School of Humanities and Sciences
Showing 151-200 of 309 Results
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David Long
Postdoctoral Scholar, Physics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDavid is a theoretical condensed matter physicist with an expertise in systems far from equilibrium. His research focuses on the dynamics of quantum systems, including robust topological effects in systems out of equilibrium, quantum chaos and thermalization, and (nearly) many-body localized systems.
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Indradip Mandal
Postdoctoral Scholar, Chemistry
BioI am a polymer and materials chemist working at the interface of polymer synthesis, supramolecular chemistry, and functional soft materials. I received my B.Sc. in Chemistry (2017) and M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry (2019) from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India, followed by a Ph.D. in Polymer Chemistry (2024) at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, under Prof. Andreas Kilbinger. I subsequently worked as a postdoctoral researcher (2025-2026) at the Adolphe Merkle Institute with Prof. Christoph Weder, and I am currently a Postdoctoral Scholar in Prof. Yan Xia’s group (2026-) at Stanford University. My research interests include ROMP, helical foldamers, mechanochemistry, and supramolecular materials.
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Deborah L. Narh
Postdoctoral Scholar, Biology
BioDeborah earned her MSc in Biotechnology from Wageningen University and her PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Pretoria, where her research centered on mechanisms employed by Armillaria species for iron homeostasis using a multi-omics approach. She was a 2014 Laureate of the African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) Fellowships, a 2016 Agropolis Fondation Fellow at the Laboratoire des Symbioses Tropicales & Mediterraneennes, and a 2018 Fellow of the Norman E. Borlaug International agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship Program at Michigan State University. Currently, her work in the Peay Lab focuses on the impacts of abiotic factors on pine and pine-associated microbiomes using various indicators. She also aims to understand how individual species of ectomycorrhizal fungi respond to environmental stress including temperature and drought at the molecular level, using a multi-omics approach. In addition to her research, Deborah is deeply involved in mentoring young scientists and is committed to using collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches to addressing scientific challenges.
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Okikiola Morenike Olajide
Postdoctoral Scholar, Biology
BioOkikiola M. Olajide, PhD is a molecular virologist and emerging structural biologist specializing in HIV-1 vaccine research. Currently a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Barnes Lab at Stanford University, Dr. Olajide focuses on designing HIV-1 immunogens that elicit silent face-targeting broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) and developing innovative HIV infection models using human spleen organoids. Her research aims to bridge the gap between promising preclinical immunogens and their effectiveness in human clinical trials, advancing the path toward more effective HIV vaccines. Dr. Olajide earned her PhD in Biology from Albert Ludwigs University, Freiburg, where she investigated protein-protein interactions crucial for viral entry in bat influenza A viruses, pioneering approaches such as photo-affinity protein crosslinking and genetic code expansion. She also holds an MSc in Medical Virology from the University of Ilorin, Nigeria, where she studied the role of cockroaches in the dissemination and sustained transmission of live-attenuated oral polio vaccine virus. During her BSc in Microbiology at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, she uncovered an ongoing rubella outbreak among at-risk, unvaccinated pregnant women. A strong advocate for advancing research in developing regions, Dr. Olajide actively supports training initiatives for scientists in Sub-Saharan Africa. Her commitment to mentorship, shaped by her experiences as an international scholar, drives her to guide the next generation of researchers in making meaningful scientific contributions.
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Suman Patra
Postdoctoral Scholar, Chemistry
BioDr. Suman Patra is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Chemistry at Stanford University, working under the mentorship of Prof. Edward I. Solomon. His research focuses on uncovering the mechanistic intricacies of non-coupled binuclear copper (NBC) enzymes, particularly tyramine β-monooxygenase (TBM), which catalyzes oxygen activation and selective C–H bond hydroxylation.His work integrates high-resolution spectroscopy, transient kinetics, and protein biochemistry to probe the formation, structure, and reactivity of short-lived copper-oxygen intermediates. As part of this effort, he performs cell culture and protein purification, enabling the isolation of active, recombinant copper enzymes for detailed spectroscopic and mechanistic studies. Through a multi-spectroscopic approach, primarily UV-Vis, CD, MCD, EXAFS, EPR, resonance Raman, and stopped-flow absorption spectroscopy, he investigates how the geometric and electronic structure of the active sites modulate reactivity and enable O₂ activation without direct Cu–Cu coupling.
Dr. Patra earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), Kolkata, under the supervision of Prof. Abhishek Dey, where he developed iron porphyrin-based electrocatalysts for the selective reduction of CO₂. His research emphasized mechanistic analysis using electrochemical methods coupled with in situ spectro-electrochemistry to monitor redox transitions and catalytic intermediates under applied potentials. These studies were complemented by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, which he used to model key intermediates, protonation pathways, and redox energetics, thereby providing molecular-level insight into how second-sphere interactions and ligand environments influence catalytic behaviour. His integrative experimental–computational approach provided a detailed understanding of structure-function relationships in multi-electron CO₂ reduction.
The mechanistic perspective and technical skillset developed during his doctoral work, particularly in combining spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and computation, now form the foundation of his postdoctoral research. His current studies extend those same principles to more complex metalloenzyme systems, addressing similar core questions about the role of electronic structure, metal-ligand coordination, and local environment in controlling reactivity. His long-term goal is to bridge synthetic and biological catalysis through a mechanistic lens, contributing to the development of efficient, selective systems for small-molecule activation and sustainable energy transformations.
Dr. Patra received his M.Sc. in Chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati after qualifying the national IIT-JAM examination and completed his B.Sc. in Chemistry at St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata. Over the course of his academic training, he has cultivated a multidisciplinary research identity that spans coordination chemistry, spectroscopy, electrochemical catalysis, and theoretical modelling. His scientific vision centres on using spectroscopic and computational insight to guide the rational design of catalysts for environmentally relevant redox chemistry.
