Current Members
Principal Investigator
Dr. Jeffrey J. Richards
Assistant Professor of Chemical & Biological Engineering
NRC Postdoctoral Fellow, NIST Center for Neutron Research – 2015-2018
Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Delaware – 2014-2015
Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, University of Washington – 2014
M.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Washington – 2011
B.S. Chemical Engineering, Purdue University – 2008
Hobbies: mountain biking, soccering, and skiing
Post-Doctoral Researchers
Huy Tran
Post-Doctoral Researcher
huy.tran1@northwestern.edu
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, Baylor University – 2024
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Baylor University – 2019
Hobbies: Ping Pong, Soccer, and Adventuring around the city
Graduate Students
Matthew Brucks
NSF Graduate Research Fellow
matthewbrucks2025@u.northwestern.edu
Ph.D. Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University – Anticipated 2025
B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign – 2020
Hobbies: running, reading, and lifting
Qingsong (Borges) Liu
Ph.D. Candidate
qingsongliu2025@u.northwestern.edu
Ph.D. Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University – Anticipated 2025
B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison – 2020
Hobbies: Cooking, coffee-ing, and piano-ing
Kush Patel
Ph.D. Candidate
Ph.D. Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University – Anticipated 2026
B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign – 2020
Hobbies: baking, hiking, and puzzling
Xi Wan
Graduate Research Assistant
xiwan2027@u.northwestern.edu
Ph.D. Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University – Anticipated 2027
M.S. Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University – 2022
B.S. Materials Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology – 2020
Hobbies: traveling, cooking, and squash-ing
Lucas Pham
Graduate Research Assistant
Ph.D. Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University – Anticipated 2027
B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Minnesota – 2022
Hobbies: climbing, piano-ing, and biking
Kayla Ghezzi
Graduate Research Assistant
kaylaghezzi2028@u.northwestern.edu
Ph.D. Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University – Anticipated 2028
B.S. Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University – 2023
Hobbies: hiking, tea, and reading
Emmanuel Tramountanas
Graduate Research Assistant
emmanueltramountanas2029@u.northwestern.edu
Ph.D. Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University – Anticipated 2029
B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Washington – 2024
Hobbies: biking, climbing, cooking
Fayme Gandhi
Graduate Research Assistant
faymegandhi2029@u.northwestern.edu
Ph.D. Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University – Anticipated 2029
B.S. Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Ohio State University – 2024
Hobbies: exploring, hanging out with friends and family, reading
Janine Lee
Graduate Research Assistant (Co-advised with Ken Shull)
janinelee2029@u.northwestern.edu
Ph.D. Materials Science & Engineering, Northwestern University – Anticipated 2029
B.S. Materials Science & Engineering, Purdue University – 2024
Hobbies: doing word games/puzzles, cooking, playing tennis
Undergraduates
Owen O'Brien
Undergraduate Researcher
Ryan Ngo
Undergraduate Researcher
B.S. Chemical Engineering, Northwestern University – Anticipated 2025
Luke Farhney
Undergraduate Researcher
B.S. Chemical Engineering, Northwestern University – Anticipated 2025
Wesley Ho
Undergraduate Researcher
B.S. Chemical Engineering, Northwestern University – Anticipated 2025
Victor Jia
Undergraduate Researcher
B.A. Chemistry, Northwestern University – Anticipated 2027
Contact Us
jeffrey.richards@northwestern.edu
Northwestern University
Technological Institute E166
2145 Sheridan Rd. Evanston, IL 60208
