Research Group

Our interdisciplinary team combines expertise in chemical engineering, materials science, polymer chemistry, data science, and laboratory automation to advance the frontiers of soft matter research.

Current Postdoctoral Researchers

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Kevin Lee

Research Focus: Ultra-small nanoparticles for interface control in high-power Li-ion batteries
Current Position: Postdoctoral Researcher
🔗 LinkedIn Profile

Current Ph.D./M.S. Students

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Claire Benstead

Program: Chemical Engineering Ph.D. (Expected 2026)
Research: Membranes from living hydrogel materials for distributed biomanufacturing
Co-Advised with: Prof. Bergsman
🔗 LinkedIn Profile
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Abdul Moeez

Program: MolES Ph.D. (Expected 2027)
Research: Autonomous small angle scattering analysis of nanomaterials
Background: Clean Energy Institute Fellow, Fulbright and Global UGRAD alumnus
🔗 LinkedIn Profile
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Zachery Wylie

Program: Chemical Engineering Ph.D. (Expected 2027)
Research: Self Driving Laboratory workflow for nanomaterials synthesis, purification, and isolation
🔗 LinkedIn Profile
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Hanson Chen

Program: Chemical Engineering Ph.D. (Expected 2028)
Research: Hierarchical assembly of soft matter using laboratory automation
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Elena Toups

Program: MolES Ph.D. (Expected 2030)
Research: Nanoscale structuring of suspended aerosols via acoustic levitation and controlled evaporation
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Tobias Rangel

Program: MolES Ph.D. (Expected 2030)
Research: Self-driving laboratories for 0D, 2D and 3D materials synthesis
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Yu-Fang Hsieh

Program: Chemical Engineering Ph.D. (Expected 2029)
Research: Transport in nanoemulsion systems from simulations and neutron scattering experiments

Alumni

Postdoctoral Researchers

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Shayna Hilburg, Ph.D.

Currently: NRC Postdoctoral Fellow, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Research Focus: Autonomous retrosynthesis of non-viral DNA delivery vectors
🔗 LinkedIn Profile | 📚 Google Scholar
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Greg Newbloom, Ph.D.

Currently: CEO & Founder, Membrion Inc.
Research Focus: Nanostructured ceramic membranes for redox flow batteries
🔗 LinkedIn Profile
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Fabio Baum, Ph.D.

Currently: Professor Visitante, Universidade Federal da Integração Latino-Americana (UNILA)
Research Focus: AI-Driven sonochemical synthesis of nanomaterials
🔗 LinkedIn Profile
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Kiran Vaddi, Ph.D.

Research Focus: Data representation for AI-Driven materials acceleration
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Rebecca Vincent, Ph.D.

Research Focus: Non-Invasive analysis of battery health using non-linear EIS
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David Li, Ph.D.

Research Focus: Photoacoustic clot breakup using functional nanoemulsions

Ph.D. Graduates

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Huat Thart-Chiang (Ph.D. 2025)

Research: Data-driven analysis of experimental design spaces for colloidal synthesis and assembly
ORCID: 0000-0002-0042-7958
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Brenden Pelkie (Ph.D. 2025)

Currently: Chemical Engineer, Interlune
Research: Development of synthesis pipelines for autonomous laboratories
📚 Google Scholar
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Karen Li (Ph.D. 2025)

Research: Structure and property control in organic mixed ionic and electronic conducting polymers (OMIEC)
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Sage Scheiwiller (Ph.D. 2024)

Research: Structural analysis of conjugated polymer-polymer composites and blends
🔗 LinkedIn Profile
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Maria Politi (Ph.D. 2024)

Currently: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Acceleration Consortium, University of Toronto
Research: AI-Driven optimization of soft-matter and nanomaterials with open-source laboratory automation
Co-Advised with: Prof. Adler and Prof. Beck
🔗 LinkedIn Profile
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Lorenzo Guio (Ph.D. 2024)

Currently: CoMotion at University of Washington
Research: Synthesis and assembly of donor-acceptor conjugated polymers
Co-Advised with: Prof. Christine Luscombe
🔗 LinkedIn Profile
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Kacper Lachowski (Ph.D. 2023)

Currently: Scientist, Arzeda
Research: Self-assembly in sequence defined polymers and their use in controlled synthesis of nanomaterials
🔗 LinkedIn Profile | 🎓 MolES Profile
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Jaime Rodriguez (Ph.D. 2021)

Currently: Data Scientist, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Research: Advanced materials for flow batteries
🔗 LinkedIn Profile
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Caitlyn Wolf (Ph.D. 2021)

Currently: NRC Postdoctoral Fellow, NIST Center for Neutron Research
Research: Polymer simulation and neutron scattering
📚 Google Scholar
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Yi-Ting Lee (Ph.D. 2019)

Research: Ultrasound manipulation of emulsion systems
🔗 LinkedIn Profile
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Ryan Kastilani (Ph.D. 2019)

Currently: Software Engineer, The Trade Desk, Inc.
Research: Nanomaterial synthesis via interfacial structuring
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Yuyin Xi (Ph.D. 2018)

Currently: Postdoctoral Researcher, National Institute of Standards and Technology
Research: Field-directed and self-assembly of conjugated polymers
🔗 LinkedIn Profile
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Pablo de la Iglesia (Ph.D. 2015)

Research: Structure of conductive organogels
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Jeff Richards (Ph.D. 2014)

Currently: Associate Professor, Northwestern University
Research: Structure control in polymer solar-cells
🔗 LinkedIn Profile | 📚 Google Scholar
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Greg Newbloom (Ph.D. 2014)

Research: Percolation in conjugated polymer networks
See also: Postdoctoral Researchers above
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Monica Ospinal (Ph.D. 2013)

Research: Advanced nanostructures for protein separations
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Kjersta Larson-Smith (Ph.D. 2012)

Currently: Technical Lead Engineer, Boeing Research & Technology
Research: Nanoparticle self-assembly in dispersion
🔗 LinkedIn Profile
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Kathleen Weigandt (Ph.D. 2012)

Currently: Staff Scientist, NIST Center for Neutron Research
Research: Structure and rheology of fiber networks

M.S. Graduates

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Christopher Gould (M.S. 2025)

Research: Automation workflow for high-throughput mechanochemical synthesis of polymer libraries
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Faiza Abdillahi (M.S. 2024)

Research: Meta-model analysis for ML prediction of solubility
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Elizabeth Harmon (M.S. 2022)

Research: Structured hydrogels for biomanufacturing
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Cameron Tavacoli (M.S. 2022)

Research: Sonochemical exfoliation of borides
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Shrilakshmi Bonageri (M.S. 2020)

Research: Data sorting for high-throughput experiments
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Canfeng Wei (M.S. 2018)

Research: Ceramic membranes for flow-battery applications
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Kiran Kanekal (M.S. 2016)

Research: Structure and dynamics of conjugated polymers
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Michael Lombardo (M.S. 2014)

Research: Self-assembly of nanoparticle clusters

Undergraduate Researchers

120+ Undergraduates Trained

Over 120 undergraduate students have conducted research in the Pozzo laboratory since 2007, working on projects spanning nanomaterials synthesis, soft matter characterization, laboratory automation, and data science. Many have been co-authors on peer-reviewed publications and have continued to graduate school or careers in science and engineering.

How to Add Your Photo

For current and former group members: If you would like to add your profile picture to this page:

  1. Send a professional headshot (square format, at least 300x300 pixels) to Prof. Pozzo at dpozzo@uw.edu
  2. Or submit a pull request on GitHub with your photo added to assets/images/students/ folder
  3. Preferred format: JPG or PNG, named as firstname-lastname.jpg

Join Our Team

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Graduate Students

Apply through UW Chemical Engineering or Molecular Engineering & Sciences programs. Mention your interest in our group in your application.

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Undergraduate Researchers

UW undergraduates interested in research should contact Prof. Pozzo at dpozzo@uw.edu with your CV, transcript, and research interests.

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Postdoctoral Researchers

Positions occasionally available. Send CV, research statement, and three references to dpozzo@uw.edu.