Dr. Kandel directs the Applied Physics Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. His current research focuses on the growth and Characterization of high-temperature superconductor (HTS) based cuprate thin films and heterostructures and the nanofabrication of HTS electronic devices.

Dr. Kandel has been named PI or Co-PI in over $3 million intra and extramural grants, including from the US Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, and UW System, by collaborating with researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, and has received close to $200,000.00 in research funding as a PI. He has published one book chapter,  over 35 peer-reviewed journal papers, 2 issued US patents, and 60 conference talks and poster presentations, many of which are with his students. In 2018, one of his patented inventions was applied to build the world's strongest superconducting magnet at the national high magnetic field laboratory, about 3,000 times stronger than a small refrigerator magnet. Stronger Superconducting magnets such as this are required to build high-energy particle accelerators and next-generation NMR/MRI machines.

 Dr. Kandel serves as the Editor of Advances in Materials Science and Engineering and as the Faculty Advisor to the Parkside Journal of Science, showcasing the scientific research conducted by faculty and students at UW-Parkside.

Stevan Is a Computer Science and Mathematics major working on the nano-fabrication and characterization of heterostructures using high temperature superconductor YBCO and Insulator PBCGO. Together with Riley Tucker, they've presented their research at the Rotunda in Spring 2025, won the WiSys Quick Pitch First Place Award at UW-Parkside, and are currently participating in the Quick Pitch final and poster competition at UW-Madison. 

Lina is a physics and computer science double major pursuing her research at the Applied Physics Laboratory in projects involving synthesis and characterization studies cuprate superconductors and electrical insulators for developing services for quantum computing and biomedical imaging applications. She has been selected to present her research at the Research in Rotunda 2025 (State Capitol, Madison)

Hillary was a senior pursuing a major in physics and a minor in math. After learning about the Applied Physics Laboratory, she became enthusiastic about gaining research experience at the undergraduate level as she planned for graduate school in the future. 

Hillary worked on x-ray diffraction measurement and analysis, as well as Raman scattering studies of cuprate oxide heterostructures. She presented her research at the National Council on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) 2023 and Research in Rotunda 2023. She also received the URAP Award (Spring 2023) and the Summer Research Fellowship (Summer 2023). 

Julia is a recent physics graduate who was honored as an outstanding graduating student during the Spring 2023 Commencement Ceremony. She began her research work with Dr. Kandel in 2020 and has presented her research in applied superconductivity at statewide and national conferences, symposiums, and quick pitches, including APS March Meeting 2021 and 2022, and NCUR 2021 and 2022. She was the first-place- winner in WiSys/UW System Statewide Research and Innovation Competition and UW-Parkside WiSys quick pitch competition in 2021.

Andrew was a double major in physics and chemistry and worked on the theory and design of the YBCO-based  S-I-S Josephson junction device. 

His passions lie in the chemical and physical sciences, and he plans to further develop this facet of his education towards a graduate degree in materials science or applied physics. He conducted novel research into the electrochemical synthesis of organic compounds utilizing various catalytic metals, served as president of the UW-Parkside Chemistry Club, and was a member of the College of Natural Health Sciences Student Advisory Council. 

Joel is currently pursuing his  Ph.D. in Physics at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst since the Fall of 2022. In the fall of 2021, he worked with Dr. Kandel on a research project to improve existing electrical insulation technology on Bi-2212 based high field superconducting magnets. 

Trevor's research at the APL was understanding heat capacity near the phase transition of the superconductors and presented his research in Physics Senior Thesis Seminar in 2017. He also studied the Hall effect behavior in semiconductors and presented his research at the UW-Parkside student showcase in 2017.

Vince is the CNHS Electronics Repair & Fabrication Staff, who provides us with his expertise in the fabrication, testing, and maintenance (repair) of instruments/machines in our lab.