2024 SSSiN Participants

a Research Immersion in Materials Science & Engineering (RIMSE) program of the UC San Diego MRSEC, a National Science Foundation Materials Research Science and Engineering Center

About the SSSiN: The Summer School for Silicon Nanotechnolgy (SSSiN) is run by Prof. Michael Sailor in the Silicon Nanomaterials Research Laboratory at UC San Diego. The SSSiN is one of four Research Immersion in Materials Science & Engineering (RIMSE) programs of the UC San Diego MRSEC. Begun in 2003, the SSSiN is an immersive workshop focussed on the synthesis, properties, and applications of silicon-based nanomaterials. It integrates participants from a wide variety of backgrounds and skill levels: high school students, undergraduates, graduate students, post-docs, industry researchers, and university professors. As part of the RIMSE training program, it also serves as a “bootcamp” for selected students at the beginning of their MS or PhD degrees and for MRSEC REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) participants. Course elements include lectures, hands-on laboratory training, and a capstone “Discovery Project”- an independent research project implemented by a team of trainees under the mentorship of a current research group member.

Program Details: Dates, application instructions, and deadlines are given at mrsec.ucsd.edu/rimse.

Name: Belfu Berkol
BIO: Belfu is a student at Saint Joseph French High School (class of 2025), participating in the 2024 Summer School for Silicon Nanotechnology (SSSiN). She is passionate about biology, chemistry, nature and biomaterials. Belfu has previously worked in pharmaceutical and genetics labs, developing a bioplastic derived from nature that could be used for drug delivery as well as “Green Concrete”. She is interested in exploring the applications of nanotechnology in interdisciplinary developed materials inspired by nature. She is excited to conduct research with new techniques in the broad and dynamic field of nanotechnology.
ORCID: 0009-0000-6919-4075
Mentor: Anjishnu Debnath
Safety tour: 20 Jun 2024
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Name: Matthew Choi
BIO: Matthew is an undergraduate Biomedical Engineering major at California State University, Long Beach (class of 2026). He will be participating in the SSSiN 2024 program as part of the UC – Doctoral Diversity Initiative. His previous research experience focused on developing bioinks for extrusion-based 3D bioprinting. He is interested in learning about various biomaterials and their applications for tissue engineering and drug delivery.

ORCID: 0009-0005-7320-4914
Mentor: Oscar Calzada
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Name: Prof. Hyo Jin Chung, M.D.
BIO: Hyo Jin Chung is a board-certified otorhinolaryngologist and surgeon at the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) Ilsan Hospital in South Korea. She specializes in the field of Rhinology, focusing on allergic diseases, sinusitis, olfactory disorder, and sleep apnea. She has a particular interest in basic olfaction and its application to real-life olfactory disorders, pathogenesis to treatment. She will be participating in the 2024 SSSiN as part of her sabbatical studies, staying in the labs through March 2025.

ORCID: 0000-0003-1675-2867
Mentor: Jiuk Byun
Safety tour: 13 Mar 2024
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Name: James D. Fisher
BIO: Jim is currently a full-time chemistry instructor at Imperial Valley College. He participated in the San Diego Nano Institute (SDNI) research experiences for teachers (RET) in the summer of 2020 remotely, and is participating in the RIMSE SSSiN as a Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) participant, funded by the NSF through the SDNI. He looks forward to gaining experience in the Research Immersion in Materials Science & Engineering (RIMSE) Summer School on Silicon Nanotechnology (SSSiN) that will benefit his students. His goal is to create nano chemistry related educational material to engage both students and their families.

ORCID: 0009-0009-9471-2255
Mentor: Ashley Tamura
Safety tour: 17 June 2024
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Name: Allison Garavito
BIO: Allison is an undergraduate Chemistry major at California State University, Long Beach (Class of 2024). Her previous research experiences involved the synthesis of thermoelectric materials and the optimization of reaction conditions to prevent material waste. She will be participating in the 2024 SSSiN through the UCSD-CSULB Doctoral Diversity Initiative Program and is excited to expand her knowledge of nanomaterials and their energy applications. In her spare time, she enjoys painting, cooking, and hiking.

ORCID: 0009-0009-4981-2900
Mentor: Jiuk Byun
Safety tour: 18 June 2024
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Name: Julia Geddy
BIO: Julia is a Biomedical Engineering major at CSU Long Beach (class of 2027) and will be participating in the 2024 Summer School for Silicon Nanotechnology (SSSiN) at UCSD. Her SSSiN project will focus on mesoporous silicon nanomaterials. She is very passionate about nature, the ocean, biology and medicine and is excited to learn more about biomaterials and the various applications of silicone nanotechnology. In her free time she enjoys surfing, live music, and skating. She hopes to channel her passion into a career in biomedical research and development.

ORCID: 0009-0009-5922-9284
Mentor: Gabriella Stark
Safety tour: 18 June 2024
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Name: Ridhima Gupta
BIO: Ridhima is a high school student at Vista Ridge High School (class of 2025) who will be participating in 2024 SSSiN as a trainee. She is excited to explore the intersection between mechanical engineering and material science through RIMSE, and learn about the various applications of porous silcon. She likes reading, hiking, and spending time with her friends and family in her free time.
ORCID: 0009-0005-1514-0203
Mentor: Ellie Bauer
Safety tour: 18 June 2024
Etch test: N/A

Name: Emily A. Housel
BIO: Emily is a PhD student in Nanoengineering in the laboratory of Dr. Jesse Jokerst at UC San Diego. She completed a B.S./M.S. degree program in Environmental Engineering at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA and recently was awarded her M.S. degree in Nanoengineering at UCSD. She works as an environmental engineer and team lead for the U.S. Navy for shipboard Oil Pollution Abatement systems and is a licensed Professional Engineer. Her prior research focused on oil-in-water imaging and analysis, detergents and emulsions, bio-refining (corn-to-ethanol conversion process and energy balance) and disinfection chemical reactions. She is interested in applying photonics and novel, functional materials for environmental sensing and remediation, in the areas of chemical and biological defense and persistent organic pollutants.

ORCID: 0009-0003-0900-063X
Mentor: Jiuk Byun
Safety tour: 20 Jun 2024
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Name: Miguel Angel Javiel
BIO: Miguel is a first-year student at Florida International University, majoring in Biomedical Engineering. He has engaged in undergraduate research within Dr. Hutcheson’s lab,
where his focus has been on developing an in-vitro model of calcification using the MOVAS-1 cell line. Additionally, Miguel has collaborated with Dr. Dickerson on the development of photocrosslinkable dECM (decellularized extracellular matrix) hydrogels. Miguel is enthusiastic about continuing to conduct research and is eager to participate in the 2024 MRSEC REU program. In his free time, he enjoys photography, concerts, and hanging out with friends.

ORCID: 0009-0003-5364-7086
Mentor: Oscar Calzada
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Name: Howard Kuo (Kuo Ching-Chia)
BIO: Howard is a fourth-year PharmD student in the Department of Pharmacy at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University. His interests include sports, reading, basketball, swimming, surfing, and rock climbing. He has a broad interest in experimental work, including organic chemistry, physics, molecular biology, analytical pharmaceutics lab courses; he won a gold medal as part of the international iGEM competition team in 2020 for genetic engineering machine design. Howard has experience as a specialist in the medical affairs department at the pharmaceutical company MSD (Merck). His PharmD program included coursework in drug development, clinical therapeutics, and a 4-month teaching hospital internship. He is particularly interested in facilitating translation of technology between academia and industry, as well as proposing creative directions for interdisciplinary research.

ORCID: 0009-0002-0879-7248
Mentor: Sophia Hsu
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Name: Caasi S.A. Lampkin
BIO: Caasi is an undergraduate Biology student at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University (class of 2025). She has a passion for microbiology and genetics. Caasi is truly excited to reemerge herself in nano-science research. She has a background in the simulation of the structure and function of carbon nanotubes at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Tallahassee, Florida. Beyond academia, Caasi enjoys reading, attending concerts, and trying numerous creative outlets.

ORCID: 0009-0007-0908-1213
Mentor: Thomas Sendino
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Name: Jihyun Lee
BIO: Jihyun Lee is an M.S. Student in professor Dokyoung Kim’s lab at Kyung Hee University, College of Medicine, S. Korea. She received her B.S. in Biotechnology, with a double major in Medical and Biological Sciences, from the Catholic University of Korea. Her research interests are in drug delivery using porous silicon nanoparticles and lipid nanoparticles. Collaborating with the Brain Science Institute at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), her work is focused on enhancing therapeutic efficacy and achieving controlled drug release through the surface modification of nanoparticles.

ORCID: 0009-0006-6797-1399
Mentor: Sophia Hsu
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Name: Edward T. Nguyen
BIO: Prof. Edward Nguyen is an Adjunct Professor of Chemistry, teaching in the San Diego Community College and Grossmont College districts and participating in the SSSiN program as an RET (Research Experiences for Teachers) participant. He received both his B.S. and M.S. from CSU Long Beach (Advisor: Xianhui Bu) and obtained his Ph.D. from Florida State University (Advisor: Geoffrey F. Strouse, Focus: transition metal carbide nanocrystals). He hopes to recruit students at San Diego Miramar College for nanoscience summer research.

ORCID: 0000-0002-4787-8270
Mentor: Ashley Tamura
Safety tour: 18 June 2024
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Name: Chaniay O’Brien
BIO: Chaniay, a rising junior at Kean University (class of 2026), majoring in Biotechnology/Molecular Biology and is participating in the 2024 Summer School for Silicon Nanotechnology (SSSiN). She is deeply committed to utilizing scientific advancements to improve people’s lives. With prior experience in drug discovery research, Chaniay eagerly anticipates delving into the realm of silicon nanotechnology and its applications in biomedical sciences, especially regarding drug delivery.

ORCID: 0009-0000-4026-5909
Mentor: Thomas Sendino
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Name: Ofure Osunbor
BIO: Ofure is a rising sophomore at the University of Maryland – College Park (class of 2027) majoring in Biocomputational Engineering on the pre-med track, and is participating in the SSSiN 2024. She is interested in drug discovery and delivery and wants to help develop new medical technology. Her academic interests involve computational biology, and she loves to draw, bike, hike, and run in her free time.
ORCID: 0009-0000-4044-3461
Mentor: Miranda Zhou
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Name: Isha Seth
BIO: Isha is a rising junior at California State University, Long Beach (class of 2026) majoring in Biomedical Engineering and is participating in 2024 RIMSE Summer School. She has passion to explore further into research that bridges the gap between modern medical approaches and their potential impact in the healthcare industry. Her academic interest involves bioengineering and material sciences, and she likes modeling, dancing and baking in her free time.
ORCID: 0009-0004-7956-9327
Mentor: Sophia Hsu
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Jiuk Byun
BIO: Jiuk is a PhD student in Materials Science and Engineering at UC San Diego. She received her B.A. in Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics from Mount Holyoke College. She conducted her undergraduate research with Professor Wei Chen and helped developed a new procedure for spin coating polydopamine thin films. She also worked with Professor Dirk Englund’s group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she worked on a simultaneous annealing and irradiating system to generate the nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond. Before joining UCSD, she researched coatings and carbonization of nature-inspired polymer materials in Professor Haeshin Lee’s lab at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. She participated in the Summer School for Silicon Nanotechnology remotely in 2021 and in-person in 2023. Her research interests include surface modification of porous silicon nanoparticles and polymeric materials development for drug delivery.
email:jibyun_at_ucsd.edu
ORCID: 0000-0001-9810-8869

Sophia Hsu
BIO: Sophia is an undergraduate student at UC San Diego majoring in Chemistry and minoring in Environmental Systems (Class of 2025). She is interested in nanoparticles as drug delivery systems. In her free time she enjoys rock climbing, baking, and crocheting. She participated in the 2023 Summer School for Silicon Nanotechnology (SSSiN), one of the UC San Diego MRSEC RIMSE research immersion programs and in the 2024 SSSiN she is acting as a Senior Mentor.
ORCID: 0009-0004-7558-102X

Thomas Sendino
BIO: Thomas graduated as a pharmacological chemistry major from the University of California, San Diego (class of 2024), and will be entering the UC San Diego School of Pharmacy in Fall 2024. He has an interest in the application of porous nanoparticles as a means of targeted drug delivery to damaged tissues. In his free time, he likes to lift weights, go to the beach, and attend concerts. He participated in the 2023 Summer School for Silicon Nanotechnology (SSSiN), one of the UC San Diego MRSEC RIMSE research immersion programs and in the 2024 SSSiN he is acting as a Mentor.
ORCID: 0009-0006-0048-9442

Gabriella Stark
BIO: Gabriella is a PhD Student in the UC San Diego Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry. She was a participant in the 2021 Summer School for Silicon Nanotechnology (SSSiN), and acted as a Senior Mentor in the 2022 and the 2023 SSSiN. Her research focus is on surface chemistry of porous silicon nanoparticles to load and deliver biologic therapeutics, preserving function, extending release, and maximizing circulation time.
email: gastark_at_ucsd.edu
ORCID: 0000-0003-1304-9404

Ashley Tamura
BIO: Prof. Ashley Tamura is an Adjunct Professor of Chemistry, teaching in the San Diego Community College and Southwestern College districts and is participating in the program as an RET. She received both her B.S. and M.S. from UC San Diego while working on the phase-tunable colloidal synthesis of tungsten disulfide nanocrystals with Dr. Alina M. Schimpf. She was a participant in the 2023 SSSiN, where she investigated the physical, chemical, and optical properties of porous silicon.
email: atamura_at_sdccd.edu
ORCID:0000-0002-2540-6125

Miranda Zhou
BIO: Miranda is an undergraduate student at UC San Diego (class of 2025), pursuing a degree in General Chemistry. She was introduced to the program through participating in the 2023 RIMSE Spring Break Research Experience. She participated in the 2023 Summer School for Silicon Nanotechnology (SSSiN), one of the UC San Diego MRSEC RIMSE research immersion programs. She is interested in surface coatings of porous Si nanoparticles to improve their stability and in vivo circulation time.
ORCID: 0009-0003-5679-3660

2024 Summer School for Silicon Nanotechnology (SSSiN)

2024 Participants

2024 Mentors