Principal Investigator: Prof. Carlos Martinez
Prof. Carlos J. Martinez was born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Physics and Electronics from the University of Puerto Rico at Humacao. He spent a year in Los Alamos National Laboratory before starting his graduate studies. He graduated in 2002 with a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he worked with Prof. Jennifer Lewis in the area of ceramic film formation. During the year following graduation, he worked on a project to study the phase evolution of colloidal gels and crystals prepared from microsphere-nanoparticle suspensions. In 2003, he received a National Research Council Postdoctoral fellowship to work with Steve Semancik in the Process Measurements Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology developing porous nanostructures for chemical sensing. He spent two years as a visiting scientist in Prof. David Weitz’s group at Harvard University. He is currently an Associate Professor at the School of Materials Engineering at Purdue University.
Current Graduate Students
Liz Malek is from Dayton, Ohio and completed her B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Wright State University in April 2022. Since joining the MSE department in summer of 2022, she has been working on a project developing fluorosurfactant-free fire extinguishing foam based on new siloxane-based surfactant formulations and time-released foam additives. Her focus is on encapsulated foam additives with temperature release capabilities with the goal of enhancing foam stability and minimizing degradation. She is co-advised by Prof. Jeff Youngblood.
Ronaldo Franjul was born in Passaic, New Jersey, but was raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he completed his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras. He started in the MSE department in the fall of 2022. His work consists of developing fluorosurfactant-free fire-fighting foam based on siloxane-based surfactants with controlled release of additives. He is co-advised by Prof. Jeffrey Youngblood.
Nicole Franklin received a B.S. in Chemistry and an M.S. in Applied Materials Science from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Since joining the MSE department in the fall of 2022, she is working on the development of PFAS-free foam formulations. She is co-advised by Prof. Jeff Youngblood.
Bianka Pajo received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Istanbul Technical University in 2020. She then received an M.S. in Civil Engineering from Purdue University, in 2022. Since joining the MSE department in the fall of 2023, she has been working on the design of energy-absorbing and tough ceramics for rotating detonation engines. She is co-advised by Prof. Rod Trice.
Siddhant Kalel received a B.Tech in Metallurgical Engineering and Material Science from IIT Bombay in 2024. Since joining the MSE department in the Fall of 2024, his main research focus has been on understanding the self-assembly of PFAS mixtures in solution and at air/water and water/soil interfaces in the presence of hydrocarbon co-surfactants and inorganic ions during wetting and drying cycles along with self assembly of PFAS surfactant mixtures on surfaces.
Tuan Le received a B.S in Chemistry from Illinois College Jacksonville in 2016. His project focuses on gaining a fundamental understanding of the self-assembly behavior of (per-)polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances in different environments and interfaces during the soil wetting and drying cycle.
Undergraduate Students
Nick Ostendorf is from Indianapolis, IN and is pursuing a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering. He is working on optimizing the synthesis process for microparticles used in coatings, adhesion control, and flexible electronics.
Previous Students
- Dr. Averyonna Kimery
- Dr. Abdullah Al Saad – Engineer at Bard Materials
- Dr. Yue Zeng – Ph.D. 2023 – Process Engineer at Applied Materials
- Brandon Wells – M.S. 2022 – Staff member at the Laurence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)
- Rina Sabatello – M.S. 2021 – Master’s of Science in Cosmetic Science through the University of Cincinnati
- Dr. Daniela Betancourt – Ph.D. 2021 – Associate Scientist at Impossible Foods
- Dr. Cole Davis – Ph.D. 2021 – Materials Engineer, Munitions Analysis Branch, Specialized Munitions Division Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, (NSWC Crane)
- Dr. Alejandro Alcaraz – Ph.D. 2020 – Birck Nanotechnology Center at Purdue University
- Dr. Colton Steiner – Ph.D. 2017 – Sr. Processes Engineer at Johnson & Johnson
- Dr. Congwang Ye – Ph.D. 2016 – Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
- Yunze Dai – M.S. 2015
- Dr. Kathryn Shirk – Ph.D. 2012 – Associate Professor of Physiscs ,Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
- Siddharth Tripathi – M.S. 2010
Martinez Research Lab @ Purdue University 