Research Group

Current Ph.D. Students 

Weimin

Weimin Jiao, 2020- present
B.E. Material Processing and Control Engineering, Nanchang Institute of Technology
M.E. Materials Science and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University
M.S. Materials Design and Innovation, SUNY Buffalo

Weimin joined our team after significant past experience working at CATL focused on battery safety.  Weimin's current research interests include developing practical sodium metal batteries with stable long-term cycling performance, and understanding subtle differences that distinguish sodium from other alkali metals, such as lithium.  

Andrew Harkaway

Andrew Harkaway, 2020- present  
B.E. Mechanical Engineering, Vanderbilt University

Andrew joined our team after suffering through two semesters of having Prof. Pint as his classroom instructor as an undergraduate student at Vanderbilt University.  Andrew is an NREIP summer fellow, and has interest and expertise in understanding mechanisms and processes in batteries and related energy devices.  Andrew is currently working on understanding electrochemical mechanisms in Li-ion batteries under the application of thermal gradients, and has also worked on developing new understanding in electrochemical energy harvesters made with 2D materials. 

 

Mihir

Mihir Ohja, 2021 - present
B.E. Mechanical Engineering, BITS Pilani Hyderabad

Mihir joined our team with an interest in bringing together his experience in material processing and mechanics to batteries.  Mihir is currently working on understanding how mechanical stress can modify chemical mechanisms during electroplating alkali metals.  Mihir also has efforts focused toward nucleation in sodium metal batteries and the design of structural, load-bearing composite battery energy storage materials.   
 

Jayanth

Jayanth Ramamurthy, 2020- present  
M.S. Indian Institute of Technology, Madras
B. Tech. Anna University

Jayanth joined our team after working at Nissan focused on topics related to solid state battery systems.  Jayanth's research efforts focus on understanding mechanisms and processes to rejuvenate and recycle Li-ion battery cathode materials at pouch cell scales.  He also has interests in studying how thermal gradients impact the performance of Li-ion battery systems, and applying techniques such as prognostic models and machine learning to battery systems for improved understanding and diagnostic control.  
 

Shervin

Shervin Alaei, 2021 - present
M.S. Nanotechnology Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome
B.S. Chemical Engineering, Sahand University of Technology

Shervin joined our team with significant past experience in nanocatalysts for green energy applications.  On our team, Shervin has focused on battery-inspired routes to electrochemically reduce CO2 to produce valuable carbon nanomaterials.  He also is interested in developing pathways toward green battery systems with high performance and low environmental impact.  

 

Bella

Bella Guyll, 2022 - present
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Iowa State University

Bella joined our team after working with us as an undergraduate researcher, and is also co-advised by Prof. Ethan Secor.  Bella's research interests center on the interface between manufacturing and battery design and safety.  Bella's current project focuses on using aerosol jet printing to fabricate lightweight micro-thermistors to implant inside of Li-ion batteries for real-time diagnostic studies.  Bella is a recipient of the highly prestigious NSF GRFP fellowship and is an Ames, IA native!  

Pint Lab Group Affiliates: 

Our mission at ISU is to bring together those researchers with interests in batteries, and work and innovate together.  Group affiliates are those students who are not formally mentored by Prof. Pint, but work closely with our lab and are integrated with our team. 

Mahdi

Mahdi Ishtiaque
BSc Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology

Mahdi has built a system to apply thermal gradients to Li-ion batteries, and works closely with our team on the fabrication of Li-ion battery pouch cells, testing of batteries under thermal gradients, and understanding the mechanisms associated the operation of Li-ion batteries exposed to thermal gradients.  

 

Group Alumni:

Every research lab is a multi-generational family.  Past members from our group include: 

Murt Zohair

Dr. Murtaza Zohair, 2018 - 2022
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering (ISU)
Current Job: Research Scientist at IBM Almaden

Janna Rathert

Dr. Janna Rathert, 2018 - 2022
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering
Current Job: Staff Scientist at Form Energy

 

Dr. Landon Oakes, 2012 - 2016
Ph.D. (Interdisciplinary Materials Science/Mechanical Engineering)
Current Job: Battery Scientist at 24M
 

Dr. Andrew Westover, 2012 - 2016
Ph.D. (Interdisciplinary Materials Science/Mechanical Engineering)
Current Role: Staff Research Scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
 

Dr. Rachel Carter, 2013 - 2017
Ph.D. (Mechanical Engineering)
Current Job: Permanent Research Staff at Naval Research Laboratory
 

Dr. Anna Douglas, 2014 - 2019
Ph.D. (Interdisciplinary Materials Science)
Current Job: CEO at SkyNano LLC

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Dr. Kathleen (Kate) Moyer, 2016 - 2019
Ph.D. (Interdisciplinary Materials Science)
Current Job: Research Instrumentation Specialist, Drexel University

Dr. Nitin Muralidharan, 2014-2018
Ph.D. (Interdisciplinary Materials Science/Mechanical Engineering)
Current Job: Staff Scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
 

Dr. Mengya Li, 2014-2018
Ph.D. (Mechanical Engineering)
Current Job: Staff Scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
 

Dr. Keith Share, 2013-2018
Ph.D. (Interdisciplinary Materials Science/Mechanical Engineering)
Current Job: Battery Manufacturing Manager for Panasonic (@ Tesla Gigafactory)

Dr. Adam Cohn, 2013-2018
Ph.D. (Mechanical Engineering)
Current Job: Consultant at Exponent Technical Firm

Deanna

Deanna Schauben
M.S. (Mechanical Engineering)
Current job: Engineer at SmartWatt Lighting
 

Dr. Shahana Chatterjee, 2012- 2013
Postdoctoral Fellow in Pint Lab
Current Position: Research Scientist at GE Global Research
Lab Expertise: Porous silicon fabrication and energy storage applications.

Undergraduate Researchers (Past and Present)

*Pint has mentored over 40 total undergraduate researchers on technical projects since Fall, 2012.  Some of which are listed below: 

  1. Abdul Fahim Fauzi; 2012-2013, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering (now Schlumberger)
  2. William Yates; 2012-2013, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering
  3. John Wenpu Tian; 2013 – 2014, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering (now Baker Hughes)
  4. Shivaprem Bernath; 2013, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering (now SpaceX)
  5. John Paul Elizondo; 2013, NSF REU from Texas A&M
  6. Rachel Carter; 2013, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering (now Naval Research Labs)
  7. Jeffrey Holzgrafe; 2013, NSF REU from Olin College, (now Cambridge Univ.)
  8. Farhan Nur Shabab; 2013-2014, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering (now Tesla)
  9. Daniel Freudiger; 2013-2014; Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering (now OSU)
  10. Trevor Hanken; 2013 – 2017, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering (now National Instrument)
  11. Supriyadi Tasim; 2014, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering
  12. Babatunde Bello; 2014, Vanderbilt Engineering Sciences
  13. Coleen Kerr; 2014, Vanderbilt Electrical Engineering (now Capitol One)
  14. Grant Hebrank; 2014, Vanderbilt Electrical Engineering (now Univ. of Chicago)
  15. Dzul Zulkifli; 2014, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering (now ExxonMobil)
  16. Muhammad Hafiz Azmi; 2014-2015, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering
  17. Deanna Schauben; 2014, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering
  18. Supriyadi Tasim; 2014, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering (now Malaysia Airlines)
  19. Ashton Davis; 2014, REU student from Lemoyne-Owen College
  20. Thomas Metke; 2014 – present, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering (Princeton Fall 2018)
  21. Zarif Gani; 2014-2015, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering (now Google)
  22. Grant McNeil; 2015, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering (now consultant @ AlliantGroup)
  23. John (Jack) Lewis; 2015, REU from Trinity College (now Georgia Tech)
  24. Dennis Ejorh; 2015, REU from Tennessee Tech (now Google)
  25. Haotian Sun; 2015, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering  
  26. Jeremiah Afolabi; 2015 – 2017, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering (now Apple Inc.)
  27. Eric Speer; 2016, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering
  28. Nicholas Galioto; 2016-2017, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering (U. Michigan Fall 2018)
  29. Jonathan Tari; 2016-2017, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering
  30. Jered Dominguez-Trujillo; 2016, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering
  31. Noah Gertler; 2017, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering
  32. Siyuan (Dominic) Jiang; 2017 – present, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering
  33. Chuanzhe (Jackson) Meng; 2017 – present, Vanderbilt Mechanical Engineering
  34. Jennifer Donohue; 2017, REU from Binghamton University (Caltech Fall 2018)
  35. Rebeca Gurrola; 2018, REU from St. Mary’s University
  36. Osama Assal; 2018 – present, Vanderbilt University Mechanical Engineering
  37. Jacob Fine; 2019 – present, Vanderbilt University Mechanical Engineering
  38. Ezra Brody; 2019 – present, Vanderbilt University Mechanical Engineering
  39. Nora Ait Boucherbil; 2019 – present, Vanderbilt University Mechanical Engineering
  40. Alexander Stephens; 2019 – present, Vanderbilt University Mechanical Engineering
  41. Elyssa Ferguson; Summer 2019; University of Maryland Baltimore Country (REU)