Curriculum Vitae
Education
- Ph.D, Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, 2020
University of California, Berkeley
Advisor: Prof. Ming C. Wu
- National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellow
- Dissertation Research: Light Actuated Digital Microfluidics using Optoelectrowetting (OEW)
- Research Interests: Optoelectronics, Optofluidics, Biophotonics
- Selected Coursework: Lightwave Devices; Nanofabrication; Principles of Molecular Biophotonics; Advanced BioMEMS & Bionanotechnology; Solid State Electronics; Quantum and Optical Electronics
- Graduate Student Instructor: EECS 16A: Designing Information Devices and Systems I (Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019)
- B.S., Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, 2014
University of California, Berkeley
- James H. Eaton Memorial Scholarship recipient (2014), Admiral Grace Murray Hopper Scholarship recipient (2010)
- Research Interests: Nanotechnology, Devices, Optoelectronics
- Selected Coursework: IC Devices; Microfabrication; Optical Engineering; Photovoltaic Devices; MEMS; Linear Algebra & Differential Equations; Discrete Mathematics & Probability; Data Structures; Structure & Interpretation of Computer Programs; Machine Structures; Technology & Society; Principles of Engineering Economics
Industry Experience
- Staff Measurement Systems Development Engineer
Nutcracker Therapeutics Inc., Emeryville, CA
July 2021 - Present
- Research & development of microfluidics scaled sensing technologies and system hardware for on-chip sensing and analytics used for in-process monitoring on the Nutcracker Manufacturing Unit (NMU), a mRNA drug and vaccine manufacturing platform
- Project lead & owner of the on-chip Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) sensor for real-time particle size characterization—a system that meets and exceeds industry standards capable of in-process testing to inform process decisions
- Perform multiple concurrent next-generation sensor development projects comprising proof-of-concept, design, modeling, fabrication & prototyping, experimentation on opto-mechanical and electrical bench setups, scripting, and custom material sourcing for on-chip sensors and sensing techniques
- Lead efforts with key cross-functional stakeholders to characterize, test, validate, and integrate hardware/software systems for sensor modules and analytical methods
- Ideation, development, and implementation of new gating methods for release testing of key biochip consumables
- Define material specifications and critical quality attributes of key consumable components used by the NTX manufacturing platform
- Optimized biochip consumable release test method efficiency, decreasing required testing time for manufacturing by 50%
- Lead interdisciplinary investigations to identify failure modes and engaged cross-functionally to develop preventative actions
- Perform continuous monitoring and statistical analysis of sensing and testing data
- Present and communicate work on Nutcracker ProcessVision™ sensing technologies to an international audience as well as regular progress updates to internal engineering leadership
- Research Intern
HRL Laboratories, Malibu, CA
May 2016 - August 2016
- Created COMSOL simulation models for inertial sensors to study performance under extreme vibration and shock conditions
- Setup and modeled inertial sensing devices to include geometric and material nonlinearities to study how they affect the bias stability and sensitivity of the device
- Collaborated with team members on product design for multimillion dollar client contracts
- Presented in weekly project meetings, updated weekly progress using Confluence, and delivered a final presentation
PhD Research
- Optofluidics: Light Actuated Digital Microfluidics using Optoelectrowetting
Advisor: Prof. Ming C. Wu
Ming Wu Laboratory
Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, UC Berkeley
August 2014 - December 2020
- Used Light-Actuated Digital Microfluidics (LADM) via Optoelectrowetting (OEW) to manipulate liquid droplets on chip
- Invented, designed, and modeled a novel co-planar OEW optofluidics consumable device that allows for a more flexible and wider range of system integration configurations, easier droplet accessibility, and low power light source requirements using COMSOL, MATLAB, and LTspice
- Fabricated the novel co-planar OEW device using the campus cleanroom facility and verified properties using metrology tools
- Characterized, tested, and analyzed measurement data (using MATLAB and OriginPro) of the devices and correlated device performance to design model: realized over 2x faster droplet speeds over previous generations and device operation capable of using over 95% less light intensity
- Designed and prototyped consumable packaging using SolidWorks, AutoCAD, soft lithography, and 3D printing techniques for large-scale droplet based lab-on-a-chip analysis
- Demonstrated macro- to micro- system integration and large-scale, unique droplet arrays on the novel co-planar OEW device
- Mentored and managed an independent OEW research project for an undergraduate student
- Directed laboratory safety by managing group operations to meet OSHA compliance
Previous Research Projects
- Undergraduate Research Assistant
Ming Wu Laboratory under Prof. Ming C. Wu
Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, UC Berkeley
November 2011 - May 2014
- Independent project to design and simulate a novel phototransistor device to achieve high responsivities and high bandwidths
- Simulated and experimentally measured novel optoelectronic devices (phototransistors & photodiodes), and correlated performance through experimental measurement and characterization
- Created python scripts for 2D and 3D simulations of optical device structures using CST and Lumerical software
- Project Team Lead
Human Powered Gym under Prof. Alice Agogino
Mechanical Engineering, UC Berkeley
September 2011 - December 2013
- Led independent research project funded by The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) to investigate methods of harvesting electrical energy from elliptical and stationary bike exercise machines. Retrofits implemented in the campus Recreational Sports Facility (RSF)
- Organized an educational campaign and outreach events to bring about sustainability and energy conservation awareness across the UC Berkeley campus population
- Managed three interdisciplinary engineering teams
- Mentored undergraduate and graduate student product development class teams
- Summer Research Intern
Device Research Laboratory under Prof. Kang Wang
Electrical Engineering, UCLA
June 2011 - August 2011
- Calculated spin diffusion length and hall mobility of Ge spintronic devices from measured data using MATLAB
- Measured and determined the Schottky Barrier Height of Fe/n-type Ge devices using MATLAB
- Summer Research Intern
Device Research Laboratory under Prof. Kang Wang
Electrical Engineering, UCLA
June 2009 - September 2009
- Identified and characterized mono- and multi- layers of graphene through Raman Spectroscopy & Atomic Force Microscopy
- Implemented techniques to transfer graphene onto various substrates: SOI, SiO2, PZT
- Attempted to improve methods of peeling graphene with the goal of a higher yield of mono-layer graphene
Awards
- National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP) Fellow (2014-2019)
- James H. Eaton Memorial Scholarship, UC Berkeley EECS Department Student Award (2013-2014)
- Internship under the Center for Energy Efficient Electronics Science (E3S) (a NSF STC) (2013-2014)
- Qualcomm Undergraduate Experiences in Science and Technology (QUEST) Scholar (2013)
- Undergraduate Research Fellow under NSF Center for Integrated Access Networks (CIAN) (2011-2014)
- Admiral Grace Murray Hopper Scholarship through the Society of Women Engineers (2010)
- Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Engineer/Architect Scholarship (2010)
Activities
- UC Berkeley Photobears, Chair
IEEE Photonics Society Chapter Chair (2016-2019), UC Berkeley Photobears Secretary (2013-2018)
UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
January 2013 - September 2019
- Founded the IEEE Photonics Society Student Chapter at UC Berkeley in 2016
- Organized, raised sponsorship funding for, and publicized networking events, seminars, and outreach for UC Berkeley’s chapters of OSA, SPIE, and IEEE Photonics Society that reached audiences of over 200 people
- Worked with other executive board members to increase visibility, membership, and participation by five-fold
- Course Reader
UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
- Paid reader for EE 117: Electricity & Magnetism (Spring 2017, Spring 2018)
- Paid reader for EE 105: Microelectronic Circuits (Fall 2013)
- KALX (90.7 FM)
Broadcaster/Assistant Producer
January 2011 - January 2012
- Worked with newscast team to write, communicate, and produce weekly live newscasts of current events that were broadcasted to the entire San Francisco Bay Area during evening rush hour
Publications
Patents
Books
Presentations
- Optical sensors to measure microfluidic pressure, concentration, and particle-size in an RNA-therapeutic manufacturing platform, Biophysical Society Annual Meeting, February 11, 2024
- Light-Actuated Digital Microfluidics using Optoelectrowetting, BSAC Industrial Advisory Board, September 23, 2020
- Light-Actuated Digital Microfluidics using Optoelectrowetting, BSAC Industrial Advisory Board, September 19, 2019
- Light-Actuated Digital Microfluidics using Optoelectrowetting, BSAC Industrial Advisory Board, March 7, 2019
- Light-Actuated Digital Microfluidics using Optoelectrowetting, BSAC Industrial Advisory Board, March 8, 2018
- Light-Actuated Digital Microfluidics (Optoelectrowetting), BSAC Industrial Advisory Board, March 9, 2017
- Light-Actuated Digital Microfluidics, WiSE The Future of Science Conference, March 4, 2017
- Light-Actuated Digital Microfluidics (Optoelectrowetting), BSAC Industrial Advisory Board, September 29, 2016
- Light-Actuated Digital Microfluidics (Optoelectrowetting), BSAC Industrial Advisory Board, March 3, 2016
- Light-Actuated Digital Microfluidics (Optoelectrowetting), BSAC Industrial Advisory Board, October 1, 2015
- Light-Actuated Digital Microfluidics (Optoelectrowetting), BSAC Industrial Advisory Board, March 12, 2015
- Light-Actuated Digital Microfluidics (Optoelectrowetting), BSAC Industrial Advisory Board, September 18, 2014
- Germanium Gate PhotoMOS Integrated to Silicon Photonics, Jacobs Hall Groundbreaking Celebration, April 12, 2014
- Germanium Gate PhotoMOS Integrated to Silicon Photonics, Center for E3S NSF Site Visit at MIT, January 10, 2014
- Germanium Gate PhotoMOS Integrated to Silicon Photonics, Center for E3S Research Seminar, December 12, 2013
- Human Power Generation in Fitness Facilities, UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering External Advisory Board, October 25, 2013
- Germanium Gate PhotoMOS Integrated to Silicon Photonics, UC Berkeley QUEST Poster Session, September 4, 2013
- Human Power Generation in Fitness Facilities, Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Sustainability Summit, April 22, 2013
Professional Memberships
Skills/Interests
- Computer languages: MATLAB, Python
- Engineering software & skills: Microfabrication, Soft Lithography, COMSOL, OriginLab, LabView, LTSpice, CST Microwave Studio, Lumerical FDTD Solutions, Sentaurus TCAD, SolidWorks, AutoCAD, 3D printing, OriginLab, ImageJ, Klayout, L-Edit
- Interests: Tennis, Cycling, Boxing, Golf, Music (Violin, Piano), Film & TV
- Languages: Native in English, Proficient in Spanish, Conversational in Cantonese, Beginner in German
References