March 2024 Group Photo
![IMG_0851.HEIC](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2c933e_aa5619b8c80c4344b5737f5a0505e2b2~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_1410,w_3024,h_1958/fill/w_866,h_561,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/IMG_0851_HEIC.png)
Xiaodan Gu, Ph.D.
2022-Present Associate Professor
2023 Visiting Faculty, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
2020-2022 Nina Bell Suggs Endowed Assistant Professor
2017-2020 Assistant Professor, Univ of Southern Mississippi
2016 Post-Doc Stanford University & Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource
Chemical Engineering
Advisor: Prof. Zhenan Bao & Prof. Michael F. Toney
2014 Ph.D. University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Polymer Science and Engineering
Advisor: Prof. Thomas P. Russell
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2c933e_8e6493eef0ce4d94ac0f09bc22d83ad2~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_341,h_325,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/2c933e_8e6493eef0ce4d94ac0f09bc22d83ad2~mv2.jpg)
Selected Honors​:
2024 ACS PMSE Celebration of Success and New Frontiers in Polymeric Materials Science and Engineering
2023 Advanced Materials Raising Stars Special Issue
2023 NSF EPSCoR Research Fellows
2022 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award
2021 Department of Energy (DOE) Early Career Award
2021 Nina Bell Suggs Endowed Professorship
2021 National Science Foundation (NSF) Early Career Award
2020 ACS PMSE Young Investigator Award
2019 Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award
​
![9C41418B-78A2-4391-929C-D7A22349C7EB-31925-0000143AA59FB146.JPG](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2c933e_17d65d26b78c4a87a8eb9e0889e2fb96~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_319,y_516,w_1454,h_1658/fill/w_56,h_63,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/9C41418B-78A2-4391-929C-D7A22349C7EB-31925-0000143AA59FB146_JPG.jpg)
Saranga Raut (2023 - )
![Screenshot 2023-04-19 at 1.36.44 PM.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2c933e_1a1e765ddbf04623bfe1a15d468c1a5a~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_103,y_0,w_1055,h_1315/fill/w_195,h_243,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_3,enc_auto/Screenshot%202023-04-19%20at%201_36_44%20PM.png)
Andrew Bates (2022- )
![72FB1EEA-CDAD-4510-A933-2E7D7A51F714-31925-0000143AA36D700C.JPG](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2c933e_bdaa06a5c49144aa8751031c8495df21~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_172,y_328,w_1501,h_1835/fill/w_53,h_64,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/72FB1EEA-CDAD-4510-A933-2E7D7A51F714-31925-0000143AA36D700C_JPG.jpg)
Saroj Upreti (2023 - )
![Screenshot 2024-01-31 at 4.28.43 PM.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2c933e_0667e10fef5f47068e0424c8fdf9e832~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_119,y_6,w_1264,h_1602/fill/w_55,h_69,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Screenshot%202024-01-31%20at%204_28_43%E2%80%AFPM.png)
Md Moniruzzaman (2024 - )
![DSCF2731.JPG](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2c933e_d3d9cceac4bd47eb8084678200878701~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_651,y_1690,w_2538,h_3236/fill/w_57,h_73,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/DSCF2731_JPG.jpg)
Alyssa Shaw (2024 - )
NSF GRFP fellow
Research Scientist
![Screenshot 2023-04-19 at 1.35.36 PM.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2c933e_ebdbbce0363a4762892448eda75704bb~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_88,w_1138,h_1368/fill/w_54,h_66,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Screenshot%202023-04-19%20at%201_35_36%20PM.png)
Visiting Student/Teacher
![Image from iOS (11).jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2c933e_3a13138e020f463cadf2011007f6ff2b~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_3068,y_533,w_429,h_615/fill/w_194,h_278,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_3,enc_auto/Image%20from%20iOS%20(11).jpg)
Dr. Sean Cook (2022- )
Hinds Community College
Post-doc
![Screenshot 2024-02-01 at 9.14.10 AM.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2c933e_d304b1da8d0643c6a960d6ddd8dd614c~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_29,w_1408,h_1771/fill/w_58,h_73,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Screenshot%202024-02-01%20at%209_14_10%E2%80%AFAM.png)
![Screenshot 2023-04-19 at 1.36.13 PM.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2c933e_548283649e5f4271a3de7505e3e0a24c~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_126,y_178,w_852,h_1103/fill/w_56,h_73,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Screenshot%202023-04-19%20at%201_36_13%20PM.png)
Ph.D. USM
Undergraduate students
![Screenshot 2023-04-19 at 1.36.54 PM.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2c933e_03e3b1106be54328997d277ebd9cd8f9~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_82,w_1452,h_1633/fill/w_52,h_59,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Screenshot%202023-04-19%20at%201_36_54%20PM.png)
Kaitochukwu Chukwuka (2022- )
![Screenshot 2023-04-19 at 1.36.59 PM.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2c933e_6ca4aded207542efa1593e3c712ff707~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_72,w_1216,h_1371/fill/w_57,h_64,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Screenshot%202023-04-19%20at%201_36_59%20PM.png)
Otitodilichukwu Chukwuka (2022- )
![Screenshot 2023-04-19 at 1.37.09 PM.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2c933e_2791fa397d8c4ffda66941f7b738832b~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_35,y_0,w_1166,h_1330/fill/w_55,h_63,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Screenshot%202023-04-19%20at%201_37_09%20PM.png)
Ember Wilson (2022- )
![DSCF3800.JPG](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2c933e_8e50e230f0db4ff7b03edde5c79b3c73~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_364,y_420,w_3138,h_3806/fill/w_56,h_68,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/DSCF3800_JPG.jpg)
Richard Sullivan (2024- )
Looking for talents!
We have 3~4 positions for highly-motivated graduate students and postdoc to join our group! The projects are mainly experimental polymer physics and device engineering. All the students currently in the program are welcome to apply. Please contact Prof. Gu to discuss the details of projects.
​
We especially encourage underrepresented minority and female students with diverse backgrounds to join the team!
We also encourage prospective undergraduate students to apply for their doctoral degree in our department. Detailed information can be found here.
​