Principal Investigator

Dr. Cheng-Yu Lai

Group Leader, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical and Material Engineering - Joint Faculty, Department of Chemistry

Dr. Cheng-Yu Lai headshot picture

Dr. Cheng-Yu Lai is an associate professor at Florida International university. He obtained his BS and MS degrees in Chemistry from National Chung Hsing University in Taiwan, and his Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry (2004) from Iowa State University. During his Ph.D. and postdoctoral training (Scripps Research, CA) he specialized in nanomaterials with application in bio-medicine. His current research encompasses development of advanced functional materials with applications in quantum information science and engineering (QISE), bio-nanotechnology, additively manufactured Electronics (AME), catalysis for bio-fuels synthesis, tissue engineering, bio-sensors and bio-renewable resources utilization.
Courses Taught:

CHM 4611 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry, CHM 5620 Graduate Inorganic Chemistry.
EGN 3365 Materials Engineering, EMA 5015 Introduction to Nanomaterials, EMA 6993C Introduction of Biomolecular Structure and Engineering 
Office: EC 3242
Email : clai@fiu.edu

Website: lai-afm.fiu.edu


Postdoctoral Researchers

Sahil Gasso

Postdoctoral Researcher

Research Focus: Stacked 2D TMDC/ MXene Hybrid Nanomaterials for Energy and Electronic Applications.


Graduate Students

 

 

Changliang An

Graduate Student

Changliang An headshot picture

Research Focus: Nanomedicine: Hybrid materials for Tissue Engineering, 3D Printing Biomimetic Scaffolds for Tissue Regeneration.


Na Ha

Graduate Student

Ha na headshot picture

Research Focus: Nanoparticle Delivery of Edited Genes and Nucleic Acids; Bio-inspired Nanomaterials for Theranostic Nanomedicine.


James Henry

Research Interest:  solid-state crystal growth,  crystal & molecular structure simulation and all-inorganic perovskite synthesis.


Moustafa Mohamed

Ph.D. Student in Materials Science and Engineering (Co-Advised by Dr. Daniela Radu)

Research Focus: Layered Transition Metal Dichalcogenides for Energy Conversion, Storage, and Quantum Emitters.


Samuel Oyon

Graduate Student

 

Research Focus: Flexible conductive substrate and metal additive manufacturing


Jesna Sara Shaji

Graduate Student

Jesna headshot picture

Research Focus: Nanostructured materials for solution-processed solar photovoltaics, Synthesis Sulvanite Nanoparticle via Cation exchange

 


Fei Zhang

Graduate Student

Fei Zhang headshot picture

Research Focus: Functionalization and Nanobiotechnology Applications of Bio-inspired Nanomaterials; 2D TMDC Nanomaterials for Theranostic Nanomedicine.


Jake Carrier (Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry – FIU)

Graduate Student

Research Focus: Nanostructured Materials for CO2 storage and conversion


Undergraduate Students

Catherine Buzzi

Research Interest: Functionalized Metal–Organic Framework Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery


Nicolas Cortes

Research Focus: Biological application of  Mixed Phase Nanomaterials


Kevin Cue

Research Interest: Dye degradation and Antimicrobial Nanoparticle Study


Galileah Harmon

Research Interest:  Resin/Filament 3D printing of Structure Materials and  it’s mechanical properties

Chingun Munkhtur

Research Interest: Green Synthesis of Sulvanite Nanocrystals


Annie Pereira

Research Interest: Functionalized Metal–Organic Framework Adsorbents for CO2 capture


Mia Vuong

Research Interest: Functionalized Metal–Organic Framework Adsorbents for CO2 capture


Former Group Members

 

Postdoctoral Researchers

Prakash Manandhar, PhD, Former Postdoc, 2020 (NSF Support)

Johan Gonzalez, PhD, Former Postdoc, 2021 (NSF Support)

 

Graduate Students

 

Aleida Vieyra, MS,2020 (NSF Bridge to the Doctorate Program)

Helga Zepf, MS, 2020 (NSF Support)

Brian Rivera, MS, 2021

Mohammed Inzamam Ali Haqqani, MS, 2021 (NASA CRE2DO)

Faizan Syed, MME Graduate Student, 2022 (NASA CRE2DO)

Ashley Triana, MME Graduate Student, 2022 Spring NASA Pathway Program (2021 Fall, DOD Support)

Kiyana Saeedian, MME Graduate Student, 2023 (FIU Presidential Fellowship)

Melissa Venedicto, BME Graduate Student, 2024 (FIU Presidential Fellowship)

 

Undergraduate Students

 

Alexander De Socio, MME BS, 2020 (NASA) 

Carlos Caiaffa, BME BS, 2020 (NASA)

Oscar Flores, MME Undergraduate Student 2021 (DOD Support) 

Daniel Figueroa, BME BS, 2022 (NASA)

Elizabeth Chery, MME, 2023 (NASA)

Benjamin Vargas, MME, 2023 (NASA)

Sebastian Vargas, MME, 2023 (NASA)

Josiah Beaufort, MME, 2024 (NASA)

Anthony Humaran, MME, 2024 (NASA)