Halas Group Members
Principal Investigator
Naomi Halas
Stanley C. Moore Professor in Electrical & Computer Engineering
Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics & Astronomy
Director, Laboratory for Nanophotonics
DSc, 2007, La Salle University
PhD, 1987, Physics, Bryn Mawr College
MA, 1984, Physics, Bryn Mawr College
BA, 1980, Chemistry, La Salle College
Research Scientists
Surbhi Lal
Research Scientist
Electrical & Computer Engineering
PhD, 2006, Applied Physics, Rice University
MS, 1997, Physics, Texas Tech University
MS, 1988, Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, New Dehli, India
BS, 1986, Physics, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India
Oara Neumann
Research Scientist
Electrical & Computer Engineering
PhD, 2013, Applied Physics, Rice University
MS, 2004, Chemical Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
MS, 1997, Analytical Chemistry, University of Bucharest, Romania
BA, 1996, Chemistry, University of Bucharest, Romania
Research:
Probing of biomolecules using plasmonic nanostructures
Solar Steam generation using plasmonic nanoparticles
Graduate Students
Aliyu Ahmad
Chemistry
BS, 2018, Chemistry, University of Ilorin, Nigeria
MS, 2022, Bilkent University, Turkey
Research:
Synthesis and photocatalysis of plasmonic nanocomposites
Catherine Arndt
Applied Physics
BS, 2019, Physics, Baylor University, Waco, TX
MS, 2022, Applied Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX
Research:
Nonlinear optics using plasmonics and nanophotonics.
Mary Bajomo
Chemistry
BS, 2020, Chemistry, Trinity University
Research:
Synthesis of plasmonic nanomaterials for ultrasensitive analyte detection
Aaron Bayles
Chemistry
BS, 2017, Chemistry, College of William & Mary
Research:
Plasmonic photocatalysis and surface chemistry engineering
Parmeet Dhindsa
Chemistry
Integrated BS-MS, 2020, Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali, India
Research:
Synthesis of Al nanoparticles and plasmonic photocatalysis
Christian Jacobson
Chemistry
BA, 2016, Chemistry, Northwestern University
Research:
Synthesis and dark field spectroscopy of aluminum nanoparticles
Aleida Machorro
Applied Physics
BS, 2019, Physics, Tecnológico de Monterrey
Research:
Enhancement of solar-thermal energy systems for water desalination
Adebola Ogundare
Chemistry
B.Sc., 2015, Chemistry, University of Ilorin
Research:
Nanoparticle synthesis and photo-electrochemical catalysis
Andrés Sánchez
Chemistry
BS, 2021, Chemistry, Tecnológico de Monterrey
Research:
Synthesis of plasmonic nanomaterials for ultrasensitive chemical detection
Sanjna Sukumaran
Materials Science & NanoEngineering
BS, 2022, Materials Science and Engineering, Rutgers University
Research: Plasmonic sensing of small molecules
Yigao Yuan
Chemistry
BS, 2019, Chemistry, Nanjing University, China
Research:
Plasmon-enhanced heterogeneous catalysis
Postdoctoral Researchers
Simon Chung
Electrical & Computer Engineering
2017-2022, Postdoctoral Research Scientist, Deutsche Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg, Germany
PhD, 2017, Photovoltaic Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
BE(Hons), 2012, Photovoltaics and Solar Energy, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Research:
Characterization of plasmonic photocatalytic processes, oxidation of aluminium nanoparticles
Pratiksha Dongare
Electrical & Computer Engineering
PhD, 2019, Applied Physics, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
MS, 2017, Applied Physics, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
MSc, 2013, Physics, Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani, Rajasthan, India
BE, 2013, Electronics and Instrumentation, Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani, Rajasthan, India
Research:
Strategies to enhance performance of nanophotonics-enabled desalination
Undergraduate and Visiting Researchers
Lab Administrators
Jessica Serrano
Administrator, LANP
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Brockman 282
Alumni