Meet the 2019 KNI Prize Postdocs
The KNI welcomes its three newest members of its Prize Postdoctoral Fellowships program.
October officially kicks off the first month of our latest KNI Prize Postdoctoral Fellows' appointments, and we'd like to give them a special welcome to the KNI community! Each researcher has a distinctive background and area of expertise, and we are excited to see how their projects progress over the next few years. Read more about them below.
Jeong Hoon (JK) Ko
JK is a postdoctoral fellow in Professor Robert Grubb's group in the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. JK's research project is entitled, "3D Photolithography by Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization Using Light-Activated Metathesis Catalyst." Ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) is highly efficient and provides solutions to current methods of polymerization. This technique will be utilized to fabricate multi-material 3D structures for potential applications in flexible electronics, biosensors, and biohybrid materials.
JK earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from UCLA and his B.S.E. in Biomedical Engineering and A.B. in Chemistry from Duke University. In his free time, JK enjoys playing tennis, watching a Korean national sports team game, or checking out the great variety of restaurants in LA with his friends.
Xueqian (Lucy) Li
Lucy is a postdoctoral fellow in Professor Harry Atwater's group in the Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences. A mutlidisciplinary chemist with expertise in nanomaterial synthesis and photocatalysis, Lucy is carrying out her research project on the "Rational Design of Gold-Based Hierarchical Photoelectrodes for CO2 Reduction." She will investigate the role and relationship between nanoarchitecture and functional behavior in plasmon-enhanced photoelectrochemical (PEC) reactions in order to develop a more robust platform for carbon dioxide reduction.
Lucy received her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Duke University and her B.S. in Chemistry from NYU. In her free time, Lucy enjoys making crepe paper flowers, cooking, and exploring the outdoors.
Jaimie Marie Stewart
Jaimie is a postdoctoral fellow in Professor Paul Rothemund's group in the Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Jaimie's research project is on the "Design, Synthesis, and Characterization of DNA Origami for the Detection of Nucleic Acids and Proteins." She aims to develop low cost and portable bistable origami detectors that work with existing platforms for the detection of molecules. Using DNA origami in this way will provide a powerful tool for the diagnosis of disease, detection of genetic mutations, and the prognosis of cancer in the future.
Jaimie earned her Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of California, Riverside and her B.S. in Bioengineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her hobbies and interests include listening to music and podcasts, traveling, stand-up comedy, playing sports, and entrepreneurship.