Graduate Students

 Current Members

 

Jianing Gan
Education: B.S., Chemistry, Peking University, 2018
Ph.D. Candidate, Penn State, 2018-Present

Research Interests: My research aims to use time-resolved infrared (TRIR) spectroscopy to understand excited state dynamics in organic and inorganic photovoltaic materials.


Yue Yuan
Education: B.S., University of Science and Technology of China, 2019
Ph.D. Candidate, Penn State, 2019-Present

Research Interests: My research aims to use transient absorption spectroscopy to understand excited state dynamics in halide perovskites and colloidal quantum dots.




Shreya Mathela
Shreya Mathela

Education: B.S., Chemistry, Manipal University, Jaipur 2019
M.S., Chemistry, Sharda University, Greater Noida 2021
Ph.D. Candidate, Penn State, 2021-Present

Research Interests: My research aims to understand exciton dynamics in transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) such as WS2.


McKenna Grega
Education: B.S., Biochemistry, Mansfield University, 2021
Ph.D . Candidate, Penn State, 2021-Present

Research Interests: My research focuses on investigating the excited state surface chemistry of colloidal quantum dots for photocatalysis.



Previous Members

JOHN R. SWARTZFAGER

Education: B.S., Chemistry, SUNY ESF, 2016
Ph.D . Candidate, Penn State, 2016-2023

Research Interests: John’s research at Penn State focused understanding thermally activated delayed fluorescence in organic semiconductors


 

Nicohl Cintron-Rodriguez

Education: B.S., 2019
M.S., Penn State, 2019-2023


Kelsey Schlegel

Education:  B.A., Biochemistry, Messiah College, 2016
Ph.D ., Penn State, 2016-2021

Research Interests: Kelsey’s research centered around synthesizing transition metal doped quantum dots (TM-QDs) and then understanding the mechanisms of charge transport through TM-QD thin-films.


Kyle T. Munson

Education: B.S., Chemistry, Rowan University, 2015
Ph.D ., Penn State, 2015-2020

Research Interests: Kyle’s graduate work focused on understanding the photophysics of  hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites to act as the main solar  absorbing material in novel optoelectronic devices.


Eric R. Kennehan

Education: B.S., Chemistry, Youngstown State University, 2014
Ph.D ., Penn State, 2014-2019

Research Interests: While at Penn State, Eric’s research interests included understanding exciton   dynamics in organic photovoltaics and lead sulfide quantum dots  along with instrument and technique development.


Grayson S. Doucette

Education: B.S., Materials Science and Engineering, Virginia Tech, 2014
Ph.D., Penn State, 2014-2019

https://www.linkedin.com/in/grayson-doucette-985979116/

Research Interests: While at Penn State, Grayson’s research aimed to understand the electronic processes which inhibit efficient charge transport in electronic  materials. To  accomplish this, Grayson  developed electronic  characterization techniques to work in tandem with our existing vibrational spectroscopy capabilities.


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Chris Grieco

Education: B.S., Chemistry, Rochester Institute of Technology, 2012
B.S., Applied Mathematics, Rochester Institute of Technology, 2012

Ph.D. Penn State, 2012-2017, Postdoc, OSU, Bern Kohler, 2017-Present

Research Interests: While at Penn state, Chris’ research interests centered around  relating the structure   and organization in organic solid-state  systems to charge transport dynamics. He is currently a post doc in Bern Kohler’s Lab at OSU where he uses transient 2D-IR spectroscopy to investigate proton transfer dynamics in   biological systems.


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Rob S. Stewart

Education: B.S., Chemistry, Canisius College, 2011
Ph.D.  Penn State, 2016

Research Interests: Rob’s research focused on understanding the role of chemical, structural, and morphological influences on the photophysics and  charge carrier dynamics in semiconductors for photovoltaics; specifically, semiconductor quantum dots and organometallic  perovskites.


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Adam Rimshaw

Education: B.S., Chemistry, Ursinus College, 2011
Ph.D. Penn State, 2016

Research: Adam’s research focused on ultrafast and nanosecond vis/NIR and mid-IR spectroscopy on organic electronic materials.


alec-150x150Alec V. Larsen

Education: B.S., Chemistry, Brigham Young University-Idaho, 2013
M.S. Penn State, 2016

Research Interests: Alec graduated with a Master in chemistry in 2016. While at Penn State his research focused on understanding the photophysical  properties of photovoltaic materials.


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Chris Averill

Education: B.S., Chemistry, University of Wyoming, 2010
M.S., Chemistry, Penn State 2013

Research: Chris graduated with a Masters in Chemistry in 2013. He is currently a Technical Analyst at Nexight Group in Washington DC.


kwang-picture-150x150Kwang Jeong

Education: B.S., Chemistry, Korea University, 2007 Ph.D., Penn State, 2013
Postdoc, University of Chicago, Philippe Guyot-Sionnest Group, 2013-Present
Assistant Professor at Korea University (2015)

Research:  Kwang graduated in 2013 with a PhD in chemistry. He is currently   an assistant professor at Korea University  His work in the Asbury Lab focused understand how different ligands on quantum dots   influenced charge transport.


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Jihye Kim

Education: B.S., Chemistry, Korea University, 2008
Ph.D. Penn State, 2013

Research: Jihye worked on measuring vibrational and electronic features of quantum dots after various ligand exchange reactions. She graduated in 2013 with a PhD in chemistry.


Ryan Pensack

Education:
B.S., Chemistry, Rutgers University, 2006
Ph.D., Penn State, 2012
Postdoc, Princeton University, Gregory Scholes Group, 2012-2017
Staff Scientist, Ultrafast Spectroscopy, Boise State university, 2017-Present

Research: Ryan graduated in 2012 with a PhD in chemistry. He is currently working as an ultrafast spectroscopy staff scientist at Boise State University. His work in the Asbury lab involved developing ultrafast techniques for solvatochromism-assisted  vibrational spectroscopy in organic materials.

M.S. Students

Kyle M. Banyas (2007-2011)

Larry W. Barbour (2005-2008)

Maureen Hegadorn (2005-2008)

Alexi S. Main (2005- 2008)