Current Graduate Students

Hailing from the city of Accra in Ghana, West Africa; Evans is a first year PhD student in the Materials Science and Engineering program at the University of Arkansas. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Petroleum Engineering at the University of Energy and Natural Resources 2019, where he worked on the “Feasibility Study of a Pneumatic Core Barrel Design” as his undergraduate research project.

His current research is focused on Nano Systems Engineering and Applications, particularly on 2D graphene-devices on a dielectric substrate and the effect of nanoparticles on the electrical properties of graphene devices.

Mishek Musa

John is a first-year graduate student at the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville where he’s working towards a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering. He earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 2020. John’s specific research interests lie in robotics, a field he became enamored with during his time as a member of the 2019 – 2020 Rozorbotz team: he aided in the construction of a Martian mining robot for the 2020 NASA Robotic Mining Competition. While not working or studying, John loves to rock climb and create music.

Former Graduate Students

PhD Dissertations

1.   Dong, Z., Design, Fabrication, Testing of CNT Based ISFET and Characterization of Nano/Bio Materials Using AFM, Department of Mechanical Engineering, December 2012.
2. Omolewu, A., Fabrication and Non-covalent Functionalization of Graphene-based Devices on Novel Substrate toward Applications in Sensors and High-Frequency Devices, Materials Science and Engineering, July 2022.

MS Theses

1.   Ivenso, I., 3D Simulation and Automation of Temperature Measurement System for Formed Meat Products, Department of Mechanical Engineering, August 2011.
2.   Chalamalasetty, S., Physiochemical and Nanomanipulation Studies of Carbon Nanomaterials, Department of Microelectronics and Photonics, May 2012.
3.   Lee, S., Surface Topography Characterization and Verification Through Manual Calculation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, May 2013.
4.   Ballew, B., Investigation of Numerical Algorithm for a Discretized Rubber-Belt Continuously Variable Transmission Dynamic Model and Techniques for the Measurement of Belt Material Properties, Department of Mechanical Engineering, December 2015.
5.   Crawford, A., Motor Control Systems Analysis, Design, and Optimization Strategies for a Lightweight Excavation Robot, Department of Mechanical Engineering, April 2019.
6.   Seiwert, T., Design and Fabrication of a Nanofluidic Chip with Integrated Graphene Nanoribbons for DNA Sequencing Systems, Department of Mechanical Engineering, May 2020.
7.   Watson, R., Digital Control of 2 Degree of Freedom Robotic Arm, Department of Mechanical Engineering, December 2018.
8.   Taylor, C., Study of Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) and Vanadium Dioxide (Vo2) Actuator, Department of Mechanical Engineering, December 2020.

Former Undergraduate Student Researchers

Honors Theses

1.   Remell, K., Mathematical Modeling a Two Wheeled Robotic Base, Department of Mechanical Engineering, May 2020.
2.   Broadbent, N., Sub-/Surface Evaluation of Industry-Grade Endodontic File Micro-/Nanoscale Structures and Low Cost, Low-Energy Methods of Rapidly Annealing and Nitriding Titanium, Department of Mechanical Engineering, December 2019.
3.   Kulkarni, S., Modelling Palladium Decorated Graphene Using Density Functional Theory to Analyze Hydrogen Sensing Application, Department of Mechanical Engineering, April 2019.
4.   Seiwert, T., Non-Covalent Functionalization of Graphene Films for Uniform Nanoparticle Deposition Via Atomic Layer Deposition, Department of Mechanical Engineering, April 2018.
5.   Montgomery, J., Optimization of Graphene Parameters for the Development of Supercapacitors, Department of Mechanical Engineering, April 2017.
6.   Pocta, M., Optimization of Reduce Graphene Oxide Deposition for Hydrogen Sensing Technologies, Department of Mechanical Engineering, April 2017.
7.   Margis, M., Carbon Nanotube Based Ion Sensitive Field Effect Transistor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, April 2011.
8.   Norman, T., Optimization of Automated Temperature Measurement System for Formed Meat Products, Department of Mechanical Engineering, May 2013.
9.   Garcia, M., GUI Matlab Code to Display Damped, Undamped, Forced, and Unforced Mass Spring Systems, Department of Mechanical Engineering, May 2015.

Summer NSF REU Students

1.   Andrea Vivian, BSME, Michigan State University
2.   Holly Tortillott, BS, Bio Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia
3.   Matthew Margis, BSME, University of Arkansas
4.   Grant Duensing, BSME, University of Arkansas
5.   Trent Chudej, BSEE, University of Arkansas
6.   Gray Sullivan, BS, Fort Valley State University, GA
7.   John Mark Vaughan, BSME Student, University of Arkansas
8.   Allan Albrecht, BS Engineering Physics Student, University of Wisconsin-Madison
9.   Anthony Dorhauer, BS Physics, Missouri State University
10.   Brianna Potter, BSME, University of Utah
11.   Philip McMeans, BSME, University of Arkansas
12.   Jeffrey Ryan Burford, University of Kentucky
13.   Caroline Conroy, Northeastern University
14.   Ty Seiwert, BSME, University of Arkansas
15.   Chase Ophus, BSME, Oral Roberts University
16.   Nicholas Broadbent, BSME, University of Arkansas

Summer Research Students

1.   Mentored a Brazilian undergraduate student, summer 2015.
2.   Recruited 9 highly talented undergraduate students across the country for the MEEG NSF REU site proposal – summer 2015.
3.   Recruited 9 highly talented and capable undergraduate students across the country for the MEEG NSF REU site proposal – summer 2016.
4.   Recruited 9 highly talented and capable undergraduate students across the country for the MEEG NSF REU site proposal – summer 2017.
5.   Research Mentor and Advisor: 2 highly talented undergraduate students – summer 2017
6.   Research Mentor and Advisor: 1 MicroEP REU student – Summer 2018
7.   Mentored a MicroEP student, summer 2021.