Principal Investigator
Prof. Andrea Pickel
Email: apickel@ur.rochester.edu
Office: 219 Hopeman Engineering Building
Phone: (585) 275-9142
C.V.
Andrea Pickel joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Rochester as an Assistant Professor in July 2019. She received her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley in May 2019, where she was supported by a National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship and a UC Berkeley Chancellor’s Fellowship. She received her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with University and College Honors from Carnegie Mellon University in 2014. Her current research focuses on harnessing the unique properties of luminescent materials to develop nanothermometry techniques for challenging operating environments. Andrea is the recipient of an American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund (ACS PRF) Doctoral New Investigator Award (2020), a University of Rochester Furth Fund Award (2021), and an NSF CAREER Award (2022), and she was named a Scialog Fellow for Automating Chemical Laboratories (2024). Her teaching contributions have been recognized with the G. Graydon Curtis ’58 and Jane W. Curtis Award for Non-Tenured Faculty Teaching (2023).
Ph.D. Students
Ziyang Ye
Ziyang Ye graduated with a Bachelor degree in Materials Science from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in 2017. Then he began master’s study at University of Rochester and did research of water-soluble conjugated polymers in Rothberg’s group. In 2019, after obtained master’s degree, he decided to stay in Rochester, joined Pickel’s group and took photophysics to be his greatest research interest. Now, he is trying to investigate the optical properties and applications of upconversion nanoparticles. He enjoys listening classical music and doing gym with his friends.
Ben Harrington
Ben Harrington is currently pursuing a PhD in Materials Science at the University of Rochester (U of R). He received his B.S. in Nanoscale Engineering with Honors from SUNY Polytechnic Institute in May 2021. His undergraduate research in the photoluminescent properties of nanostructured materials drives his interests with the nanoscale thermal transport lab at the U of R and towards develop nanothermometry techniques utilizing luminescent materials. In his free time Ben enjoys playing the piano and also playing volleyball.
Laura Kowalski
Laura Kowalski is currently pursuing a Ph.D in Optics at the University of Rochester (UR). She received her Bachelor’s degrees in Mathematics and Physics from SUNY Geneseo in 2020. She then received her Master’s degree in Engineering Sustainability from University at Buffalo (UB) where her research involved synthesizing a nanohybrid to initiate the photodegradation and absorption of PFAS, a group of manmade chemicals. In her free time, she enjoys painting and hiking!
Qiwen Xiao
Qiwen Xiao is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Materials Science at the University of Rochester (UR). She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Materials Physics from Hebei University of Technology in 2016 and her Master’s degree in Materials Science from the University of Pennsylvania (Upenn) in 2023. Her master’s research focused on the fabrication and characterization of colloidal copper nanocrystals (NCs) for potential use in biosensors as part of the IOT4Ag project. Qiwen has decided to join Professor Pickel’s research group, though her specific research focus has yet to be determined. In her free time, she enjoys riding and swimming.
Bhupendra Sharma
Bhupendra Sharma is a Ph.D. student in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Rochester. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Physics from Tribhuvan University in 2018, followed by a Master’s degree in Physics from the Central Department of Physics at Tribhuvan University in 2023. His Master’s specialization was in Solid State Physics, with research focused on the electronic, magnetic, and thermal properties of various materials. Bhupen has joined Professor Pickel’s research group, although his specific research focus is still being finalized. In his free time, he loves playing soccer and hiking.
Ph.D. Alumni
Dr. Dinesh Bommidi, Ph.D. 2024. Next position: Optical Production Engineer at ASML
Current Undergraduate Students
Gustavo Rivera Soto (Spring 2023 – present)
Asa Guldbrandsen (Fall 2023 – present)
Chi (Steven) Zhang (Summer 2024 – present)