People Spotlights

Undergraduate Student, Mechanical Engineering

Ethan Hamel

Hi! I am a third year undergraduate studying Mechanical Engineering with an Aerospace minor and am interested in in-space robotics and deployable space structures. Over the past two years, I have worked in the Space Structures Laboratory under Dr. Sergio Pellegrino on mechanisms for in-space assembly of lightweight space structures both during the year and through a SURF program last summer. I was drawn to Caltech because of the availability of opportunities to undergraduate students to learn and grow outside of the classroom through research. Working on large-scale projects and flight hardware in the Spaces Structures Lab has been crucial in allowing me to apply what I’ve learned through Caltech’s thorough mechanical engineering curriculum. I am also an engineer in PARSEC (Propulsion, Aeronautics, and Rocket Systems Engineering at Caltech), the undergraduate-student-run rocketry team where we are developing an autonomous rocket-propelled terrestrial lander. I’ve worked with the custom test stand, designed structural components of the lander, and have been given engineering responsibility that undergraduate students rarely get outside Caltech. What makes Caltech unique are the resources and expertise that student-run clubs have access to. PARSEC has allowed me to gain design and analysis experience that translates directly into the aerospace industry and graduate school. Beyond the classroom, I am a goalkeeper and captain of the Caltech men’s soccer team, and for my first two years here, a trombonist in the Caltech jazz band. I love music in general, play the guitar, and enjoy snowboarding in the winter.

Aaban Syed

My name is Aaban Syed and I'm an undergraduate senior studying Electrical Engineering (MedE Track) with a Biology minor. During my time here, I've worked in the Shapiro Lab studying the mechanism behind ultrasound activation of mechanosensitive ion channels, and at the Caltech Holistic Integrated Circuits lab doing research in subtractive photonics to create photonic components in a bulk CMOS process. Moving forward, I’m interested in improving our sensing and imaging capabilities to enhance image-guided procedures and diagnoses. This summer, I’ll be starting the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) leading to a MD-PhD at UChicago. Outside of school, I've enjoyed competing as a pole vaulter on the Caltech Track & Field team for the past four years, diving for the Caltech Swim and Dive team, working as a Hixon Writing Peer Tutor, and volunteering as a Health Advocate.

Elizabeth W. Gilloon Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering

Sally Ng

Dr. Ng's research interest is in aerosol chemistry, air quality, and health effects. Her research focuses on both laboratory experiments and field measurements to understand the formation and evolution of atmospheric nanoparticles (aerosols). This research includes conducting laboratory chamber experiments in which specific compounds of interest can be isolated and studied under simple, well-controlled oxidation environments, allowing for a more detailed and direct characterization of the composition, chemical, and physical properties of aerosols. Dr. Ng is also involved in field measurement campaigns and integrated analysis of multidimensional and multiple worldwide mass spectrometer datasets to investigate the chemistry and life cycles (sources, processes, and fates) of ambient aerosols.

Anqi Zhang

Anqi Zhang received her Ph.D. degree in Chemistry under the supervision of Charles M. Lieber at Harvard University in 2020 and her B.S. degree in Materials Science from Fudan University in 2014. Her research is funded by the American Heart Association (AHA) postdoctoral fellowship and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) K99/R00 award. The Zhang Research Group will be dedicated to advancements in neurotechnology. The group will develop innovative tools for the modulation and monitoring of neural circuits through electronic, chemical, and genetic engineering. The ultimate goal is to bring novel technology from the laboratory to the clinic to understand and treat neurological disorders.

Angkur Shaikeea

We aim to unite designers, material scientists, and mechanicians to foster innovation in the creation of new materials. Our goal is to develop cutting-edge experimental tools, particularly using X-rays, to understand material behavior in 3D and apply this knowledge to design new materials and products. We are in pursuit of building a unique laboratory that integrates tomography, ptychography, EDXRD, and 3DXRD for in-situ measurements under mechanical loading, for metals to biological samples. By extracting detailed 3D stress and strain data, we are in pursuit of building the largest database for data-driven mechanics, enabling machine learning and AI analysis. With a strong foundation in solid mechanics, our research tackles complex challenges across disciplines while also prioritizing sustainable innovations.

Graduate Student, Aerospace

George Popov

Hello everyone, I’m George Popov, a G5 student Space Engineering working in the Space Structures Lab under Sergio Pellegrino at Caltech! My research focuses on the Space Solar Power Project, a concept for wirelessly transmitting solar energy to Earth using ultralight deployable spacecraft. More specifically, I integrate foldable thin films and composites using techniques like kirigami to achieve structural stability and high surface accuracy under the harsh environments and large thermal strains of space. I have also contributed to several other projects, including the development of a foldable donut reflector at JPL and the assembly of a spacecraft whose mission is, ironically, to assemble itself in space. Before coming to Pasadena, I studied at UPenn in the VIPER program, where my passion for the interdisciplinary intersections that excite me in my work was sparked from researching things like photophoretic levitation, particle detectors, thermionics, and solar sails. Outside of the lab, I enjoy the turtle pond, driving into the mountains, mentorship, rocketry, museums (especially Monet), and visiting friends in more temperate climates.

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