McDermott Graduate Fellows Alumni
Dr. Diana L. Alatalo
Diana Alatalo earned a B.S. in electrical engineering (2015), an M.S. in mechanical engineering (2016), and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from UT Dallas in 2021 (mentor: Fatemeh Hassanipour, Ph.D.). A 2017 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship awardee, her doctoral work focused on biotransport phenomena in human lactation to improve both short- and long-term health outcomes for mothers and infants.
Dr. Alexandra Arteaga
Alexandra Arteaga earned a B.S. in biology (2010) and an M.S. in molecular biology (2013) from UT El Paso and a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from UT Dallas in 2023 (mentor: Danieli B. C. Rodrigues, Ph.D.). She is an awardee of the 2019 NIH National Research Service Award Fellowship (F31). Her work focuses on the development and improvement of orthopedic implants for diabetic patients.
Dr. Sara Benham
Sara Benham graduated from Southwestern University in 2006 with a B.A. in Spanish and M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from Purdue University in 2016. She earned her Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders (mentor: Lisa Goffman, Ph.D.) at UT Dallas in 2021. In 2019 she was awarded an NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Predoctoral Fellowship F31 (NIDCD) for her research on the lexical, phonological and speech motor contributions to word and sound learning in early typical and atypical language development.
Dr. Candace E. Benjamin
Candace Benjamin earned a B.S. in chemistry with a concentration in biochemistry from Saint John Fisher College in 2014. A 2017 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship winner, Candace earned a Ph.D. in chemistry from UT Dallas in 2020 (mentor: Jeremiah Gassensmith, Ph.D.) investigating the production of more localized drug delivery methods to reduce side effects.
Dr. Jennifer M. Boothby
Jenny Boothby received her B.S. in biomedical engineering from Georgia Tech in 2014 and her Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from UT Dallas in 2019 (mentor: Taylor Ware, Ph.D.). In 2016, she won an NSF Graduate Fellowship for her work on utilizing liquid crystal polymers for biological applications.
Dr. Federico Bernardoni
Federico Bernardoni earned his B.S. (2014) and M.Sc. (2018) in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Pisa, Italy, with a minor in aerodynamics. He earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at UT-Dallas in 2022 (mentor: Stefano Leonardi Ph.D.). His doctoral research was concentrated on CFD numerical simulations applied to wind energy with the goal of lowering the cost of renewable energy.
Dr. Melanie H. Bowler
Melanie Bowler earned a B.S. in 2017 and a Ph.D. in 2022, both in physics from UT Dallas (mentor: Jason D. Slinker, Ph.D.). A 2018 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship winner, Melanie’s doctoral research concentrated on light-emitting electrochemical cells. She focused on temperature dependent studies and host-guest systems to reveal a deeper understanding of the underlying physics to improve their performance as high efficiency emitters.
Dr. E. Ammon Butcher
Ammon Butcher earned a B.S. in accounting from Brigham Young University in 2013, an M.A. in accounting from the Ohio State University in 2015, and a Ph.D. in management science from UT Dallas in 2023 (mentor: Suresh Radhakrishnan, Ph.D.). His research pertains to agency theory, incentives, innovation, and disclosure.
Dr. Maria G. Castaneda
Maria Castaneda earned a B.S. in biochemistry (2014) at The University of Tulsa and a doctorate in chemistry (2019) from UT Dallas (mentor: Jiyong Lee, Ph.D.). During her graduate career Maria studied the inhibition of cancer metastasis by discovering a small molecule inhibitor of the transcription factor FOXC2, helping her earn the 2016 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. Most recently Maria was awarded the NIH T32 fellowship in translational genomics and precision medicine approaches in cancer (2019) as a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Dr. Sendurai Mani at MD Anderson Cancer Research Center.
Dr. Gregory T. Ellson
Greg Ellson earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech in 2014 and his doctorate in materials science and engineering from UT Dallas in 2017 (mentor: Walter E. Voit, Ph.D.). Greg’s research centers on the development of high-performance photopolymers for 3D printing, bioelectronics, and artificial muscle applications.
Dr. Blair Flicker
Blair Flicker earned a B.S. in computer science and a B.S. in psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2006 and an MBA (2012) and Ph.D. in management science (mentor: Elena Katok, Ph.D.) from UT Dallas in 2019. In 2017, Blair received an NSF Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant to support his research into human-computer integration as it relates to economic decision-making.
Dr. Alex Garcia Topete
Alex Garcia Topete earned a B.A. in arts and performance in 2011, a M.A. in arts & technology in 2017, a M.S. in innovation & entrepreneurship in 2020, and a Ph.D. in arts, technology, and emerging communication in 2021, all from UT Dallas (mentor: Roger F. Malina, Ph.D.). His doctoral research focused on transdisciplinary methods of knowledge production that foster collaborative innovation and creativity, spanning media studios, design firms, tech start-ups, higher education institutions, corporations, and research labs.
Dr. Jeffrey A. Hullfish
Jeff Hullfish earned his B.S.E. in acoustical engineering and music with a minor in mathematics from the University of Hartford in 2013, his M.Sc. in engineering acoustics from the Technical University of Denmark in 2015, and his Ph.D. in cognition and neuroscience from UT Dallas in 2019 (mentor: Sven Vanneste, Ph.D.). His doctoral research produced several papers investigating the pathological changes underlying tinnitus.
Dr. Mai T. Huynh
Mai Huynh, a 2018 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship winner, graduated from UT Dallas in 2016 with a B.S. in chemistry and a Ph.D. in chemistry in 2021 (mentors: Paul Pantano, Ph.D. and Rockford K. Draper, Ph.D.). Her doctoral research focused on the interactions of various carbon nanotubes with mammalian macrophage cells in order to inform the design of safer nanomaterials.
Dr. Dominique James
Dominique James earned a B.S. in biomedical engineering from the University of Rochester in 2019 and a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from UT Dallas in 2023 (mentor: Kenneth Hoyt, Ph.D.). Her research uses phase-change contrast agents and ultrasound strategies to noninvasively estimate pressure for tumor interstitial pressure and/or portal vein hypertension pressure estimation.
Dr. Taek Kang
Taek Kang earned a B.S. in chemical and biomolecular engineering from the Johns Hopkins University in 2009 and a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from UT Dallas in 2023 (mentor: Leonidas Bleris, Ph.D.). His research focuses on building and studying biological circuits in mammalian cells to decipher the underlying principles that guide their function.
Dr. Daria Kurandina
Daria Kurandina earned her B.S. degree in chemistry in 2014 from Saint Petersburg State University in Russia and her Ph.D. degree in organic chemistry in 2020 from UT Dallas. Her graduate research was conducted under supervision of Dr. Vladimir Gevorgyan and focused on discovery and development of novel synthetic methodologies and investigation of reaction mechanisms.
Dr. Nikita Kvasovs
Nikita Kvasovs earned a B.S. in chemistry at the University of Latvia in 2017 and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry at UT Dallas in 2023 (mentor: Vladimir Gevorgyan, Ph.D.). He studies novel synthetic methodologies and reaction mechanisms.
Dr. Melissa Lenert
Melissa Lenert earned a B.S. in biology at Stephen F. Austin State University in 2019, an M.S. in biotechnology (2019), and a Ph.D. in cognition and neuroscience (2023) from UT Dallas (mentor: Michael D. Burton, Ph.D.). She is a recipient of the NINDS D-SPAN F99 fellowship. She studies the role of cellular metabolism in modulating neuroimmune interactions during chronic muscle pain.
Dr. Yingdong Mao
Yingdong Mao earned a B.S. in applied mathematics and economics from Yunnan University of Finance and Economics in 2015, an M.S. in mathematical finance from Bentley University in 2017, and a Ph.D. in management science with a concentration in finance from UT Dallas in 2024 (mentor: Feng Zhao, Ph.D.). His research focuses on asset pricing and risk management.
Dr. Ryan Margolis
Ryan Margolis earned a B.S. in physics and industrial mathematics from West Chester University in 2013, an M.S. in biomedical engineering from Drexel University in 2018, and a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from UT Dallas in 2023 (mentor: Kenneth Hoyt, Ph.D.). His research involves image-guided focused ultrasound for improved cancer treatment.
Dr. Eric “Shad” Miller
Eric “Shad” Miller holds a B.A. in creative writing and literature from Illinois College (2007), an M.F.A. in creative writing from Temple University (2011), and a diploma in game design from Vancouver Film School (2013) and a Ph.D. in arts, technology, and emerging communication from UT Dallas in 2021 (mentor: Monica J. Evans, Ph.D.). A writer and game designer, his research focused on education, artificial intelligence, narrative, and game design. He recently accepted employment as a Senior Game Designer at the startup OxeFit in Plano, TX.
Dr. Salvador Moreno
Salvador Moreno earned a B.S. (2014), M.S. (2015), and Ph.D. (2019, mentor: Majid Minary-Jolandan, Ph.D.) in mechanical engineering from UT Dallas. A 2015 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship awardee, Salvador studies biomaterials, particularly collagen, for flexible electronics applications. Currently research is advancing the additive manufacturing of nanostructured metals established through NSF INTERN.
Dr. Candler A. Paige
Candler Paige earned a B.S. in biological sciences from the University of South Carolina in 2012 and a Ph.D. in systems neuroscience from UT Dallas in 2021 (mentor: Theodor J. Price, Ph.D.). As a 2019 NIH DSPAN Scholar, her research focused on discovering new drug targets for chronic pain.
Dr. Benjamin R. Perez
Ben Perez graduated from Coe College in 2016 with a B.A. in physics and earned his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from UT Dallas in 2022 (mentor: Walter E. Voit, Ph.D.). His doctoral research investigated novel materials for use in additive manufacturing for a variety of applications.
Dr. Aarron J. Phensy
A local resident native to Oak Cliff, Texas, Aarron Phensy earned both a B.S. in computer science (2014) and a Ph.D. in cognition and neuroscience (2020) from UT Dallas. As a graduate student Aarron investigated the role of mitochondrial-induced oxidative stress in schizophrenia under the supervision of Dr. Sven Kroener and was recognized in 2018 with an NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Fellowship (F31).
Dr. Jonathan T. Reeder
Jonathan Reeder earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering (2012) and a doctorate in materials science and engineering (2016) from UT Dallas (mentor: Walter E. Voit, Ph.D.). A 2013 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship winner, he researches flexible and stretchable electronics for biomedical applications.
Dr. Radu Reit
Radu Reit earned his B.S. in biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech in 2012 and his doctorate in biomedical engineering at UT Dallas in 2016 (mentor: Walter E. Voit, Ph.D.). He won an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship in 2013 for his work developing novel polymers for electronic device applications. After five years at Ares Materials, the startup he cofounded, Radu is now in optoelectronics applications at Apple.
Dr. Peter D. Reyntjens
Peter Reyntjens earned a B.S. in electrical engineering (2016) and an M.S. in nanoscience and nanotechnology (2018) from KU Leuven, and a Ph.D. in materials science at UT Dallas in 2023 (mentor: William G. Vandenberghe, Ph.D.). His research is in the field of spintronics, looking for new materials that can be used for memory storage.
Dr. Jonathan R. Riley
Jonathan Riley earned a B.A. in biology in 2008 and a Ph.D. in Cognition and Neuroscience in 2022 (mentor: Michael P. Kilgard, Ph.D.), both from UT Dallas. His doctoral research investigated the mechanisms that govern cortical plasticity and their application to the treatment of neurological disorders.
Dr. Mónica Rivas
Mónica Rivas was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia. She received her B.S. in Chemistry with a Biochemistry track from the University of Central Florida. She earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry at UT-Dallas in 2022 (mentor: Vladimir Gevorgyan Ph.D.). In 2017, she joined the Gevorgyan group at the University of Illinois at Chicago as a Ph.D. student, and later at The University of Texas at Dallas. She was also a F31 NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Predoctoral Fellow (NIGMS). Her work explored ways of diversifying radiochemistry toward practical approaches for the synthesis and application of imaging agents.
Dr. Arun Kumar Rout
Arun Kumar Rout earned a B.Tech. in mechanical engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur in 2007, an MBA from Indian School of Business in 2013, and a Ph.D. in management science with a concentration in operations management from UT Dallas in 2024 (mentor: Elena Katok, Ph.D.). Arun’s research focuses on the renewable energy sector with special attention to policy decision-making.
Dr. Sumon Sarkar
Sumon Sarkar received a B.S. in chemistry from Jadavpur University in 2015, an M.S. in chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur in 2016, and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from UT Dallas in 2023 (mentor: Vladimir Gevorgyan, Ph.D.). His work focuses on novel synthetic methodologies and reaction mechanisms.
Dr. Danyal A. Siddiqui
Danyal Siddiqui graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in 2015 and an M.S. in 2016, both in biomedical engineering from UT Dallas. He earned his Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from UT Dallas in 2022 (mentor: Danieli B. C. Rodrigues, Ph.D.). A 2017 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship awardee, his research focused on how bacterial adhesion and mechanical loading influence degradation of the bioceramic zirconia in the context of dental implant systems.
Dr. Robert “Joey” J. Steininger
Joey Steininger earned a B.S. in chemical engineering from MIT in 2006 and a Ph.D. in cellular regulation and pharmacology (mentors: Steven J. Altschuler, Ph.D. and Lani F. Wu, Ph.D.) from The University of Texas Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in 2014. Joey’s work focuses on gene editing applications for allergies and autoimmune disease.
Dr. Allison M. Stiller
Allison Stiller received her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Rochester in 2016 and her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from UT Dallas in 2020 under the mentorship of Dr. Joseph Pancrazio. Her thesis work focused on the use of softening, polymer materials to improve the chronic reliability of intracortical recording devices.
Dr. Ashley Weiland
Ashley Weiland earned a B.S. in environmental chemistry with a mathematics minor (2017) at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA and a Ph.D. in chemistry from UT Dallas in 2021 (mentor: Julia Y Chan, Ph.D.). Her research focused on structure-property relationships of new quantum materials. As part of her DOE Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) Fellowship, Ashley spent three months at Argonne National Laboratory’s Advanced Photon Source performing in situ experiments on the formation of rare earth intermetallics.
Dr. Peng Xie
Peng Xie graduated from Tsinghua University in 2013 with a B.S. in physics and an M.S. in control science and engineering. He earned his doctorate in molecular and cell biology from UT Dallas in 2018 (mentor: Michael Q. Zhang, Ph.D.). Peng’s research at Braintell, the Southeast University-Allen Institute for Brain Science joint center, focuses on computational biology, gene regulation and machine learning.
Dr. Jiadi “Kevin” Xu
Kevin Xu earned a B.S. in material chemistry and a B.Econ. in finance from Nankai University in 2013, an M.S. in finance from Syracuse University in 2015, and a Ph.D. in management science from UT Dallas in 2023 (mentor: Umit Gurun, Ph.D.). His research focuses on asset pricing, investment, and portfolio management.
Dr. Mark Zuppichini
Mark Zuppichini earned a B.S. in Neuroscience (2013) from the University of Delaware, and a M.A. in Psychology (2017) from Montclair State University. He earned his Ph.D. in Cognition and Neuroscience at UT-Dallas in 2022 (mentor: Bart Rypma Ph.D.). In 2020 he was awarded the NIH National Research Service Award (F31) in support of his research using neuroimaging and psychometric methods to investigate the underlying neurophysiology of cognitive impairment due to multiple sclerosis.
Dr. Cong Zhang
Cong Zhang earned degrees in basic medical science (2013) and pathology (2016) from Peking University before completing her Ph.D. in statistics at UT Dallas in 2020 (mentor: Min Chen, Ph.D.). Cong’s research is centered on integrating pan-omics data to reveal mechanisms driving cancer, translating -omics data to personalized medicine, and modeling pheromone-inducible conjugation in Enterococcus faecalis contributing to antibiotic resistance.
Dr. Rui Zhang
Rui Zhang graduated from Northwestern Polytechnical University with a B.S. (2011) and a M.S. (2014) in aerospace engineering, before completing his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering at UT Dallas in 2020 (mentor: Dong Qian, Ph.D.). Rui’s research focuses on computational solid mechanics, multiscale and multiphysics methods for advanced materials, and parallel computing techniques.
Dr. Hanqi “Leon” Zhu
Leon Zhu earned B.S. (2011) and M.S. (2013) degrees in mechanical engineering from the Xi’an Jiaotong University, and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from UT Dallas in 2020 under the mentorship of Dr. Robert Gregg. His work on advanced mechatronics systems for application in wearable rehabilitation robots is the foundation of his career as CEO of Enhanced Robotics.