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: roberts@cm.utexas.edu

Mailing Address:
105 E. 24th St. Stop A5300
Austin, TX 78712-1224
Postdoctoral Scholars
Kelly Wilson (Joint with the Baiz Group)
Email: kelmaxx@utexas.edu

PhD, University of Oregon, 2020 (with Cathy Wong)
BS, Brigham Young University - Idaho, 2014

Kelly was raised in American Fork, Utah. He earned his BS degree in chemistry and taught a Python for Chemists course at Brigham Young University – Idaho. Working with Prof. Cathy Wong at the University of Oregon, Kelly designed and built a single-shot transient absorption spectrometer to measure the excited state dynamics of chemical systems during processes such as nanocrystal growth and molecular aggregation. Kelly began working with Sean Roberts and Carlos Baiz in 2021 to build a time-resolved, super resolution microscope which will be integrated into the Materials Research Science and Engineering Center at UT Austin. Kelly spends the rest of his time reading and adventuring with his wife and kids.
Dabin Kim
Email: dabinkim@utexas.edu

PhD, University of Pennsylvania, 2022 (with Jessica Anna)
MS, Ewha Womans University, 2015 (with Juyoung Yoon)
BS, Ewha Womans University, 2013

Dabin was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degree in organic chemistry from Ewha Women’s University where Dabin synthesized and studied fluorescent chemosensors for detecting biothiols, reactive oxygen species in cell cultures and mice tissues working with Dr. Juyoung Yoon. After finishing her master’s degree and working as a researcher in the same lab. She switched gears and pursued a deeper understanding of the photophysics of systems using spectroscopic techniques with Dr. Jessica Anna at the University of Pennsylvania. She investigated photo-initiated processes including the evolution of excitonic states, electronic energy transfer, charge and electron transfer, and singlet fission in model and natural light harvesting systems using ultrafast spectroscopies, including two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy (2DES) and femtosecond transient absorption (fsTA) spectroscopy, to understand the high quantum efficiency in natural photo-synthetic systems. Dabin joined the Roberts Group in 2022 and will work on electronic sum frequency spectroscopy (ESFG). In her free time, she likes reading and doing yoga and other exercises.
Jussi Isokuortti
Email: jussi.isokuortti@utexas.edu

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
Brittany Pollok (Joint with the Rose Group)
Email: brpollok@utexas.edu

BS, Texas Lutheran University, 2018

Brittany is from Seguin, Texas. She received a BS degree in chemistry from Texas Lutheran University. Brittany joined the Roberts group in the fall of 2018. Outside of lab she enjoys hiking and swimming.
Honghao Wang
Email: hhwang@utexas.edu

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.
Danielle Cadena
Email: dcadena@utexas.edu

BS, University of California Los Angeles, 2019

Danielle was born and raised on California's Central Coast. She received her BS in Chemistry and Materials Science with an organic concentration from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her undergraduate research sought to understand photodegradation processes in molecular aggregates of cyanine dyes. She joined the Roberts group in the fall of 2019. Outside of lab, she enjoys cooking, reading, and hiking.
Boxi (Cam) Li
Email: bli0611@utexas.edu

BA, Franklin & Marshal College, 2019

Cam was born and raised in Beijing, China. She received her bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and German from Franklin and Marshall College, where she worked with Dr. Kate Plass on tuning cation exchange rates using various chemical dopants. Cam joined the Roberts group in fall 2019. She likes playing African drum, reading and eating cookies in her free time.
Tanner Volek
Email: tsv@utexas.edu

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: seth.allen@utexas.edu

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: cmarsters@utexas.edu

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: margaretadele@utexas.edu

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: xinyi.wu@my.utexas.edu

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: mcjones@my.utexas.edu

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.
Undergraduate Students
Tai-Aji Alzona

Tai was born in Ft. Hood, TX and went to high school in Copperas Cove, TX.  He is currently pursuing a B.S. degree in chemistry and joined the Roberts group in Summer 2023. In his free time, he enjoys weightlifting, music, and video games.
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.
Group Alumni - Postdoctoral Scholars
Laura Estergreen, PhD (Spring 2021 - Fall 2022)
Email: lkestergr@utexas.edu
Currently an Engineer at Samsung

Jacob Strain, PhD (Fall 2020 - Summer 2022)
Email: jacob.strain@utexas.edu
Currently an Engineer at Samsung

Max Verkamp, PhD (Fall 2019 - Summer 2022)
Email: verkamp@hanover.edu
Currently an Assistant Professor at Hanover College

Ravindra Pandey, PhD (Fall 2014 - Spring 2017)
Email: rpandey.fcy@iitr.ac.in
Currently an Assistant Professor at IIT Roorkee
Group Alumni - Graduate Students
Daniel Cotton, PhD (Fall 2016 - Spring 2022)
Email: decotton@utexas.edu
Currently a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Dawlaty Group at USC

Emily Raulerson, PhD (Fall 2016 - Spring 2021)
Email: Emily.Raulerson@nrel.gov
Currently a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Beard Group at NREL

Jon Bender, PhD (Fall 2014 - Fall 2020)
Email: jonbender@utexas.edu
Currently a Scientist at Nulixir Inc.

Michelle Blemker, PhD (Fall 2015 - Summer 2020)
Email: mblemker@utexas.edu
Currently a Senior Scientist at Synexis, LLC

Michael Azzaro, PhD (Spring 2014 - Spring 2019)
Email: azzaro.m@utexas.edu
Currently an Engineer at Intel

Aaron Moon, PhD (Spring 2014 - Spring 2019)
Email: apmoon@utexas.edu
Currently an Engineer at TowerJazz

Aaron Le, PhD (Spring 2014 - Summer 2019)
Email: aaron.k.le@utexas.edu
Currently an Engineer at TowerJazz

Atlantis Frost (Fall 2016 - Fall 2017)
Email: ayfrost@utexas.edu
Currently the Chemistry Department Classroom Demonstrations & Outreach Coordinator at UT Austin
Group Alumni - Undergraduates
Mark Babin (Spring 2014 - Summer 2016)
Email: markcbabin@berkeley.edu
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)

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: jessica.boette@utexas.edu
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