Current Group Members
Post-Doctoral Scholars
En-Chih Liu
En-Chih is originally from Taiwan. He received his BS and MS in chemistry from National Cheng Kung University. In 2021, En-Chih earned his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Minnesota. His Ph.D. research focused on the enantioselective click chemistry using racemic allylic azides. Then he joined the Sanford group at the University of Michigan as a postdoctoral research fellow, exploring electrochemical and photochemical organic synthesis. In May 2024, En-Chih continued his research journey in the Michaudel group at Texas A&M University. He will explore the SuFEX chemistry, photochemistry, and electrochemistry. En-Chih loves to explore National Parks, visit new places, and enjoy road trips.
ec.liu@tamu.edu
National Cheng Kung University, B.S., M.S.
University of Minnesota, Ph.D.
Biswajit Saha
bsaha@tamu.edu
University of North Bengal, B.S., M.S.
IISER – Kolkata, Ph.D.
Biswajit Saha hails from Kamakhyaguri, a small city in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of North Bengal. Soon after, Biswajit moved to the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata (IISER Kolkata), where he obtained a PhD in Chemistry in 2020. In Prof. Priyadarsi De’s lab, Biswajit used his expertise to synthesize stimuli-responsive nonconventional luminescent polymers and explored their inexplicable fluorescence for various applications. Subsequently, he spent three and a half years in Dr. Hoyong Chung’s research group at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University for his postdoctoral research on developing bottlebrush polymer adhesives and programmable sulfoxide-containing thermoresponsive polymers. In July 2024, Biswajit took up a postdoctoral research associate position in the Michaudel laboratory at the Department of Chemistry at Texas A&M University. At Michaudel lab, he will explore stereoretentive metathesis polymerization to create functional conjugated polymers. In his free time, Biswajit enjoys watching movies, cooking, running, and spending time with friends.
Graduate Students
Fifth Year
Deepta Chattapadhyay
Deepta completed his Bachelor and Master’s studies at Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata receiving an MS degree in Chemistry in July 2020. During his Master’s studies, Deepta synthesized small peptide-mimetics with novel gelator properties under the supervision of Prof. Debasish Haldar. In the Michaudel group, he is exploring SuFEx chemistry for a wide range of synthetic applications. In his free time, Deepta enjoys watching movies and cricket, hanging out with friends, and more importantly getting a good amount of sleep.
deepta.chat@tamu.edu
IISER – Kolkata
Fourth Years
Jake Nicholson
Jake was born and raised in the suburbs outside of Portland, Oregon. He graduated from Portland State University with a B.S. in Chemistry: Biochemistry in June 2021. At Portland State, he worked on the synthesis and characterization of hybrid lipid membrane-coated silver nanoparticles with uniform shape morphologies as well as dye-coated nickel nanoparticles under the supervision of Dr. Marilyn Mackiewicz. He also spent as year as a technician working in an industrial R&D chemistry lab at OSRAMOpto Semiconductors. Jake joined the lab of Dr. Quentin Michaudel in July 2021 where he is currently working on the targeted synthesis and design of novel singlet fission materials with photovoltaic applications. In his free time, Jake enjoys reading, movies, hiking, going to the gym, watching sports, and hanging out with friends.
jake.nicholson@tamu.edu
Portland State University
An Tran
hoaian_030498@tamu.edu
College of Wooster
An Tran graduated from the College of Wooster with a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry. During her senior year of college, she did an Independent Study under Dr. Liliana Morris’ supervision, researching the copolymerization of monomers derived from plant-based acids with an attempt to make a new biodegradable material that can replace harmful sodium polyacrylate in baby diapers. This 9-month research project has sparked An’s interest in sustainability in cosmetics, fashion, and polymer chemistry in general. With the goal of exploring this field, An joined Dr. Michaudel’s lab and is currently learning about the synthesis of conjugated polymers. When she’s not doing chemistry, An loves to cook, travel, play video games and watch Netflix.
Third Years
Avinash Choudhury
Avinash completed his Master's degree in Chemistry from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Berhampur. During his Master’s studies, he worked on developing novel Pt(IV) prodrugs that could help in anticancer therapy and reduce side effects associated with platinum drugs. Avinash joined the Michaudel group in October 2022, where he is exploring SuFEx chemistry for synthesizing small molecules and polymers. In his free time, Avinash enjoys watching NBA, anime, playing video games and learning digital art.
achoudhury72@tamu.edu
IISER – Berhampur
Srutashini Das
Srutashini was born in Assam, a small state in India's northeast. She earned her bachelor's degree in science with honors in chemistry from Cotton University in Guwahati, Assam, and a master's from the National Institute of Technology in Warangal (NITW). She had the chance to complete an internship with a CSIR lab while pursuing her bachelor's degree, where she worked on "Developing a clay-based adsorbent for the removal of Arsenic from water." She was greatly motivated by her internship to learn more about the chemistry around her and to try to find solutions to some typical environmental issues. She joined the Michaudel Lab in October 2022 with this goal in mind, and now she is employing SuFEx to make sustainable polymers. Srutashini enjoys dancing, watching movies and dance shows, traveling, and visiting restaurants in addition to her interests in science.
srutashini_das_13@tamu.edu
NIT – Warangal
Mary Yenca
Mary comes to Texas A&M from Maryland where she grew up and attended Mount St. Mary's University, graduating with a B.S. in chemistry and biochemistry in 2022. At the Mount, she conducted research on the synthesis of organic photosensitizing pyrylium dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells under the guidance of Dr. Isaac Mills. She also spent a summer at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville for an NSF REU researching terpene-derived vitrimer synthesis in the Brantley lab. Mary joined the Michaudel lab in July 2022 and is currently working on the synthesis of ROMP monomers and post-polymerization modification of conjugated polymers. In her free time, Mary enjoys reading, painting, and spending time with her friends.
myenca@tamu.edu
Mount St. Mary's University
Second Years
Jeff Diaz
Jeff grew up in the central part of the Philippines and spent most of his adult life in its capital, Manila. He earned his BS Chemistry diploma from the University of the Philippines where he worked on the amplification of fungal endochitinase. He finished his MS (Chemistry) at the same university under the supervision of Dr. Monissa Paderes. His master’s thesis is on the photo-induced dimerization of anthracene-conjugated linear polymers. When not doing science, Jeff relaxes by listening to new music and replaying old favorites. He loves to go hiking and explore beaches.
markjeffreydiaz04@tamu.edu
University of the Philippines
Varun Prabhakar
Varun completed his integrated bachelor's and master's program in chemistry at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhopal, India. In his Master’s thesis, he worked with high-valent Iron-oxo complexes to mimic TET enzyme under the supervision of Dr. Debasish Manna. He joined the Michaudel group in October 2023, where he is exploring SuFEx click chemistry to synthesize small molecules and polymers. Varun enjoys reading books and watching cricket, soccer, and movies in his free time.
varunp18@tamu.edu
IISER– Bhopal
First Years
Vaishak Bhat
Vaishak comes from the southern state of Karnataka in India. He completed his BS-MS dual degree in chemistry from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune. His MS project under the supervision of Prof. Manickam Jayakannan involved the development of fluorophore-tagged polycaprolactone star polymers. With a continued fascination in polymer chemistry, Vaishak joined the Michaudel lab in October 2024. Outside the lab, he spends time listening to music, watching anime, playing sports, and getting enough sleep.
vaishak.bhat@tamu.edu
IISER – Pune
Antoine Gravet
Antoine was born and raised in Colmar, France. He graduated from the École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Paris (Chimie ParisTech-PSL), with a Master’s degree in 2023. This first experience in research started in Dr. Quentin Michaudel’s Lab as visting student as part of Master’s internship (5 month) at Texas A&M University in 2022. Then, as part of Master’s thesis in 2023 he spent 6 months in a medicinal chemistry research laboratory at Sanofi Aventis France under the supervision of Dr André Malanda. Before joining the PhD program in chemistry, Antoine spent 4 months as an assistant engineer in coordination chemistry at the University of Lorraine, France under the supervision of Dr. Mathilde Bouché. In the Michaudel Lab, he is exploring the stereoselective olefin metathesis polymerizations for the precise synthesis of alkene-containing polymers. In this free time, Antoine enjoys eating, following the French soccer team and playing video game.
antoine.gravet@tamu.edu
École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Paris (Chimie ParisTech – PSL)
Undergraduate Students
Amanda Foster
Texas A&M University
Harrison Littman
Texas A&M University
Cameron Smith
Texas A&M University
Liam Taylor
