Alumni
Post-Doctoral Researchers
Oscar Alejandro Herrera Cortes, Electroactive hydrogels, 2022
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Derek Morim, Reversibly responsive gels, 2020 (June - Sept.)
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Ian Dean Hosein, Multidirectional waveguide lattices, 2012-2014
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NSERC CREATE programme in photovoltaics
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Currently: Associate professor at Syracuse University
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Liqun Qiu, Reversible laser self-trapping, 2012
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Currently: Mass Spec and Analytical Instrumentation Technologist at Brock University
Graduate Students
Kevin Vaughan, Bio-inspired stimuli-responsive materials, M.Sc, 2023
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McMaster Chemistry and Chemical Biology Colloquium 3rd place award; 2023
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Fariha Mahmood, Cuboids that count, Ph.D. 2023
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J. A. Morrison Scholarship; 2018, 2023
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Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship; 2019 - 2022
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McMaster Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology IMPACT award; 2020
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McMaster Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology Colloquium award; 2019
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Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology; 2018
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Xerox Research Centre of Canada - Macromolecular Science and Engineering Talk Award; 2018
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Canada Graduate Scholarship (Master's); 2017
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Kathryn Benincasa, Bio-inspired optics, Ph.D. 2023
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McMaster Chemistry and Chemical Biology Leadership award; 2019 - 2020, 2021-2022
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Ontario Graduate Fellowship (OGF), 2019 - 2020
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Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS), 2020 - 2021
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Mitacs Globalink Research award, 2020
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Oscar Alejandro Herrera Cortes, Photochemistry in nonlinear vortices, Ph.D. 2022
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MITACS Globalink and CONACYT scholarships
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Derek Morim, Reversible self-trapping, Ph.D. 2019
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NSERC PGSD
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2nd place poster prize, PolyMAC, McMaster 2018
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MSED CSC award for oral presentation, 2017
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Ed Hileman Memorial Travel Scholarship, 2016
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Currently: Research Associate McMaster NO&F
Alex Hudson, Optical encoding, Ph.D. 2018
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OGS scholarship
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3rd prize, oral presentation, PolyMAC conference, 2018
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Currently: Senior Chemistr at Imtex Membranes
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Hao Lin, Waveguide lattices, Ph.D. 2018
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Dinesh Kumar Basker, Epoxy waveguides, Ph.D. 2016
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3MT finalist, 2015
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Selected highlight lecture, 4th Annual NanoOntario Conference, 2013
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92nd CSC Conference Travel Scholarship, Dept. of Chem. and Chem. Biology, 2014
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Currently: Scientist at Evonik
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Kailash Kasala, Nonlinear white light phenomena, Ph.D. 2012
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2012-2013 Impact award, Dept. of Chem. and Chem. Biology, McMaster
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Currently: Chief Marketing Officer at partsavatar.ca
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Liqun Qiu, Metallodilectric periodic structures, Ph.D. 2012
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Currently: Mass Spec and Analytical Instrumentation Technologist at Brock University​
Ana B. Villafranca, Laser self-trapping dynamics, Ph.D. 2010
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Poster prize, Macromolecular Science and Engineering division, CSC 2009
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Optical Designer at RANOVUS Inc.
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Yi (Amy) Pan (co-supervised by C. Fradin), Metallodielectric waveguides, M.Sc. 2018
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2nd prize, poster competition, Photonics North 2018
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Tong (Tony) Wang (co-supervised by C-Q Xu), Self-trapped beam interactions, M.Sc. 2013
Chris Gendy (co-supervisor: I. Vargas Baca), Photoresponsive polymers, M.Sc. 2013
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Whitney Shimmell, Modulation instability of laser light: role of spatial coherence, M.Sc. 2009
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NSERC/OGS scholarships
Jihua Zhang, Self-trapping of incoherent light, M.Sc. 2005​
Undergraduate Students
Senior Thesis Projects and Co-Op Terms
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Seif Aqqad, 3-D printing with projector, 2022-2023
Ishpreet Chana, Electroactive waveguides, 2022-2023
Adam Fortier (co-supervisor: Prof. I. Vargas Baca), Photoresponsive polymers, 2022-2023
Tasnem Musa, Large waveguide arrays, 2022-2023
Arshika Rajeswaran, Electroactive hydrogels, 2022-2023
Kyle Stegman, 3-D printing with projector, 2021-2023
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2nd prize, Senior thesis presentation, Chem. and Chem. Biology, McMaster
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Audrey Cameron Academic Excellence Award (2022)
Abeera Sivarajah, Electroactive waveguides, 2021-2022
Kevin Vaughan, Electroactive waveguide lattices, 2020-2021
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1st prize, Senior thesis presentation, Chem. and Chem. Biology, McMaster
Dusan Srdic, Interaction of self-trapped beams, 2020-2021
April Cheng 2018-2019
Alexandra Narvali, Artifical compound eyes, 2018-2019
Natalie Blanchard, Electroactive waveguide lattices, 2018-2019
Kyle Kavaseri, Touch-sensitive waveguides, 2017-2018
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Honourable mention, thesis presentation
Eduardo Alonso Martínez Hernández, Visiting summer intern, UNAM, 3-D printing with nonlinear waves, 2018
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sponsored by Mexican Secretary of Public Education; UNAM
Heather Bolton 2017-2018; Exchange student, University of Bristol, Optical vortices, 2017-2018
Thomas Pena Ventura, Optical encoding, 2017-2018; Summer 2017
Shaochang Song, Self-assembled lattices, 2017-2018; Summer 2017
Wan-Chi Chang, 3-D cell scaffolds, 2016-2017; Summer 2016
Keshinisuthan Kirubalingam, 3-D Printing, (Biochemistry) 2016-2017
Bevern, D, Spiralling solitons, 2015-2016 (Exchange student from U. Jena)
Brown, A, Instability of LED light, 2015-2016
Pinto, K, Hydrogel cell scaffolds, 2015-2016
Mahmood, F, Photochemistry in vortices, 2015-2016; Summer 2014
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NSERC USRA
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Midwestern Symposium on Undergraduate Research in Chemistry, Michigan State University, Poster session award, Physical Chemistry division, 2014
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Monsarrof Medal, CIC 2017
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2nd Prize, oral presentation, CREST 2017
Benincasa, K. A, Pattern formation, 2014-2015; Summer 2015
Tran, A., Reversible self-trapping, 2013-2014; 2012-2013 (co-op)
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First Prize, Physical Chemistry Division, SOUSCC 2014
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Honourable mention, Senior thesis presentation, Chem. and Chem. Biology, McMaster
Karamy, B, Interactions of self-trapped beams, (Physics) 2011-2012
Morim, D, Reversible self-trapping, 2012-2013 (Co-op)
Hudson, A., Self-induced 3-D lattices, 2010-2011; Summer 2010
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Honourable mention, Senior thesis presentation, Dept. of Chem. and Chem. Biology
Prasad, C., Artifical shrimp eyes, 2010-2011; Summer 2011
Gendy, C., Photopolymers with negative changes in refractive index, (co-supervisor: Prof. I. Vargas Baca) 2010 -2011
Wood, N. J., Coherence in pattern formation, 2008-2009 (Exchange student, Bristol University)
Ponte, M. R., 3-D nonlinear lattices, 2008-2009; Summers 2008, 2007
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NSERC USRA 2007, 2008
Shimmell, W. E., Self-trapping of complex intensity profiles, 2006-2007; Summers 2007, 2006, 2005
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NSERC USRA 2005, 2006, 2007
Sakalauskas, M., Interactions of self-trapped incoherent beams, 2005-2006
Giardino, C., Self-trapping of incoherent light, 2003 –2004
Rewari, A., 2-D interface lithography set-up, 2006-2007 B. H. Sc.2005-2006 (Enquiry project); Summers: 2005, 2004
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B. H.Sc. Scholarship
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NSERC USRA
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Poster prize, NSERC USRA and UROP presentations, 2004
Burgess, I. B., Modulation instability in photochemical reactions, 2006; Summer 2007 (NSERC USRA) Summer 2005 (NSERC USRA)
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NSERC USRA, 2006, 2007, 2005
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Honourable Mention, Co-op student of the year, University of Waterloo
Summer and research practicum
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Danyang Song, Electroactive hydrogels
Kiran Maherswaran, Self-induced 3-D lattices, 2022
Kyle Stegman, Literature review of smart materials, 2021
Srdic, D., Materials that compute (literature review), 2020
Vaughan, K., Electroactive waveguide lattices, 2020
Patel, J., Artificial compound eyes, 2019
Arora, R., 3-D printing with nonlinear waves, 2018
Allysia Chin, Cell scaffolds, 2017
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NSERC USRA 2017
Diego Colin, 3-D printing, UNAM 2017
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MITACS Globalink internship
Chu, S., Photoresponsive colloids, 2016
Chang, W., Cell scaffolds, 2016
Cardoso Sakomoto, H., Optical vortices, UNAM 2016
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MITACS Globalink internship
Yona, I., Artifical compound eyes, 2015
Asohan, J., Hydrogel scaffolds, June 2015
Mir, A., Instability of LED beams, 2015
Herrera-Cortes, O., 3-D nonlinear printing, UNAM 2015
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MITACS Globalink internship
Gill, B., 3-D Printing, 2015
Benincasa, K.A., Instability of nonlinear light, 2015
Sandhu, J., Hydrogel scaffolds, 2015
Goraya, G., 3-D nonlinear printing, 2015
Mahmood, F., Self-trapping in hydrogels, 2014
Pinto, K., Scaffolds for cell growth, 2014
Tsao, F., Self-trapped beam interactions, 2011
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NSERC USRA, 2011
Mokashi, V., Artificial shrimp eye, 2011
Prasad, C., Artificial shrimp eye, 2011
Gendy, C., Photopolymers with negative changes in refractive index (co-supervisor: I. Vargas Baca) 2010
Hudson, A., Self-induced 3-D lattices, 2010
Coleman, B., Photopolymers with negative changes in refractive index (co-supervisor: I. Vargas Baca) 2010
MacIsaac, C., Self-induced 3-D lattices, 2010
Bouwhuis, R., Self-induced 3-D lattices, 2010
Prasad, C., Artificial shrimp eyes, 2010
Cazzolla, L., Photopolymers with negative changes in refractive index, 2010
Bacus, C., Flexible microstructures silicone microlenses, (co-supervisor: M. A. Brook) 2010
Liko, I., Interaction of coherent self-trapped beams, 2009 – 2010
Welch, R., Nonlinear self-trapped beam propagation in 3-D optical lattices, 2008
Ponte, M. R., Nonlinear self-trapped beam propagation in 3-D optical lattices, 2008
Shimmell, W. E., Self-written complex structures, 2007
Burgess, I. B., White light lithography of 3-D structures, 2007
Lannon, J., Theoretical simulation of optical self-trapping, 2006 (co-supervisor: A. Knights, Dept. of Engineering Physics)
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NSERC USRA 2006
Shimmell, W. E., Light-induced shape control of metal nanoparticles, 2006
Mohammadi, M., Transmission electron microscopy of Ag nanoparticles Winter 2006
Shimmell, W. E., Spontaneous patterns of light in chemical reactions, 2005
Burgess I. B., Spontaneous patterns of light in chemical reactions, 2005
Mazurek, E., Reflectivity of ammolite fossils, 2005
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NSERC USRA 2005
Singhai, A., Self-induced optical fibre interconnects, 2005 (co-supervisor: A. Knights, Dept. of Engineering Physics)
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BIMR scholarship
Bernard, E., Microstructural and optical properties of ammolite, 2004
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NSERC USRA
Kasala, K., Chemical self-trapping of incoherent light, 2004
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BIMR scholarship
Rogers, E., Optical properties of ammolite, Fall 2004
Essajee, I., Optical properties of ammolite, Fall 2004