Principal Investigator
Sean T. Roberts
Associate Professor of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin

Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Southern California, 2010-2013
(with Prof. Stephen E. Bradforth & Alexander V. Benderskii)

PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2010
(with Prof. Andrei Tokmakoff)

BS, University of California Los Angeles, 2003
(with Prof. Benjamin J. Schwartz)

Sean's CV
Contact Information

Office: Welch Hall 3.120B (map)
Phone: (512) 475-9450 
Email: [email protected]

Mailing Address:
105 E. 24th St. Stop A5300
Austin, TX 78712-1224
Postdoctoral Scholars
Jussi Isokuortti
Email: [email protected]

DSc, Tampere University, 2022 (with Timo Laaksonen)
MSc, Tampere University, 2019
BSc, Tampere University of Technology, 2017

Jussi grew up in Hyvinkää, Finland and after military service moved to Tampere for his higher education. He received his BSc from the Tampere University of Technology where he worked on developing transparent electrodes from nanocellulose and silver nanowires. During his Master studies at the Tampere University, Jussi developed dye-loaded liposomes and spent a semester abroad at the Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands. After completing his MSc, he started his doctorate in the same research group. He studied triplet sensitized processes, such as photon upconversion and photoswitching, using steady state and time resolved spectroscopy. He joined the Roberts group in 2022 to investigate the properties of new dye molecules and photocatalytic systems in collaboration with Prof. Zachariah Page’s group. Jussi enjoys music, playing all kinds of sports, and watching football.
Graduate Students
Honghao Wang
Email: [email protected]

BS, University of Arizona, 2018

Honghao was born and raised in Shenyang, China. He received a BS in chemistry from the University of Arizona, where he studied Fourier-transform microwave spectroscopy with Dr. Stephen Kukolich. He joined the Roberts lab in fall 2018. In his spare time, he enjoys road trips, watching Sci-Fi movies and eSports games.
Tanner Volek
Email: [email protected]

BS, Sam Houston State University, 2021

Tanner was born and raised in New Braunfels, Texas. He earned his BS in Chemistry with minors in Biology and Mathematics from Sam Houston State University where he worked with Dr. Darren Williams on studying the application of solubility parameters, ultrasonic cleaning, vapor degreasing, and vacuum cyclic cavitation in precision cleaning science. Tanner joined the Roberts group in the fall of 2021 and in his free time he likes to play board games and go birdwatching.
Seth Allen
Email: [email protected]

BS, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, 2017

Seth was raised in Saegertown, Pennsylvania. He received his BS in chemistry from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. As an undergraduate, he synthesized organometallic catalysts under the supervision of Dr. Benjamin Gung at Miami University and studied indoor air chemistry at Syracuse University with Dr. Tara Kahan. After graduating, Seth worked as an analytical chemist at PPG Industries and then as a product development chemist at Teledyne FLIR. Seth joined the Roberts group in the fall of 2021. In his free time, Seth enjoys bouldering, spending time outdoors, and exploring new places.
Celena Marsters
Email: [email protected]

BA, Whitman College, 2021

Celena was born and raised in Boise, Idaho. She received her BA in chemistry from Whitman College, where she worked under the supervision of Dr. Jon Collins on exploring the substrate specificity of the enzyme benzoate 1,2-dioxygenase. Celena joined the Roberts group in the fall of 2021. Outside of lab, she enjoys petting dogs, playing tennis, and being with friends.
Margaret Hebert
Email: [email protected]

BA, Reed College, 2020

Margaret was born and raised in a suburb of Seattle, Washington. Not wanting to leave the Pacific Northwest, she attended Reed College in Portland, Oregon, where she earned her B.A. in Chemistry. During her undergraduate degree, she worked on characterizing meteorites using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy with Dr. Natasja Swartz and Dr. Dan Gerrity, and did her undergraduate thesis with Dr. Anthony Carrasquillo on creating a method to use direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry to directly measure photolysis kinetics. Between getting her undergraduate degree and coming to UT, Margaret spent some time working on cleanroom certification and then traveled to Germany to work at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysics in Gottingen. Outside of lab, she enjoys playing table top rpgs, reading, and watching terrible reality TV. Margaret joined the Roberts group in Fall 2022.
Xinyi Wu
Email: [email protected]

BA, Washington University in St. Louis, 2022

Xinyi was born and raised in Shanghai, China. She received a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Washington University in St. Louis, where she worked with Dr. Bryce Sadtler on studying size-dependent chemical transformations in semiconductor nanocrystals using single-particle fluorescence microscopy. Xinyi joined the group in fall 2022. She enjoys board games, badminton, and hiking in her spare time.
Mark Jones (Joint with the Baiz Group)
Email: [email protected]

BS, Clemson University, 2022

Mark was born and raised in the Central Savannah River Area. They earned their BS in Chemistry at Clemson University working under Dr. Brian Dominy, studying the molecular dynamics of SARS CoV-2 and its interactions with the human ACE-2 receptor, as well as SusG, an enzyme associated with the human gut. Mark joined the Roberts and Baiz group in the Fall of 2022. In their free time they like to roller skate, play video games with friends, and ponder the meaning of it all.
Cristobal (Toby) Lopez
Email: [email protected]

BS, Texas A&M International University, 2023

Cristobal (nickname Toby) was born and raised in Laredo, TX. He joined the Texas Army National Guard and went to both Laredo College and Texas A&M International University while fulfilling his military contract. In TAMIU, he performed GCMS analysis on indigenous tobacco pipes and performed surface functionalization studies on MXene and graphene. He enjoys going to concerts, listening to classic rock and heavy metal, watching horror/science fiction movies, and reading books of the same genres. Toby joined the Roberts Group in Fall of 2023.
Rosemary Nguyen
Email: [email protected]

BS, University of West Florida, 2023

Rosemary was raised in Navarre, Florida. She received her BS in Biochemistry/Chemistry with minors in Mathematics and Biology at the University of West Florida. She worked with Dr. Karen S. Molek on using transition metal oxides as surfaces for surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectroscopy (SALDI-MS-TOF). Rosemary joined the Roberts group in fall of 2023. Outside of lab, Rosemary enjoys exploring new places and activities, baking, video games and cross stitching.
Madeleine Pastore
Email: [email protected]

BS, Texas State University, 2024

Maddi was raised in a military family and eventually settled in Texas. She received a BS in chemistry from Texas State University where she worked under the supervision of Dr. Jennifer Irvin to help develop conductive polymer nanofiber materials. Maddi joined the Roberts group in fall 2024. She enjoys buying plants, knitting, and spending time with her daughter.
Undergraduate Students
Ulisses Braga

Ulisses was born and raised in College Station, TX, having also lived in Brazil. He is pursuing a B.S. degree in materials chemistry and joined the Roberts group in the 2023 fall semester. Outside of doing research, he enjoys going to the gym, playing and watching sports, and spending time with friends.
Paulina Lopez
 
Paulina Lopez was raised in Brownsville, Texas. She graduated first in her class from Los Fresnos High School in 2023, and is currently pursuing a BA in Chemical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. She founded and runs a small jewelry business called LimaBeadz since 2022. She joined the Roberts Group at UT in the Spring of 2024 and is studying how ligand aggregation patterns will affect the energy transfer in a nanocrystal-ligand system. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, listening to music, sewing, reading, and watching TV Shows.
Vladimir Moreno
 
Vladimir Moreno is a first-year chemical engineering and creative writing student at the University of Texas at Austin Cockrell School of Engineering Honors Program and College of Liberal Arts. He graduated from Royal High School and Blinn College with an Associates Degree in Arts in 2023. He is the cofounder and the current vice president of the Latino Empowerment for Academics and Development Initiative (LEAD). He is a published poet in the American High School Poets Spring 2023 Anthology by the Live Poet’s Society of NJ. He joined the Roberts Group at UT in the Spring of 2024 and is studying the efficiency of energy transfer in a nanocrystal-ligand system. In his free time, he enjoys reading, playing volleyball, and writing.
Killian Nelson
 
Killian Nelson was born and raised in The Woodlands, TX. She is pursuing a BS in Chemistry and a part of the Dean’s Scholars Honors Program. Killian joined the Roberts group in Fall 2024. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading, dancing, and going on hikes. 
James Herget
 
James Herget hails from the suburbs of Frisco, Texas where he graduated first in his class. He is a freshman pursuing a dual degree in Chemical Engineering (BS) and Plan II Honors at The University of Texas at Austin. He joined the Roberts Group in the Spring of 2025 to study the efficiency of new annihilator molecules in triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion. In his free time, James enjoys dominating in ping pong, reading, and watching football.
Jimmy Pham
 
Jimmy Pham was raised in Sachse, Texas. He is a freshman pursuing a degree in chemical engineering and a minor in materials science. He is a part of the UT Engineering Honors Program and a recipient of the Virginia and Ernest Cockrell, Jr. Scholarship in Engineering. He is currently researching triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion and characterizing different annihilator structures. In his free time, Jimmy enjoys learning physics, learning how to cook, playing pickleball, and lion dancing.
Group Alumni - Postdoctoral Scholars
Dabin Kim, PhD (Fall 2022 - Fall 2024)
Email: [email protected]
Currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at NIST

Kelly Wilson, PhD (Spring 2021 - Summer 2024)
Email: [email protected]
Currently a Staff Scientist at nLIGHT DEFENSE Systems, Inc.

Laura Estergreen, PhD (Spring 2021 - Fall 2022)
Email: [email protected]
Currently an Engineer at Samsung

Jacob Strain, PhD (Fall 2020 - Summer 2022)
Email: [email protected]
Currently an Engineer at Samsung

Max Verkamp, PhD (Fall 2019 - Summer 2022)
Email: [email protected]
Currently an Assistant Professor at Hanover College

Ravindra Pandey, PhD (Fall 2014 - Spring 2017)
Email: [email protected]
Currently an Assistant Professor at IIT Roorkee
Group Alumni - Graduate Students
Brittany Pollok, PhD (Fall 2018 - Summer 2024)
Email: [email protected]
Currently an Engineer at TowerJazz

Danielle Cadena, PhD (Fall 2019 - Summer 2024)
Email: [email protected]
Currently an Engineer at Intel

Daniel Cotton, PhD (Fall 2016 - Spring 2022)
Email: [email protected]
Currently a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Dawlaty Group at USC

Emily Raulerson, PhD (Fall 2016 - Spring 2021)
Email: [email protected]
Currently a Staff Scientist at nLIGHT DEFENSE Systems, Inc.

Jon Bender, PhD (Fall 2014 - Fall 2020)
Email: [email protected]
Currently a Scientist at Nulixir Inc.

Michelle Blemker, PhD (Fall 2015 - Summer 2020)
Email: [email protected]
Currently a Senior Scientist at Synexis, LLC

Michael Azzaro, PhD (Spring 2014 - Spring 2019)
Email: [email protected]
Currently an Engineer at Intel

Aaron Moon, PhD (Spring 2014 - Spring 2019)
Email: [email protected]
Currently an Engineer at TowerJazz

Aaron Le, PhD (Spring 2014 - Summer 2019)
Email: [email protected]
Currently an Engineer at TowerJazz

Atlantis Frost (Fall 2016 - Fall 2017)
Email: [email protected]
Currently the Chemistry Department Classroom Demonstrations & Outreach Coordinator at UT Austin
Group Alumni - Undergraduates
Mark Babin (Spring 2014 - Summer 2016)
Email: [email protected]
PhD in Chemistry at UC Berkeley, 2022
Currently a Postdoctoral Scholar, Harvard

Mirna Gonzalez (Fall 2015 - Fall 2016)
High School Science Teacher, Pasadena, CA

John Gao (Spring 2016 - Fall 2016)

Jacob Anderson (Fall 2016)
MD Candidate, Harvard Medical School

Zachary Tobin (Fall 2016)
Currently Pursuing a PhD in Chemistry at Texas A&M

Diana Zhang (Fall 2016 - Spring 2017)
Currently Pursuing a PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Minnesota

Brooks Clingman (Fall 2016 - Spring 2017)
Currently Pursuing a PhD in Chemical Engineering at MIT

Benny Renard (Fall 2015 - Fall 2017)

Jim Hall (April 2018 - August 2018)

Cole Hoffman (September 2018 - May 2019)
Graduate Student at CU Anschutz in the Department of Biostatistics

Annie Zhang (January 2018 - May 2019)
Currently Attending Graduate School in Communications at the University of Michigan

Inki Lee (January 2018 - May 2019)
Currently Pursing a PhD in Chemistry at Columbia University

Eden Chen (January 2021 - May 2022)
Continuing his study of physics at UT Austin

Thomas Goodman (September 2021 - May 2022)
Exchange Student from the University of Bristol

Gulu (Kevin) Xiong (January 2022 - May 2023)
Currently Pursing a PhD in Chemistry at UC Berkeley

Sridevi Krishnachaitanya (September 2022 - July 2023)

Tai-Aji Alonza (March 2023 - May 2024)

Mitchell Haecker (CREATE: Summer 2017)
Currently Attending Texas A&M

Adam Peasley (CREATE: Summer 2018)
Currently Attending UT Dallas

Jessica Boette (CREATE: Summer 2019 & 2020, UT September 2021 - May 2022)
Email: [email protected]
Currently Pursuing a PhD in Chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh

Kira Daniel (CREATE: Summer 2019)

William Chau (CREATE: Summer 2021)

Lauren Brown (CREATE: Summer 2022)

Kathryn Wegler (CREATE: Summer 2022)

Kelly Biv (CDCM REU Student: Summer 2021)

Alex Friestman (CDCM REU Student: Summer 2021)

Josue Osorio (CDCM REU Student: Summer 2022)
Group Alumni - Welch Summer Scholars
Kelby Erickson (Summer 2015)
Currently pursing a BS degree at UT Austin

Lauren Dossett (Summer 2016)
Currently pursuing a BS degree at MIT

Abhilash Potluri (Summer 2017)
Currently pursing a BS degree at UT Austin

Benjamin Li (Summer 2018)
Currently pursuing a BS degree at UT Austin