Principal Investigator
Tianhong Cui
Distinguished McKnight University Professor
Professor in Mechanical Engineering
Affiliate Senior Member of the graduate faculty in Department of
Electrical Engineering and Department of Biomedical Engineering
- Member, European Academy of Sciences and Arts, 2023
- Visiting Professorship, EPFL, Switzerland, 2023
- JSPS Faculty Fellow, University of Tokyo, Japan, 2023
- Visiting Fellow, Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge, 2023
- Bath Global Chair, University of Bath, 2022
- Best Paper Award, International Conference on Manipulation, Automation, and Robotics at Small Scales, Toronto, Canada, July 25-29, 2022
- Best Paper Award, MIT A+B Applied Energy Symposium, 2020
- Outstanding Editor-in-Chief Award, Microsystems & Nanoengineering, Springer Nature, 2020
- Best Paper Award, Light: Science & Applications, Springer Nature, 2020
- Highly Cited Paper Award, Light: Science & Applications, Springer Nature, 2020
- Best Conference Paper Award, IEEE Nano 2019
- Distinguished Visiting Fellowship, Royal Academy of Engineering, UK, 2019
- Fellow, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), 2018
- Laureate of Blaise Pascal Chair for Excellence through École Normale Supérieure (ENS Paris), the most prestigious visiting professorship in France named after the famous scientist, Blaise Pascal, 2018
- Distinguished McKnight University Professorship, University of Minnesota, 2017
- International Exchange Award with University of Cambridge, Royal Society of UK, 2017
- Distinguished Visiting Professorship, University of Paris East, France, 2017
Group Members




Alumni
Graduate Students
- Peng Zhou, Ph.D., “MEMS-Based Purification and Sensing Technologies for Sustainable Water Management”, Postdoc, University of Minnesota (Pui Best Dissertation Award)
- Jungyoon Kim, Ph.D., “Graphene Sensors and Perovskite Solar Cells for Water Detection”, Senior Engineer, Intel
- Bo Zhang, Ph.D., “Nanomaterial Based Biosensors Powered by Solar Cells”, CEO of a start-up company
- Longzhong Huang, “Synthetic Jet Flow and Heat Transfer for Electronics Cooling” (co-chair: Terrence Simon)
- Steven J. Eickhoff, Ph.D., “Design, Fabrication, and Analysis of Chemical Hydride-Based Micro Fuel Cells”, MEMS Group Leader, Honeywell Inc.
- Smita Agrawal, Ph.D., “The Effects of Agitation on Convective Heat Transfer with Applications to Electronic Cooling”, Research Engineer, Dow Chemical Inc. (co-chair: Terrence Simon)
- Taiho Yeom, Ph.D., “A Piezoelectric Translational Flow Agitator for Active Air Cooling of Electronics”, Associate Professor, University of Mississippi
- Dongjin Lee, Ph.D., “Layer-by-Layer Nano Self-Assembly of Biosensors”, Full Professor at Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea
- Wei Xue, Ph.D., “Nano-Assembled Carbon Nanotube Thin Film Based Microstructures, Field-Effect Transistors, and Acetylcholine Biosensors”, Associate Professor at Rowan University
- Yi Liu, Ph.D., “Nano-Assembled Nanoparticle/Polymer based Field-Effect Transistors and Their Biosensing Applications”, Senior Engineer at Seagate Inc. (2006-present)
- Feng Hua, Ph.D., “Patterning Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembled Multilayer by Lithography and Its Applications to Thin Film Devices”, Associate Professor at Marion Technical College
- Yuxin Liu, Ph.D., “Polymer-based Capacitors, Junction Field-Effect Transistors, and a Follower Circuit by Lithography, Self-Assembly, Ink-Jet Printing Techniques”, Full Professor at West Virginia University
- Jing Wang, Ph.D., “Vertical Polymer Tunneling Sensor Platform by Hot Embossing Technique”, Group Leader at Fluidigm Inc.
- Yongjun Zhao, Ph.D., “Polymer-based Lateral Comb Drive Based on Hot Embossing Process”, Senior Engineer at Seagate Inc.
- Guirong Liang, Ph.D., “Organic Diodes, Field-Effect Transistors, and an Inverter Circuit by Microfabrication Techniques”, Senior Device Engineer at San Disk Inc.
- Mengyan Li, Ph.D., “Cell Culture Scaffolds Using Micro/nanotechnologies to Study the Attachment and Alignment of Smooth Muscle Cells”, Senior Biomedical Engineering at MiMedx, Inc. (co-advisor: Mike McShane)
- Jingshi Shi, Ph.D., “LbL Nanoassembly Combined with Microfabrication Techniques for Microelectronics and MEMS” (co-advisor: Yuri Lvov)
- Mo Zhu, Ph.D., “Fabrication, Characterization, and Modeling of Organic Capacitors, Schottky Diodes, and Filed Effect Transistors”, Senior Engineer at Synopsys Inc. (co-advisor: Kody Varahramyan)
- Xiangyang Wei, Ph.D., “Perovskite Solar Cells Fabricated by Hybrid Physical-Chemical Vapor Deposition”
- Yanke Peng, Ph.D., “New Hybrid Evaporation/CVD Techniques to Deposit High-Quality Crystalline Perovskite Thin Films”
- Li Wang, Ph.D., “Micro Sensors for Detection of Trace Ions Based on Modified Electrodes”
- Guihua Xiao, Ph.D., “Sensitive Dopamine Sensor with Graphene Microelectrode”
- Tianyi Zhang, Ph.D, “Sensitivity Enhancement of a Resonant Mass Sensor Based on Internal Resonance”
- Peng Li, Ph.D., “Design, Fabrication, and Characterization of Graphene Switches”
- Lingjun Sun, Ph.D., “Design, Fabrication, and Characterization of Polymer Fuel Cells”
- Dongzhi Zhang, Ph.D., “Modeling and Fabrication of Self-Assembled Carbon Nanotube Composites”
- Mengwei Liu, Ph.D., “Microforce Sensors Based on Microcantilevers with Two Piezoelectric PZT Thin-Film Elements”
- Jianhua Tong, Ph.D., “Applications of Piezoelectric Bimorph Beams on Micromotors and Micro Force Sensors”
- Yingming Xu, M.S., “Ultra-Sensitive Graphene Water Sensors”
- Khoi Nguyen, M.S., “Graphene Heaters for Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)”
- Jitong Duan, M.S., “Design, Fabrication, and Testing of Flexible Perovskite Solar Cells”
- Shota Sando, M.S., “Self-Assembly of Graphene Gas Sensors”
- Keping Song, M.S., “Modeling of Flexible Nanostructured Solar Cells”
- Zhijiang Ye, M.S., “Thermally Enhanced Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Microfluidic Alignment”
- Vinnee B. A. Selvi, M.S., “MEMS-Based Synthetic Jets for Micro Air-Cooling Systems”
- Ben McDonald, M.S., “Surface Wetting Using Self Assembly of TiO2 Nanoparticles for Heat Pipes”
- Charles Groepper, M.S., “Integrated Pressure, Flow and Temperature Sensing for Fluid Power Systems” (co-advisor: Kim Stelson)
- Jing Wang, M.S., “Micromachined Wide-Bandwidth Magnetic Field Sensors Based on a PMMA Electron Tunneling Transducer”
- Yongjun Zhao, M.S., “Suspension Beam Strength Improvement by Shape Modification”
- Changyuan Chen, M.S., “Manufacturability in a 100 nm T-Gate SOI Recessed Channel MOSFET”
- Md Mazhar Ul Hoque, M.S., “Structural Health Monitoring of Underground Pipes with Embedded MEMS Sensors: an FEA Feasibility Study” (co-chair, Abdelkader Tayebi)
- Yu Liang, M.S., “Applications of Thin Film Heaters and Temperature Sensors to Micro Reaction System”
- Adam G. Reppond, M.S., “Design, Fabrication, and Testing of a Micro flow Sensor”
Post-Doc Advisees and Visiting Scholars
- Dr. Peng Zhou, senior research scientist, 2023-present
- Dr. Yang Wang, postdoctoral research associate, 2021-2022
- Dr. Tianyi Zhang, postdoctoral research associate, 2019-2022
- Dr. Jungyoon Kim, postdoctoral research associate, 2020-2021
- Dr. Xinyi Li, visiting scholar, 2019-2021 (co-host with Terrence Simon)
- Dr. Zongbo Zhang, visiting professor, 2018-2019
- Dr. Xiaoyi Liu, postdoctoral fellow, 2018-2019
- Dr. Rui Zhu, visiting scholar, 2018-2019 (co-host with Terrence Simon)
- Dr. Chongqiu Yang, visiting scholar, 2017-2018
- Dr. Xiaoming Huang, visiting professor, 2017-2018
- Dr. Jianlin Chen, visiting professor, 2017-2018
- Dr. Jian Wang, visiting professor, 2016-2017
- Dr. Gongnan Xie, visiting professor, 2017
- Dr. Peng Li, postdoctoral research associate, 2013-2014
- Dr. Pingmei Ming, visiting professor, 2012-2013
- Dr. Tao Zhang, postdoctoral research associate, 2008-2012
- Dr. Min Zhang, postdoctoral research associate, 2009-2012
- Dr. Youmin Yu, postdoctoral research associate, 2009-2011
- Dr. Congshun Wang, postdoctoral research associate, 2009-2011
- Dr. Xuelin Zhu, postdoctoral research associate, 2009-2011
- Dr. Dongjin Lee, postdoctoral research associate, 2010-2011
- Dr. Karl Vollmer, postdoctoral research associate, 2009
- Dr. Jijun Xiong, visiting professor, 2009-2010
- Dr. Miao Lu, postdoctoral research associate, 2007-2009
- Dr. Yi Luo, visiting professor, 2007-2008
- Dr. Xiongying Ye, visiting professor, 2007
- Dr. Wei Xue, postdoctoral research associate, 2007
- Dr. Wendong Zhang, visiting professor, 2006
- Dr. Jing Wang, research associate, 2003
- Dr. Yongjun Zhao, research associate, 2003