Principal Investigator
IGOR BARGATIN
Associate Professor,
Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics
office: Towne 277
tel: 215-746-4887
email: bargatin@seas.upenn.edu
Current Group Members
MATTHEW CAMPBELL
Research Assistant Professor
website: http://www.mcampbell.info/
email: cammat@seas.upenn.edu
Matt is a researcher designing spacers for thermionic energy converters and new biomedical diagnostic devices. Before coming to the University of Pennsylvania, he did his doctoral work at Stanford University, was a postdoctoral researcher at Sandia National Laboratories, and worked for a non-profit organization in the Philippines.
TOM CELENZA
Ph. D. Student, Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics
email: tcelenza@seas.upenn.edu
Tom is a fourth year PhD student working on photophoretic levitation of ultrathin, ultralight structures made of microfabricated composite films with sensor-based payloads for atmospheric research applications on Mars and in Earth’s upper atmosphere. Before coming to Penn, he received his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Delaware.
ROHAN BAGCHI
Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER) Class of 2024
email: rbagchi@sas.upenn.edu
Rohan is from Albany, New York, and he is planning to major in Chemistry and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. He is currently working on COMSOL simulations of Nanocardboard. In his free time, Rohan enjoys playing and watching baseball, basketball, and soccer.
Lorenzo Yao-Bate
Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER) Class of 2024
email: yaobatel@seas.upenn.edu
Lorenzo is from the Philippines, and majors in Mechanical Engineering and Physics. As an undergraduate researcher, he works on fabricating 3D structures out of ultra-thin materials and investigating photophoretic levitation of these structures. In his free time, Lorenzo enjoys cooking and baking, listening to music, and watching Formula 1.
Daniella Levin
Ph. D. student
email: drlevin@sas.upenn.edu
Before joining the Bargatin group in 2022, Daniella received a Master’s degree in physical chemistry studying transparent and absorbing organic molecular glasses. Currently, she is working to produce ultra-thin thermally stable spacers for efficient heat-to-energy conversion. She is a Philly native and is happy to be back in town for her PhD!
Gulzhan Aldan
Ph. D. student
email: galdan@seas.upenn.edu
Gulzhan is a first-year PhD student in Mechanical Engineering, and she is from Kazakhstan. Before joining the group, she studied in the department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Victor Riso III
Post-Baccalaureate Researcher
email: vriso@seas.upenn.edu
Before joining the Bargatin group in the Summer of 2023, Victor conducted research on hypersonic wind tunnels and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Delaware. He currently works on photophoretic levitation of ultralight structures at atmospheric pressure. Victor plans to pursue a Master’s degree in Quantum Information Science in Fall 2024. In his free time, he enjoys competing in sports and board games, exploring cuisines, and music production.
OREVA
Ph.D. Student , MEAM
email: oreomodi@seas.upenn.edu
Oreva is a first-year student studying mechanical engineering. Prior to his matriculation at Penn, he received his Bachelor’s degree in Intelligent Systems Engineering from Indiana University, where he did research on microscale fiber devices. During his spare time, Oreva enjoys watching and playing different sports, photography, and spending time with friends and family.
Group Alumni
LEO LU
Ph.D. , Chemistry
email: zplu@sas.upenn.edu
After receiving Bachelor of Science from Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Nanjing University in China, Leo joined the Bargatin group in 2019. He is currently working on the characterization of thermionic spacer and photophoretic levitation. In his spare time, he likes music, tennis, and design.
ANDY ESKENAZI
Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER) Class of 2022
email: andyeske@hotmail.com
Originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Andy studies Mechanical Engineering and Math, but he also has strong interests in Chinese language. Since he joined the lab in the Spring of 2019, he has been very excited about all of the projects. In particular, Andy enjoys taking measurements of the thermionic spacers, as well as learning about the radiometer and the photophoretic levitation. Overall, he is very happy to work in such a great group.
Jinqiao Li
MSE Master Student Class of 2023
email: lijinq@seas.upenn.edu
I come from Chengdu, China, and love to enjoy different kinds of food. I graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and joined the group at Spring 2022. I’m currently working on the experimental work of the photophoretic levitation project.
Arunim Agarwal
Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER) Class of 2025
email: arunim@seas.upenn.edu
www.arunim.fyi
I’m working on both the spacers for thermionic energy converters and on the photophoretic levitation project. More details coming soon!
MOHSEN AZADI
Ph.D. Student, Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics
email: azadi@seas.upenn.edu
Mohsen is a PhD student working on theory development and experimental study of mid air levitation of macroscopic structures using light. He also works on nano/micro-fabrication and testing of specific parts for Thermionic Energy Converters (TECs) with our collaborators at SPARK Thermionics.
WUJOON CHA
Ph.D. Student, Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics
email: wujoon@seas.upenn.edu
Wujoon is a Ph.D candidate working on making various structures using nano-/micro-fabrication techniques. One of the structures he is working on is AFM cantilever with hollow cross-section that can improve imaging speed and could be used for biological and chemical application.
PEARCE NASH
Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics Class of 2023
email: pnash@seas.upenn.edu
Pearce is interested in renewable energy innovation and plays for the Penn Rugby Team. He is excited to work with a motivated and diverse team.
LEAH TESFA
BSE Student, Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics Class of 2024
email: ltesfa@seas.upenn.edu
Leah is an undergraduate student studying Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics and is particularly interested in energy conservation. She is excited to later use her acquired skills from Penn to give back to her country, Zimbabwe, by building up its energy sector. During her time at Penn she also plans to minor in engineering entrepreneurship and computer science.
As a Penn World Scholar Class’24, Leah, an aspiring global leader, also aims to be a role model for young African women in engineering like herself.
GEORGE POPOV
Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER) Class of 2021
email: popovg@seas.upenn.edu
George is an undergraduate in the VIPER program studying Mechanical Engineering & Applied Mechanics and Physics, and he has been with the Bargatin Group since Spring 2018. He primarily focuses on the photophoretic levitation of Mylar, alumina, and carbon nanotube structures and the design of compact, lightweight wings using nanofabrication processes. He has also assisted in studying nanocardboard levitation and characterizing thermionic devices. George loves the broad intersection of disciplines he finds in the lab and the variety of challenges and learning it offers.
AKSHAT JAIN
MSE student, Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, class of 2020
email: akshatj@seas.upenn.edu
Akshat is a Master’s student in the Material Science and Engineering Department. Since he joined the group in 2019, he has worked on characterization of thermionic spacers in the past and is currently working on optimization of levitating sheets using semiconducting nanoparticles. Aside from the levitations project, he is also learning about the applications of Mechanical Meta plates in AFM cantilever beams. In his free time he likes to sing and compose music.
PRATIK PONNARASSERY
MSE student, Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, class of 2020
email: pratikp@seas.upenn.edu
Pratik is an MSE student in the Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics department. He is helping the group with fluid and thermal simulation studies for the nanocardboard levitation and crookes radiometer projects.
Aarushi is a high school student from Episcopal Academy interested in pursuing physics and engineering. She primarily writes MATLAB code for analyzing data from AFM cantilever testing and generating airfoil designs for nanofabrication. She also helped create the new website of the group.
JOSUÉ LEON
BSE student, Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics
email: josuel@seas.upenn.edu
Josué is an undergraduate pursuing a BSE in mechanical engineering and applied mechanics. He focuses on writing MATLAB code for creating the thermoionic spacers using photolithography.
AVERY JI WON BANG
Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER) Class of 2019
Avery is a VIPER undergraduate student pursuing a B.S.E. in Mechanical Engineering and B.S. in Physics. She processes data of a spacer from a thermal video using MATLAB for the thermionic conductor project to find the conductance. Avery also works on MATLAB code to analytically calculate the expected temperatures for the levitation project.
CHRIS STANCZAK
Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER) Class of 2020
Currently an engineer at Holtec International
JOHN CORTES
Ph.D. student, Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics
Currently a Mechanical Engineer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
SAM NICAISE
Postdoctoral Scholar
Currently a Senior Engineer at nLIGHT
PROMISE ADEBAYO-IGE
Undergraduate researcher,
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Currently a Ph.D. student in nuclear engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
CHEN LIN
Ph.D. student, Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics
Currently a Research Scientist at KLA Corporation
DREW LILLEY
Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER) Class of 2017
Currently a Ph.D. student at University of California, Berkeley
JONATHAN BRYAN
MSE Class of 2016
Currently a Ph.D. student at Arizona State University
NUPURA RAVISHANKAR
Mechanical Engineering & Applied Mechanics MSE Class of 2017
Currently an R&D Engineer at Intel Inc.
KEIVAN DAVAMI
Postdoctoral Scholar
Currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama
PENGCHENG JIAO
Postdoctoral Scholar
Currently a Research Professor at Zhejiang University
LIN ZHAO
Master’s degree in Nanotechnology, 2014
Currently a PhD student at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
AKSHAY ANANTHAKRISHNAN
Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, 2015
Currently a PhD student at University of Pennsylvania
ERIC LU
Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER) Class of 2016
Currently an independent software developer and entrepreneur