Graduate Students

Tulaja Shrestha
Contact: shrestha [at] udel.edu
Tulaja is a PhD candidate in Chemistry and Biochemistry. She got her BSc from Caldwell University in 2017. She then worked at Infinium, a petrochemical company, for 3 years. In the Kayser Lab, she is now working on plastic upcycling. Outside of lab, Tulaja enjoys hiking, reading and learning new things.

Allison Koopman
Contact: koopman [at] udel.edu
Allison is a PhD candidate in Materials Science and Engineering and joined the Kayser Lab in 2021. She graduated with a B.A. in Chemistry and Biochemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2019. Her research project involves synthesizing conducting polymers for detection of Alzheimer’s Disease biomarkers. Allison spends her spare time sewing, writing, and watching Law & Order.

Peter Osazuwa
Contact: posazuwa [at] udel.edu 
Peter, a PhD candidate n Materials Science and Engineering, holds an MS in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Tartu, Estonia, and an MS (Tech) in Analytical Chemistry from Åbo Akademi University, Finland. He is working on the design and characterization of block polyelectrolyte complexes that are ion-selective organic mixed ionic-electronic conductors. He enjoys hiking, traveling, and watching soccer.

Ai Nin Yang
Contact: ainin [at] udel.edu
Ai-Nin, a PhD candidate in Chemistry, got her B.A. in Chemistry from National Taiwan Normal University in 2020. Her undergrad research work is based on electroactive MOFs as counter electrodes for DSSCs. She is now working on functional bottlebrush polymers for organic electronics. She is a foodie.

Kelsey Koutsoukos
Contact: kkoutsou [at] udel.edu

Kelsey (he/him/his) is a PhD candidate in Materials Science and Engineering. He received his BA in Chemistry at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Kelsey now works on precision polymers for OMIECs. Outside of work, Kelsey enjoys lifting weights, traveling, learning languages, reading queer lit, and chilling with his dog, Pike!

 

Alexa Gomez
Contact: gomeza [at] udel.edu

Alexa is a PhD candidate in Chemistry and Biochemistry, and a CBI and Unidel fellow. She earned her B.S. in Chemistry from The College of New Jersey in 2022 where she completed undergraduate research in organic photochemistry. She now works on new methods for functionalizing polymers. Outside of lab, Alexa likes to read, do yoga, and play with her cat, Oreo.

Lauren McCaskey
Contact: mccaskey[at] udel.edu

Lauren is an organic PhD candidate t in Chemistry and Biochemistry, and a CBI fellow. She earned her B.S. in Chemistry from Rockhurst University in Kansas City, MO in 2022 where she completed undergraduate research in genetic biology and small-molecule synthesis. She is now synthesizing polymers to fabricate tactile sensors in collaboration with the Dhong Lab. Outside the lab, Lauren enjoys cooking, painting, watching basketball, and listening to her vinyl records.

 

Emari Mann

Contact: elmann [at] udel.edu

Emari Mann is currently a graduate student in Chemistry & Biochemistry, a CBI Fellow, and a NSF GRFP Fellow. She received her bachelor’s in Biochemistry from Claflin University, the first historically Black college in South Carolina. While a PREP scholar at UC Davis, she conducted research on sodium channel localization in mammalian proprioceptors in the lab of Dr. Theanne Griffith. Emari is now interested in the functionalization of OMIECs with carboxylic acid side chains.

Fani Del Toro

Contact: fdeltoro [at] udel.edu

Fani is a PhD student in Chemistry and Biochemistry. She earned her BSc in Chemistry from Pacific Lutheran University in 2024, where she conducted research on small molecule synthesis for RNA detection probes. Now in graduate school, she is developing a biosensor for the detection of Alzheimer’s disease. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading and scuba diving.

Undergraduate Students

Anna Delaney

Anna is a Chemistry undergraduate student working with Lauren on tactile biosensors.

Cecelia Napoli

Cecelia is originally from New Jersey and a junior majoring in Biochemistry. She is also pursuing minors in philosophy, Italian, and biochemical engineering. Outside of lab, Cecelia likes to read, travel, and hangout with friends.

Rotation Students and Alumni

Ashlyn Cantrel (2019): successfully completed her CBI rotation in the Kayser Lab in January 2020. She is now a graduate student in Joseph Fox’s laboratory.

Harrison Goehrig (2022): Harrison joined the Kayser Lab for the summer 2022 to work as an CPI REU student on plastic upcycling with Tulaja. He is now finishing his undergrad at Bucknell University.

Elorm Awuyah (MA 2022): Elorm worked on degradable semiconductors in the Kayser Lab before getting his MA in Chemistry and starting a job at Solenis.

Audrey Collins (2023): Audrey successfully completed her CBI rotation in the Kayser Lab in February 2023 and is now working with Prof. Arthi Jayaraman.

Giana Alepa (2023): Giana was a senior in Chemistry at UD. She worked with Vidhika on thermo-responsive OMIECs.

Taewook Choi (2023): Taewook was a senior in Chemistry at UD, working with Mandy of photo-active polymers. He is now at the School of Dentistry at NYU.

Marina Hastings (2023): Marina was a senior undergraduate student in MSEG. She studied how the size distribution of PSS affects PEDOT:PSS electronic properties and now works at Chemours.

Casey Lorch (2023): Casey was an undergraduate student in biomedical engineering (BME) and graduated in 2024. He worked with Vidhika on thermo-responsive hydrogels.

Shelby Cooper (2024): Shelby successfully completed her CBI rotation in the Kayser Lab and now works with Prof. BJ Chain on total synthesis.

Julian Alberto (2024): Julian was an undergraduate student in Chemical Engineering at the University of Delaware and a RISE scholar. He worked with Vidhika on thermo-responsive conductive polymers and had his own independent project in the lab. 

Grayson Pipher (2024) Grayson is a graduate student in Chemistry and rotated with the Kayser Lab for the 2024 Summer. 

Mandy Dan-My Nguyen (PhD 2024): Mandy completed her PhD in Chemistry in 2024. She worked on understanding the molecular mechanism for reversible crosslinking in redox-active materials and on plastic upcycling. Mandy is now working at Applied Materials. 

Chun-Yuan Lo (PhD 2024): Chun-Yuan completed his PhD in Chemistry in 2024.  He worked on controlling the properties of PEDOT:PSS by synthesizing precise PSS polymers and block copolymers to optimize mixed ionic-electronic conduction and on plastic upcycling of polystyrene. Chun-Yuan is currently working at Formosa Plastics. 

Jackson Sweet (2024): Jackson is from Raleigh, North Carolina, and studied Chemistry at UNC Chapel Hill. He  joined the Kayser Lab as an REU student for the Summer of 2024. He is now doing his PhD in Chemistry at the University of Michigan.

Vidhika Damani (PhD 2025): Vidhika completed her PhD in Materials Science and Engineering in 2025. Her project was based on synthesizing stimuli-responsive and conducting block polyelectrolyte complexes for bio-sensing of neurological disorders. Vidhika is now a postdoctoral researcher at University of Texas at Austin, jointly appointed by the Rosales and Keitz labs. 

Nilesh Patil (ME 2025): Nilesh worked on porous PEDOT:PSS and was part of the NSF NRT MIDAS before getting his ME in Materials Science and Engineering.

Ethan Mackey (2025): Ethan was an undergraduate researcher in  Biochemistry at UD doing a minor in neuroscience. He worked on many projects in the Kayser Lab with Chun-Yuan and Peter. He is now doing his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering at Rice University.

Brian Harrity (2025): Brian is an undergraduate student in Materials Science and Engineering. He worked with Kelsey on the electronic characterization of mixed conductors. He now works with Prof. April Kloxin.

Margaret (Maggie) Barden (2025): Maggie was a biochemistry undergraduate student who did her senior thesis in the Kayser Lab 2024-2025. She just defended her thesis and is planning to go work in the biomedical industry.