PH.D. STUDENT
Andrew Balog
Ph.D. Student
Education
- Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering, Penn State University, 2021 – present
- B.S., Materials Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University, 2017-2021 (minor in Business)
Research Interests/Areas of Research
Focused on using TEM to understand the defect and atomic scale behavior of β-Ga2O3 for future use in power electronics. I also use advanced spectroscopy and machine learning tools to further understand how dopants and different device structures interplay. A new area of interest is studying atomic behavior in situ, observing how β-Ga2O3 reacts under applied biases and temperatures.
Recent activities
I spent Spring Break 2023 in London, visiting most of the famous churches, government buildings, castles, and other tourist attractions there. In Fall 2022, I was able to attend the MRS Fall Conference in Boston, Massachusetts, and had a great time learning about new research and exploring.
Awards
Craig C. Brown Outstanding Senior Engineer, Texas A&M College of Engineering, 2021
Hobbies
In my free time, I like to read (primarily history), tend to my garden, watch sports, cook food, and try different kinds of wine. When I’m able to, I also love skiing and hiking, or other activities that get me outdoors.