People
Current Lab Members
Principle investigator
Associate Professor Shawna Hollen
Shawna Hollen received her B.A. in physics from Occidental College in 2005, and her Ph.D. in physics from Brown University in 2013. For her Ph.D. work, she studied localized Cooper pairs near the quantum superconductor-insulator transition in the research group of Prof. James Valles. She did her postdoctoral work in the groups of Profs. Jay Gupta and Ezekiel Johnston-Halperin at the Center for Emergent Materials at the Ohio State University (2012-2015). There, she studied surface states and functionalization of ultra-high vacuum grown graphene islands with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and developed tools for coupling electrical transport measurements with local probes, such as STM. She joined the physics faculty at University of New Hampshire in 2015 and was promoted to Associate Professor with Tenure in 2022.
Shawna Hollen received her B.A. in physics from Occidental College in 2005, and her Ph.D. in physics from Brown University in 2013. For her Ph.D. work, she studied localized Cooper pairs near the quantum superconductor-insulator transition in the research group of Prof. James Valles. She did her postdoctoral work in the groups of Profs. Jay Gupta and Ezekiel Johnston-Halperin at the Center for Emergent Materials at the Ohio State University (2012-2015). There, she studied surface states and functionalization of ultra-high vacuum grown graphene islands with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and developed tools for coupling electrical transport measurements with local probes, such as STM. She joined the physics faculty at University of New Hampshire in 2015 and was promoted to Associate Professor with Tenure in 2022.
Graduate students
Olaiya Olokunboyo
In progress
In progress
Muhammad Awais Fiaz
In progress.
In progress.
Steven Arias
Steven received a B.S. in Physics from the University of New Hampshire in May 2016. He joined the UNH Ph.D. program in the fall of 2016 and began work with the Hollen Lab in the spring of 2017. He is a recipient of the DOE SCGSR fellowship in partnership with the Center for Functional Nanomaterials at Brookhaven National Laboratory and will be completing his fellowship year in 2021-2022.
Steven received a B.S. in Physics from the University of New Hampshire in May 2016. He joined the UNH Ph.D. program in the fall of 2016 and began work with the Hollen Lab in the spring of 2017. He is a recipient of the DOE SCGSR fellowship in partnership with the Center for Functional Nanomaterials at Brookhaven National Laboratory and will be completing his fellowship year in 2021-2022.
Ben St. Laurent
Ben received a B.S. in physics from the University of North Carolina Wilmington in 2014 and an M.S. in engineering physics with a Professional Science Master's concentration in nanoscience for advanced materials from Appalachian State University in 2016. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in physics at the University of New Hampshire where he joined Hollen Lab during the summer of 2017.
Ben received a B.S. in physics from the University of North Carolina Wilmington in 2014 and an M.S. in engineering physics with a Professional Science Master's concentration in nanoscience for advanced materials from Appalachian State University in 2016. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in physics at the University of New Hampshire where he joined Hollen Lab during the summer of 2017.
Undergraduate students
Diana Horangic
Diana is working towards a B.S. in Physics, class of 2022. She joined Hollen Lab in the Fall of 2021 and is working on machine learning techniques for flake identification.
Diana is working towards a B.S. in Physics, class of 2022. She joined Hollen Lab in the Fall of 2021 and is working on machine learning techniques for flake identification.
Ben Campbell
Ben is working towards a B.S. in Physics, class of 2022. He joined Hollen Lab in the Summer of 2021 and is working on time-resolved spectroscopy techniques.
Ben is working towards a B.S. in Physics, class of 2022. He joined Hollen Lab in the Summer of 2021 and is working on time-resolved spectroscopy techniques.
Gavin Smith
Gavin is working towards his B.S. in Physics, class of 2024. He joined Hollen Lab in the Fall of 2021 and is working on making 2D material heterostructures.
Gavin is working towards his B.S. in Physics, class of 2024. He joined Hollen Lab in the Fall of 2021 and is working on making 2D material heterostructures.
Past Lab Members
Post Doctoral Researchers
Sujoy Ghosh
Sujoy completed his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from the University of Calcutta in India, in 2006 and 2008. Then he completed his M.S. and Ph.D. in Physics from Southern Illinois University in 2011 and 2016. He joined the flexible electronics group at UNH in January of 2017 and worked jointly in the Hollen, Song, and Tsavalas labs. His postdoctoral position was supported by the UNH Center for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Innovations (CAMMI). He is now working as a staff scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Sujoy completed his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from the University of Calcutta in India, in 2006 and 2008. Then he completed his M.S. and Ph.D. in Physics from Southern Illinois University in 2011 and 2016. He joined the flexible electronics group at UNH in January of 2017 and worked jointly in the Hollen, Song, and Tsavalas labs. His postdoctoral position was supported by the UNH Center for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Innovations (CAMMI). He is now working as a staff scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Jason Moscatello
Jason received his B.S. in Physics with a minor in Women & Gender Studies from The College of New Jersey in 2000, an M.S in Physics from The College of William & Mary in 2002, and his Ph.D. in Engineering Physics from Michigan Technological University in 2010. His dissertation research focused on growing carbon nanotubes and developing the methods required to integrate them into molecular electronic and sensing devices. Jason's post-doctoral work was at Mount Holyoke College, where he developed a new method for measuring trap states in quantum dot and organic field effect transistors. At UNH, Jason developed MATLAB solutions for lab needs, and expanded the group's atomic force microscopy capability. He is now a Senior Algorithm Engineer and Physicist at Textron Systems, MA.
Jason received his B.S. in Physics with a minor in Women & Gender Studies from The College of New Jersey in 2000, an M.S in Physics from The College of William & Mary in 2002, and his Ph.D. in Engineering Physics from Michigan Technological University in 2010. His dissertation research focused on growing carbon nanotubes and developing the methods required to integrate them into molecular electronic and sensing devices. Jason's post-doctoral work was at Mount Holyoke College, where he developed a new method for measuring trap states in quantum dot and organic field effect transistors. At UNH, Jason developed MATLAB solutions for lab needs, and expanded the group's atomic force microscopy capability. He is now a Senior Algorithm Engineer and Physicist at Textron Systems, MA.
Ph.D. Students
Jake Riffle
Jake received his B.A. in physics from Clemson University in 2014. He then joined UNH's Ph.D. program for experimental condensed matter physics and has been working under Dr. Shawna Hollen since the Fall of 2015. He defended his dissertation, titled "The Effects of Disorder in van der Waal Materials," in February of 2022 and graduated May of 2022.
He enjoys playing classical guitar and metalworking as a hobby in his spare time.
Jake received his B.A. in physics from Clemson University in 2014. He then joined UNH's Ph.D. program for experimental condensed matter physics and has been working under Dr. Shawna Hollen since the Fall of 2015. He defended his dissertation, titled "The Effects of Disorder in van der Waal Materials," in February of 2022 and graduated May of 2022.
He enjoys playing classical guitar and metalworking as a hobby in his spare time.
Master's Students
Astrid Haig
Astrid completed her Master's project in the Hollen lab, developing a Moiré pattern simulator with Matlab. She graduated in 2016. She is now in a PhD program for engineering at the University of Washington.
Astrid completed her Master's project in the Hollen lab, developing a Moiré pattern simulator with Matlab. She graduated in 2016. She is now in a PhD program for engineering at the University of Washington.
Caitlyn Meditz
Caitlyn received her B.S. in Physics from the University of New Hampshire in May 2016. Professor Hollen was her advisor for her senior capstone project, making graphene samples. She worked with the Hollen lab for the summer of 2016 before starting her job at Raytheon in August 2016. In 2018 she came back to UNH as a master's student and graduated with a Master's in Materials Science in September 2020. Thesis: "Environmental factors on 2D material properties: influence of underlying Au(111) vs amorphous gold on the local density of states in graphene," She is now a Research Technician at the National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden, Colorado.
Caitlyn received her B.S. in Physics from the University of New Hampshire in May 2016. Professor Hollen was her advisor for her senior capstone project, making graphene samples. She worked with the Hollen lab for the summer of 2016 before starting her job at Raytheon in August 2016. In 2018 she came back to UNH as a master's student and graduated with a Master's in Materials Science in September 2020. Thesis: "Environmental factors on 2D material properties: influence of underlying Au(111) vs amorphous gold on the local density of states in graphene," She is now a Research Technician at the National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden, Colorado.
Undergraduate Research Students
Lihy Buchbinder
Lihy graduated with a B.S. in Physics in May 2022 and completed a senior thesis in the Hollen lab titled "Characterizing insulating states in TaS2 with atomic adsorbates." She joined the Hollen Lab in the Fall of 2018. She is a recipient of NSF REU and DOE SULI awards. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring the beautiful New England outdoors and playing guitar. She is now attending physics graduate school at Brown University.
Lihy graduated with a B.S. in Physics in May 2022 and completed a senior thesis in the Hollen lab titled "Characterizing insulating states in TaS2 with atomic adsorbates." She joined the Hollen Lab in the Fall of 2018. She is a recipient of NSF REU and DOE SULI awards. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring the beautiful New England outdoors and playing guitar. She is now attending physics graduate school at Brown University.
Riley Powell
Riley graduated with a BS in Engineering Physics in September 2021, completing a senior design project titled "Design and optimization of a micron sized bonding technique for 2D flakes."
Riley graduated with a BS in Engineering Physics in September 2021, completing a senior design project titled "Design and optimization of a micron sized bonding technique for 2D flakes."
Alana Gudinas
Alana graduated with a BS in Physics in May 2020, completing a thesis titled "Investigating the time scales of electromechanical motion in graphene drumheads using pump-probe spectroscopy with STM." She worked with the Hollen lab for 2 years, winning a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship and then a International Research Opportunities Program grant from the UNH Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research. She is a Goldwater Scholarship recipient, and a winner of the NSF GRFP. She is attending physics graduate school at Stanford University.
Alana graduated with a BS in Physics in May 2020, completing a thesis titled "Investigating the time scales of electromechanical motion in graphene drumheads using pump-probe spectroscopy with STM." She worked with the Hollen lab for 2 years, winning a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship and then a International Research Opportunities Program grant from the UNH Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research. She is a Goldwater Scholarship recipient, and a winner of the NSF GRFP. She is attending physics graduate school at Stanford University.
Tan Dao
Tan graduated with a BS in Physics in May 2021. He worked in the Hollen lab for 3 years, winning an Undergraduate Research Award from the UNH Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research and earning an honorable mention for his Undergraduate Research Conference poster in 2019. He was a McNair Scholar, is the recipient of a DOE SULI award, was nominated for the Goldwater Scholarship, and received an honorable mention for his NSF GRFP proposal. He is attending physics graduate school at Harvard University.
Tan graduated with a BS in Physics in May 2021. He worked in the Hollen lab for 3 years, winning an Undergraduate Research Award from the UNH Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research and earning an honorable mention for his Undergraduate Research Conference poster in 2019. He was a McNair Scholar, is the recipient of a DOE SULI award, was nominated for the Goldwater Scholarship, and received an honorable mention for his NSF GRFP proposal. He is attending physics graduate school at Harvard University.
Page Waldo
Page graduated with a BA in Physics from Connecticut College in 2018. She worked in the Hollen lab as a summer research student in 2017 and 2018. She now an Associate System Engineer at Collins Aerospace in Burlington, VT.
Page graduated with a BA in Physics from Connecticut College in 2018. She worked in the Hollen lab as a summer research student in 2017 and 2018. She now an Associate System Engineer at Collins Aerospace in Burlington, VT.
Cameron Flynn
Cam graduated in May of 2018 after completing a senior thesis in the Hollen lab titled "Sensitivity of Black Phosphorus to O2 and Atmosphere Measured by Macroscopic Four-Point Probe." He is a UNH Hamel Center SURF recipient, Goldwater Scholarship nominee, and received an honorable mention for his NSF GRFP proposal. He enjoys hiking vigorously through the wilderness and reading way too much science fiction in his spare time. He received a Master's in Physics from Cornell University.
Cam graduated in May of 2018 after completing a senior thesis in the Hollen lab titled "Sensitivity of Black Phosphorus to O2 and Atmosphere Measured by Macroscopic Four-Point Probe." He is a UNH Hamel Center SURF recipient, Goldwater Scholarship nominee, and received an honorable mention for his NSF GRFP proposal. He enjoys hiking vigorously through the wilderness and reading way too much science fiction in his spare time. He received a Master's in Physics from Cornell University.
High school students
Ben
Ben worked us through Pinkerton High School's Science Research class for the 2017-2018 academic year.
Ben worked us through Pinkerton High School's Science Research class for the 2017-2018 academic year.
Patrick
Patrick worked with us through Pinkerton High School's Science Research class for the 2016-2017 academic year. Patrick is now a master of mechanical exfoliation and is a helpful set of hands in the lab. He is currently studying Law at Syracuse University.
Patrick worked with us through Pinkerton High School's Science Research class for the 2016-2017 academic year. Patrick is now a master of mechanical exfoliation and is a helpful set of hands in the lab. He is currently studying Law at Syracuse University.
Elizabeth and Laura
Working with us through the Pinkerton High School Science Research class for the 2015-2016 academic year. Elizabeth and Laura are planning a scanning tunneling microscopy lesson for middle school science students.
Working with us through the Pinkerton High School Science Research class for the 2015-2016 academic year. Elizabeth and Laura are planning a scanning tunneling microscopy lesson for middle school science students.