We have a group of super-talented young researchers on our team. They are passionate about their work and are dedicated to making a difference. Check out this page to learn more about them and their research.
Post Doctorate Scholars
Richard (Yu) Liu
Richard received his PhD in physics at Harvard University in 2023. His research focused on studying topological materials and strongly correlated topological materials with scanning tunneling microscope. Currently, Richard is working on developing machine learning-based automated workflows to accelerate the operation of scanning probe microscope and answer scientific questions that normal operations are difficult to answer. Hobbies: Richard likes building home projects based on Arduino and Raspberry Pi. He spent some free time rendering 3D images and animations in Blender. He also plays table tennis in his spare time.
Boris Slautin
Boris earned his Master’s and Ph.D. degrees at Ural Federal University in Russia, where he specialized in domain engineering using scanning probe microscopy. He later joined the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany as a postdoctoral researcher, focusing on developing and implementing AI-driven workflows for automated microscopy characterization. Currently, his research focuses on integrating experimental tools into multimodal frameworks and combining theoretical models with automated workflows to accelerate scientific discovery.
Alla Slautina
Alla received her Ph.D. from Ural Federal University in Russia in 2019, where she investigated the piezoelectric properties of organic microcrystals using atomic force microscopy. After her defense, her work shifted to domain engineering utilizing focused electron and ion beam lithography. Currently, she is a Research Specialist specializing in advanced scanning probe and electron microscopy techniques. She also plays a key role in supporting the research group’s operations by organizing scientific events and collaborative programs. In her free time, Alla enjoys creating digital art and cooking.
PhD Students
Aditya Raghavan
Aditya received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from India. He then went on to earn his master’s degree in materials science and engineering from the University of Florida. His research at Florida focused on compositionally complex cuprate YBCO. Currently, Aditya employs a scanning probe microscope to study combinatorial materials. He then applies physics-based machine learning algorithms to analyze the experimental data.
Kamyar Barakati
Kamyar holds a Master’s degree in Physics from Tarbiat Modares University in Tehran, Iran, where he investigated charge transfer in mixed halide perovskite-based solar cells. Currently, he focuses on developing physics-based workflows for real-time image and data analysis in microscopy. Outside of the lab, Kamyar delights in playing soccer and following the sport as a fan.
Utkarsh Pratiush
Utkarsh Pratiush completed his Masters from the Indian Institute of Science. After that, he worked as an ML research engineer in industry for 2 years. His current work focuses on developing and deploying automated workflows on live instrument. In his free time, he likes to learn about geopolitics and world history.
Surya Prakash Reddy
Surya received his master’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Arizona State University, where his thesis focused on TEM characterization of perovskite quantum dots. His current research centers on electron microscopy, materials characterization, and autonomous microscopy. He works with TEM/STEM, FIB, EELS, and EDS, combining microscope automation, machine learning, and physics-based approaches to improve data acquisition and analysis. He also contributes to projects such as Asyncroscopy and is interested in electron–matter interactions and direct atomic fabrication using focused electron beams.
Newsha Javanmardi
Newsha Javanmardi is a Ph.D. student in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her current research focuses on applying artificial intelligence and machine learning to microscopy. Her previous research involved advanced manufacturing, process optimization, experimental data collection, and image processing, with applications in polymer extrusion and 3D printing.
Faith Marie Hines
Faith received her bachelor’s degree in physics and chemistry from Emory University. At Emory, her research focused on electronic and optical characteristics of ferromagnetic materials. Currently, her research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials. Outside the lab, she enjoys spending time drawing and reading.