Undergraduate Research in CEMS

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1	Faculty Name	Email	Brief Description of research (learn more on the CEMS Research page)	Requirements for undergraduates to apply	Current Openings

2	Aditya Bhan	Aditya Bhan	The conversion and upgrading of molecules intended for use as energy carriers, the derivatization and functionalization of these molecules to chemicals and polymer precursors, and the mitigation of the environmental consequences of the use of fuels and chemicals are enabled by processes based on heterogeneous catalysts. Catalysis, its practice and its concepts, will remain relevant as we respond to changes in feedstock availability and type. With this mindset, our group focuses on the molecular-level description and control of catalytic chemistries relevant for the transformation of transitional sources of fuels and feedstocks such as natural gas and biomass.	Must have completed sophomore-level courses. Provide a transcript and resume/CV.	No openings till Fall 2026
3	Allen Lee	leesh@umn.edu	We engineer biocatalysts (enzymes) and microbial systems to enable efficient and sustainable conversion of waste into value-added products. We apply advanced synthetic biology and high throughput screening methods to facilitate design-build-test-learn cycle of engineering biological systems. We also apply biochemical engineering and fermentation optimization to understand and improve bioconversion scalability and stability.	All academic levels welcome. No prior research experience or knowledge in molecular/synthetic biology is required. Please provide a transcript, resume/CV, and a paragraph describing research/learning interests.	No, may have openings in Summer/Fall 2026
4	Andre Mkhoyan	Andre Mkhoyan	Experimental and computational atomic-resolution electron microscopy. Typically I take undergarduate student into the lab at the end of the May after Spring semester ends.	Completed sophomore level courses. Can commit >3 hours/week. Provide transcript and resume/CV.	Yes
5	Ben Hackel	Ben Hackel	The Hackel lab engineers biomolecules (proteins, peptides, and block polymers) to advance the understanding and technical capacity of molecular evolution; and to develop therapeutics and diagnostics for cancer, infectious disease, and cardiovascular disease. Research projects range from fundamental to applied. The lab emphasizes experimental approaches and complements these experiments with theory and computational informatics.	All academic levels welcome to apply. Provide a transcript, resume/CV, and a paragraph describing their interest in research and how a research experience will help prepare them for their future objectives.	Yes
6	Bharat Jalan	Bharat Jalan	Thin films and heterostructure, electronic materials, Experimental materials physics.	Must have completed MATS 3011. Provide a resume/CV.	Yes
7	Cari Dutcher	Cari Dutcher	We study interfacial phenomena in complex fluids and multiphase flows, including aerosols, emulsions, and foams. Our focus is on transport phenomenon and thermodynamic phase diagrams.	Must have completed sophomore-level courses, and commit >6 hours/week. Provide a transcipt and resume/CV.	Yes
8	Chris Bartel	Chris Bartel	We are a computational research group using quantum chemistry and machine learning to accelerate the discovery/design of solid-state inorganic materials for energy-related applications.	All academic levels welcome to apply. No prior research experience or specific technical skills are required to start. Must have a willingness to (learn how to) code in Python. Sophomores or juniors who might continue (if mutually agreed upon) for 1+ year are preferred. Expected commitment is ~10 hours per week. Please provide transcript, CV, and paragraph describing your interest in the group and desired mode for research (credit, paid, fellowship, etc.).	No, may have openings in Fall 2026
9	Chris Ellison	Christopher Ellison	Polymers, broadly defined. Composites, fibers, battery materials, self-assembling materials, lithography/patterning	Must have completed sophomore-level courses. Provide a transcript and resume/CV. Must be able to work a minimum of 10 hours per week in >3 hour blocks.	Yes
10	Chris Leighton	Chris Leighton	Electronic and magnetic properties of materials. Experimental.	Ideally would have completed MATS 3011. Provide a resume/CV.	Yes
11	Dan Frisbie	Daniel Frisbie	Printed electronics	Must have completed freshman-level courses. Provide a transcipt and resume/CV.	No
12	David Flannigan	David Flannigan	ultrafast electron scattering, structural dynamics, electron trajectory and finite element simulations	Must haves: Completed math courses through Linear Algebra. Interest in data acquisition and automation. 5 hours per week minimum commitment. Provide up-to-date transcript and resume/CV.	No
13	David Poerschke	David Poerschke	Research focuses on the development of new materials for service in extreme environments (high temperatures, oxidizing and corrosive chemistries, mechanical loads), with applications for improve efficiency in energy and transportation technologies. Most projects for undergraduate students have an experimental focus and involve materials synthesis and characterization.	Must have completed sophomore-level courses, including MatS 3011. 10 hours per week commitment expected, ability and interest to stay involved for several years preferred. Provide a transcript and resume/CV, and short description of research interests or objectives.	No
14	Frank Bates	Frank Bates	Polymer science and engineering.	Must have completed freshman-level courses. Provide a transcipt and resume/CV.	No
15	Hannah Holmes	Hannah Holmes	We develop separation materials and processes for the selective recovery of environmental pollutants and resources. Research spans both aqueous and gaseous separations, including nutrient and critical mineral recovery from water and greenhouse gas capture from air.	All academic levels welcome to apply. Preference for completion of freshman-level courses. Please provide a transcript, resume/CV, and a brief description of your research/learning interests. A commitment of at least two >3 hour blocks per week is preferred.	Yes
16	Joseph Zasadzinski	Joseph Zasadzinski	We examine the material properties of human lung surfactants and characterize their rheology and morphology at air-water interfaces. Students are actively involve in transferring monolayer films to substrates for analysis with atomic force microscopy, looking at the dilatational and shear properties of lung surfactant monolayers, examining critical phenomena in lipid mixtures including analysis of compressibility and critical exponents.	Must have completed sophomore level courses. Provide a transcript and resume/CV. We encourage students to start with a 10 hour commitment for research credit and then for pay over the summer. We also recommend that students apply for UROP funding and have been very successful in receiving these scholarships.	yes
17	Kelsey Stoerzinger	zinger@umn.edu	We design materials and processes for the storage of renewable electricity and its use in upgrading carbon feedstocks, conversion of waste to fertilizer, and distributed chemical production.	All academic levels welcome to apply. Provide a transcript, resume/CV, and a paragraph describing research interests. Please specify desired mode of research (credit, paid, UROP, etc). Commitment of at least two >3 hour blocks/week. Preference for students who might continue for 2+ years on mutual agreement.	No
18	Kevin Dorfman	Kevin Dorfman	The main research underway involves simulations of polymer behavior, both thermodynamics and transport.	Must have completed sophomore-level courses. Some programming experience is required, either through coursework or personal experience, at a level similar to what is taught in chemical engineering numerical methods or CSCI 1133. Provide transcript and resume/CV. Time commitment of around 10 hrs per week is usually needed to be successful. Even if there are no current openings, you can still send an email inquiry because the needs and opportunities in the group are always changing.	No
19	Lynn Walker	lmwalker@umn.edu	Developing tools and methodologies for high throughput characterization of soft materials and complex fluid formulations.	Completed sophomore level courses. Looking for students interested in laboratory work, particularly in building/developing equipment. Provide a transcript, resume/CV and a one paragraph statement of interest. Please also let me know of the number of hours that you are interested in comitting to research, and desired mode (credit, UROP, paid).	Yes
20	Mahesh Mahanthappa	Mahesh Mahanthappa	Synthesis and characterization of self-assembling block copolymers and molecular amphiphiles. Projects include synthesis of polymers/surfactants and characterization of their self-assembly behavior for high performance applications including ion-selective purification membranes and nanopatterning.	Must have taken sophomore-level Organic Chemistry 1 & 2 associated labs. Minimum commitment is 10 hours/week in > 3 hour blocks to make progress on a project. Inquiries should clearly state # of hours and research mode (course credit, hourly pay, UROP, etc.). Email inquiry should include resume, transcript, and 2 sentences describing specific research interests.	No openings till Spring 2026
21	Michelle Calabrese	Michelle Calabrese	Our research sits at the intersection of rheology and soft materials (proteins, polymers, surfactants, etc.). We develop quantitative relationships between a material’s structure under deformation and its resulting performance, which allows us to design new materials with improved properties and flow stability. Applications of current projects include protein-based therapeutics, multi-functional polymeric materials, drug delivery, recycling and waste, and energy efficiency.	All academic levels welcome to apply. Provide a transcript, resume/CV, and a paragraph describing their research interests. Please specify desired mode of research (credit, paid, UROP, etc). Commitment of 10 hours/ week in >3 hour blocks. Preference for sophomores or 1st semester juniors, who might continue (if mutually agreed upon) for 2+ years.	No
22	Nathan Mara	Nathan Mara	Our team’s research currently centers around three main thrusts: • Interface-dominant mechanical behavior of materials • Materials for service under extreme conditions such as temperature, stress, strain, strain rate, and irradiation • Design of novel nanomechanical test strategies for probing the mechanical behavior of metals, ceramics, polymers and their composites in many different forms: thin films, biomedical implant materials, and bulk materials.	Must have completed sophomore level courses. Provide a transcript and resume/CV.	Yes
23	Prodromos Daoutidis	Prodromos Daoutidis	simulation, optimization and control of process and energy systems.	Must have completed junior-level courses. Contact Prof. Daoutidis for more information.	No
24	Qi Zhang	Qi Zhang	Mathematical modeling, optimization, and machine learning with applications in sustainable process & energy systems, advanced manufacturing, supply chain engineering, and bioengineering.	Strong interest in math and computational work, should have completed junior-level courses. Expected commitment is at least 6 hours per week. Please provide transcript and resume/CV.	Yes
25	Robert Tranquillo	tranquillo@umn.edu	Cardiovascular tissue engineering & regenerative medicine: Cell-based hemocompatiblity of biologically-engineered matrix. Development of a biologically-engineered vein valve. Mechanism of cell contact guidance in aligned fiber networks.	Provide a transcript, resume/CV, and brief statement of interest. Available at least 6 hr per week.	Unlikely
26	Russ Holmes	Russell Holmes	We work at the interface between fundamental materials characterization and device engineering. We are interested in organic and hybrid organic-inorganic semiconductor thin films. Applications of interest include light-emitting devices, solar cells, and photodetectors.	Ideally have completed first semester of sophmore year though we have had several very strong freshman students work in the group. Looking for students who are excited about research and able to spend about 10 hours a week in the laboratory in morning or afternoon blocks. Preference given to students who might continue for 2+ years. Provide a transcipt and resume/CV.	Yes
27	Samira Azarin	Samira Azarin	Our group studies the role of the cell microenvironment in development of healthy and diseased tissues for applications in regenerative medicine and cancer therapeutics.	All academic levels welcome to apply. Provide a transcript and resume/CV. Some projects require experience working with cells, but others do not.	Yes
28	Satish Kumar	Satish Kumar	Please see my department web page. I am willing to talk with interested students about research opportunities.	High GPA. Provide a transcript and resume/CV.	Yes
29	Tim Lodge	Tim Lodge	Experimental polymer science, including synthesis, characterization, rheology, X-ray scattering, dynamic light scattering	Must have completed freshman-level courses. Provide a transcript and resume/CV.	No
30	Turan Birol	Turan Birol	Electronic structure (theory). Computational simulation of properties of materials with applications to magnetism and electronic materials. Development of computer tools for analyzing crystal structures	Ideally, students need to be either taking or have taken Mat. Sci. 3013. Provide a transcript.	Yes
31	Vivian Ferry	Vivian Ferry	We study the interaction between nanostructured materials and light, for applications in metamaterials, plasmonics, and solar energy conversion.	Must have completed first semester sophomore-level courses. Students must have at least one block of time per week greater than 3 hours. Preference for students who might continue for 2+ years on mutual agreement. Provide a transcript and resume/CV.	No
32	Xiang Cheng	Xiang Cheng	We study soft matter physics experimentally including transport phenomena in biological systems, fluid mechanism of colloidal suspensions and drop impact dynamics.	Completed sophomore level courses. Can commit > 4 hours/week. Provide transcript and resume/CV.	Yes
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