Education

• University of California, Berkeley

Ph.D. (2020), M.S. (2017), Materials Science and Engineering

Dissertation: Engineering the properties of two-dimensional van der Waals materials

• Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

B.Sc. (2012, 1st class honors), Physics

Minor: Mathematics. Concentration: Nanotechnology, Optical Technology

Thesis: The growth of non-planar epitaxial nanostructures on muscovite mica via van der Waals epitaxy

Appointments

• 12/2020 – present, Postdoctoral Researcher – Northwestern University

Advisor: Prof. Mark C. Hersam (Department of Materials Science and Engineering)

• 09/2020 – 11/2020, Postdoctoral Researcher – Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Advisor: Prof. Feng Wang (UC Berkeley Physics Department & LBNL Materials Sciences Division)

• 08/2015 – 08/2020, Graduate Student Researcher – University of California, Berkeley

Advisor: Prof. Feng Wang (UC Berkeley Physics Department & LBNL Materials Sciences Division)

• 07/2012 – 07/2015, Research Project Officer – Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Advisor: Prof. Qihua Xiong (Division of Physics and Applied Physics; now at Tsinghua University)

• 08/2009 – 07/2012, Undergraduate Research Assistant – Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Advisor: Prof. Qihua Xiong (Division of Physics and Applied Physics; now at Tsinghua University)  

Selected grants, awards, honors, and activities

• International Institute for Nanotechnology (IIN) Outstanding Researcher Visionary Award 2023

• IIN Postdoctoral Fellowship: 2023 - present

• Foresight Fellowship 2023 in molecular machines

• American Physical Society (APS) DMP Post-doctoral Travel Award: USD 1,200 grant to support participation in Division of Materials Physics (DMP) Focus Topics at the APS March Meeting 2022. The selection is based on the research quality, impact of the research at the March Meeting, and the innovative contribution of the researcher.

• APS Career Mentoring Fellow 2022: a 1-year program that includes training as a career mentor, and provides for compensated registration to APS March Meeting 2022

• NanoArt 2020, Molecular Foundry - fourth place winner

• Science as Art competition finalist, MRS Fall Meeting 2019, MRS Spring & Fall Meeting 2020

• UC Berkeley Graduate Division, Conference Travel Grant (2019): USD 900

• Student & Postdoc Team Science Competition award, EFRC-Hub-CMS PI meeting, United States (2017), based on the presentation by DY Qiu and FH da Jornada

• Best poster award in 6th MRS-S Conference on Advanced Materials, Singapore (2014)

• NTU School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences – Dean’s list 2010-2011

• NTU ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship (2008 – 2012): Full tuition and stipend awarded to top students from South East Asian countries studying at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

• International Olympiad in Astronomy and Astrophysics 2007 (Chiang Mai, Thailand): silver medal

• International Astronomy Olympiad 2006, senior group (Mumbai, India): III diploma (bronze medal)

• International Astronomy Olympiad 2005, junior group (Beijing, China): II diploma (silver medal)

• National Science Olympiad of Indonesia – Astronomy 2004 (junior group): gold medal; Astronomy 2005: silver medal; Physics 2007: silver medal