topic:  Adhesion of PPy to Au

Journal Publication:

Y. Liu, Q. Gan, S. Baig, and E. Smela, "Improving PPy adhesion by surface roughening," J. Phys. Chem. C, 111 (30), 11329-11338 (2007).

Qi Gan
Mechanical Engineering
Fall 2003 - 2005

Research Topic:  Adhesion of PPy to Au

Journal Publication:
Y. Liu, Q. Gan, S. Baig, and E. Smela, "Improving PPy adhesion by surface roughening," J. Phys. Chem. C, 111 (30), 11329-11338 (2007).

Floriane Juliani
floriane.juliani@ensi-bourges.fr
Bourges School of Engineering (ENSIB), France
Summer intern, 2009

Research Topics:  Ion transport in PPy(DBS)

Martin Kedzierski
floriane.juliani@ensi-bourges.fr
Bourges School of Engineering (ENSIB), France
Summer intern, 2009

Research Topics:  Electrical conductivity of PPy(DBS)

Nathalie Lefevre
floriane.juliani@ensi-bourges.fr
Bourges School of Engineering (ENSIB), France
Summer intern, 2009

Research Topics:  Ion transport in PPy(DBS)

Lauren White
Mechanical Engineering
Spring 2008 A. James Clark School of Engineering Dean's List
Dec. 2007 – May 2008
Currently: Department of the Navy, North Carolina
co-supervisor:   Sean Humbert, Aerospace Engineering

Research Topic:  Hooks to hold fruit flies in a magnetic field