Chair, Student Leadership Council      

                  Representative, University of Arizona

                                  Contact Soha 

Soha is a graduate student at the University of Arizona working in the lab of Dr. Robert Norwood. His interests in optics originally began with astronomy, later bringing him to physics and then optics. His research involves seeking novel materials to improve functionalities for photonic devices. He has been very active in CIAN and now helps his fellow CIAN students as the Chair of the Student Leadership Council.

       OSCAR JIMENEZ GORDILLO  – PhD Student, Columbia University     

                     Vice-Chair, Student Leadership Council                     

                                        Contact Oscar

Oscar is pursuing his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering in the Lipson Nanophotonics Group at Columbia University. He is working on finding new solutions for robust packaging and coupling between fibers and waveguides. Oscar serves as the Vice-Chair of the Student Leadership Council.

FEIBIEN CHEAH – UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA   

                          Student ILO, Student Leadership Council

                                           Contact Feibien

Feibien is an undergraduate at the University of Arizona studying Optical Engineering with a minor in Mechanical Engineering. Previously, Feibien worked with Pierre Blanche under the CIAN fellowship on 3D heads up displays and optical switches. Currently he is working with Roger Angel at the Steward Observatory Solar Lab doing research on CPV and off axis interferometer systems. 

ASEEMA MOHANTY – PHD STUDENT, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

                Education & Outreach Chair, Student Leadership Council

                                          Contact Aseema

Aseema is a Ph.D. student studying electrical engineering in Professor Michal Lipson’s group at Columbia University. She is currently developing on-chip mode multiplexing photonic platforms for quantum interference and optogenetics applications. She is pursuing more opportunities for K-14 STEM outreach and education opportunities for CIAN students.

MORTEZA ZIYADI – PHD STUDENT, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

                        Representative, University of Southern California

                                                Contact Morteza

Morteza is pursuing his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Optical Communication Systems, at USC. As a member of Prof. Alan Willner’s group, he’s been involved in different optical communication systems projects. His research is focused on coherent optical transmission systems, and optical signal processing toward high capacity optical networks. To achieve his research goals, he’s done extensive system design and analysis, and experimental demonstrations. He’s also presented his work in different conferences and published them in journal articles.

    STEPHEN “ADAIR” GERKE – PHD STUDENT, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY

                                 Representative, University of California Berkeley

                                                       Contact Adair

Adair is working on his Ph.d. in Electrical Engineering at Berkeley, where he works for Prof. Connie Chang Hasnain. His research focuses on simulation and fabrication of VCSEL lasers, and integrating those lasers with Silicon photonics chips produced by other CIAN groups.

 YIWEN SHEN– PHD STUDENT, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

                             Representative, Columbia University

                                            Contact Yiwen

Yiwen Shen is currently a Graduate Research Assistant with the Lightwave Research Laboratory at Columbia University where he is pursuing his Ph.D. His research interests focus on the development of optical software-defined networks for data-center and High-Performance Computing applications.  

SYED AHMED – GRADUATE STUDENT, TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY

                                      Representative, Tuskegee University

                                                  Contact Syed

Syed is a graduate student pursuing his MS in Electrical Engineering in Tuskegee University.He is a member of Microelectronic research group under Dr. Naga Korivi and Dr. Li jiang.He received his BSc in Electrical & Electronic Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology(BUET).His current research work focuses on Ge deposition for Si-Ge photodetector,nanotube deposition for electronic application.

HANNAH GRANT – PHD STUDENT, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO

                                Representative, University of California San Diego

                                                   Contact Hannah

Hannah Grant is a 3rd year Ph.D. student at UC San Diego in electrical engineering with a focus in silicon photonics. Her current research is focusing on system level analysis of crosstalk on silicon photonics chips under George Papen.

PALLAV KANUKUNTLA – GRADUATE STUDENT, NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY

                            Representative, Norfolk State University

                                               Contact Pallav

Pallav is a graduate student studying for his Ph.D. out of Norfolk State University under Dr.Demetris Geddis.