Ph.D. Students
Qing Zhou Current work: Design and synthesis of stimuli-responsive polymer for additive manufacturing of adaptive structures; Controlled drug release from functionalized surface with stimuli-responsive star polymers Research interests: Thermo- and light-responsive polymers, controlled delivery systems, and layer-by-layer surface deposition Education and prior experience: M.E. in Materials Science, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China, 2014 Master’s topic: Modification of non-woven polypropylene (PP) fiber via graft polymerization and PP fiber reinforced silica aerogels B.E. in Polymer Materials and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China, July 2011 |
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| Diana Al Husseini Current work: Optical Sensor and Gas Adsorption Enhancement through Colloidal Thin Films Research interests: Thin film engineering for selective gas adsorption; Mid IR optical sensor functionalization; Synthesis and characterization of metal oxide nanoparticles Education and prior experience: M.Ed. in Science Education, Texas A&M University, 2017 B.S. in Chemistry, James Madison University, 2015 |
| Aliaksei Aliakseyeu Current work: Influence of polymer architecture on polymer-polymer interaction and diffusion within layer-by-layer films Research interests: Hydrogen-bonded polymer complexes, layer-by-layer films, thermodynamics of polymer complex formation Education and prior experience: M.S. in Chemistry, Belarusian State University, Minsk, Belarus, 2016 Master’s topic: Influence of the nature of the conducting layer on the functioning of solid-contact ion-selective electrodes B.S. in Chemistry, Belarusian State University, Minsk, Belarus, 2015 |
| Zhen Sang Current work: Flexible and conductive Mxene/polymer composites and improvement of antioxidant property of Mxene Research interests: Polymer nanocomposites, flexible electronics, self-assemble, antioxidant property of Mxene Education and prior experience: M.S. in Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, OH, USA, 2019 Master’s thesis: Conductive Elastomer Nanocomposites for Strain Sensors Applications B.S. in Polymer Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China, 2017 Bachelor's thesis: Functionalized Alginate with Liquid-like Behaviors and Its Application in Wet-spinning |
| Jordan Brito After earning her B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University, Jordan is now pursuing a Ph.D. in Materials Science & Engineering. She joined the Sukhishvili Group in Fall 2019 and is currently working on the characterization of superhydrophobic surfaces constructed via layer-by-layer deposition of polymer films on structured substrates. Her research interests include surface wettability, thermodynamics, and biological interactions of polymer-coated surfaces. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading and playing video games. |
| Kartik Kumar Rajagopalan Kartik received his B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from Anna University (India) followed by two M.S. degrees in Nanotechnology and Chemical Engineering from Louisiana Tech University. After working for 7 years in the coatings industry across three companies of varying sizes, he was admitted for the Fall 2020 semester to the Ph.D program in Materials Science at Texas A&M, where his research will focus on PCMs and 3D printing with Diels Alder reaction as part of the Sukhishvili group. In addition to experimentation in the lab, Kartik enjoys experimenting with recipes in the kitchen. Apart from work, yoga, meditation, reading, biking, playing video games, long walks and drives are other activities he enjoys. |
| Al-Farabi Kopzhassar In 2019, Al-Farabi graduated from Pavlodar State University (Kazakhstan) where he earned a bachelor's degree in Chemistry. After graduation, he worked in the Institute of Batteries (Kazakhstan) where they have been modifying, synthesizing, and assembling a variety of Li-ion batteries. In 2021, Al-Farabi started his Ph.D. program in Materials Science and Engineering at Texas A&M University under the supervision of Svetlana Sukhishvili. Now he is working with UCST, LCST, star and linear polymers. |
| Ardak Makhatova After receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Technology of Organic Compounds from Kazakh-British Technical University (Kazakhstan, 2017), Ardak earned her M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Nazarbayev University (Kazakhstan, 2019). She was admitted for the Fall 2021 Semester to the Ph.D program in Materials Science and Engineering at Texas A&M University. In the Sukhishvili Research Group, her research will focus on polyelectrolyte complexes (PEC) and their use to stabilize natural soils. Swimming, tennis and reading are activities she enjoys outside of work. |
