Alumni

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Post-Doctoral Researchers

Fariha Mahmood, Cuboids that count, 2024

Oscar Alejandro Herrera Cortes, Electroactive hydrogels, 2022

Derek Morim, Reversibly responsive gels, 2020 (June - Sept.)

Ian Dean Hosein, Multidirectional waveguide lattices, 2012-2014

NSERC CREATE programme in photovoltaics
Currently: Associate professor at Syracuse University

Liqun Qiu, Reversible laser self-trapping, 2012

Currently: Mass Spec and Analytical Instrumentation Technologist at Brock University

Graduate Students

Kevin Vaughan, Bio-inspired stimuli-responsive materials, M.Sc, 2023

McMaster Chemistry and Chemical Biology Colloquium 3rd place award; 2023

Fariha Mahmood, Cuboids that count, Ph.D. 2023

J. A. Morrison Scholarship; 2018, 2023
Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship; 2019 - 2022
McMaster Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology IMPACT award; 2020
McMaster Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology Colloquium award; 2019
Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology; 2018
Xerox Research Centre of Canada - Macromolecular Science and Engineering Talk Award; 2018
Canada Graduate Scholarship (Master's); 2017

Kathryn Benincasa, Bio-inspired optics, Ph.D. 2023

McMaster Chemistry and Chemical Biology Leadership award; 2019 - 2020, 2021-2022
Ontario Graduate Fellowship (OGF), 2019 - 2020
Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS), 2020 - 2021
Mitacs Globalink Research award, 2020

Oscar Alejandro Herrera Cortes, Photochemistry in nonlinear vortices, Ph.D. 2022

MITACS Globalink and CONACYT scholarships

Derek Morim, Reversible self-trapping, Ph.D. 2019

NSERC PGSD
2nd place poster prize, PolyMAC, McMaster 2018
MSED CSC award for oral presentation, 2017
Ed Hileman Memorial Travel Scholarship, 2016
Currently: Research Associate McMaster NO&F

Alex Hudson, Optical encoding, Ph.D. 2018

OGS scholarship
3rd prize, oral presentation, PolyMAC conference, 2018
Currently: Senior Chemistr at Imtex Membranes

Hao Lin, Waveguide lattices, Ph.D. 2018

Dinesh Kumar Basker, Epoxy waveguides, Ph.D. 2016

3MT finalist, 2015
Selected highlight lecture, 4th Annual NanoOntario Conference, 2013
92nd CSC Conference Travel Scholarship, Dept. of Chem. and Chem. Biology, 2014
Currently: Scientist at Evonik

Kailash Kasala, Nonlinear white light phenomena, Ph.D. 2012

2012-2013 Impact award, Dept. of Chem. and Chem. Biology, McMaster
Currently: Chief Marketing Officer at partsavatar.ca

Liqun Qiu, Metallodilectric periodic structures, Ph.D. 2012

Currently: Mass Spec and Analytical Instrumentation Technologist at Brock University

Ana B. Villafranca, Laser self-trapping dynamics, Ph.D. 2010

Poster prize, Macromolecular Science and Engineering division, CSC 2009
Optical Designer at RANOVUS Inc.

Yi (Amy) Pan (co-supervised by C. Fradin), Metallodielectric waveguides, M.Sc. 2018

2nd prize, poster competition, Photonics North 2018

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

Whitney Shimmell, Modulation instability of laser light: role of spatial coherence, M.Sc. 2009

NSERC/OGS scholarships

Jihua Zhang, Self-trapping of incoherent light, M.Sc. 2005

Undergraduate Students

Senior Thesis Projects and Co-Op Terms

Curtis Choy, Computing binary operations using photopolymer systems, 2024

Kiran Maheswaran, Computing binary operations using photopolymer systems, 2023-2024

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

2nd prize, Senior thesis presentation, Chem. and Chem. Biology, McMaster
Audrey Cameron Academic Excellence Award (2022)

Abeera Sivarajah, Electroactive waveguides, 2021-2022

Kevin Vaughan, Electroactive waveguide lattices, 2020-2021

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

Honourable mention, thesis presentation

Eduardo Alonso Martínez Hernández, Visiting summer intern, UNAM, 3-D printing with nonlinear waves, 2018

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

NSERC USRA
Midwestern Symposium on Undergraduate Research in Chemistry, Michigan State University, Poster session award, Physical Chemistry division, 2014
Monsarrof Medal, CIC 2017
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)

First Prize, Physical Chemistry Division, SOUSCC 2014
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

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

NSERC USRA 2007, 2008

Shimmell, W. E., Self-trapping of complex intensity profiles, 2006-2007; Summers 2007, 2006, 2005

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

B. H.Sc. Scholarship
NSERC USRA
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)

NSERC USRA, 2006, 2007, 2005
Honourable Mention, Co-op student of the year, University of Waterloo

Summer and research practicum

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

NSERC USRA 2017

Diego Colin, 3-D printing, UNAM 2017

MITACS Globalink internship

Chu, S., Photoresponsive colloids, 2016

Chang, W., Cell scaffolds, 2016

Cardoso Sakomoto, H., Optical vortices, UNAM 2016

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

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

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)

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

NSERC USRA 2005

Singhai, A., Self-induced optical fibre interconnects, 2005 (co-supervisor: A. Knights, Dept. of Engineering Physics)

BIMR scholarship

Bernard, E., Microstructural and optical properties of ammolite, 2004

NSERC USRA

Kasala, K., Chemical self-trapping of incoherent light, 2004

BIMR scholarship

Rogers, E., Optical properties of ammolite, Fall 2004

Essajee, I., Optical properties of ammolite, Fall 2004