People

Principal Investigators

Dr. Allen P. Mills, Jr.

he/him/his

Ph.D. in Physics @ Brandeis University | 1967

Thesis Advisor: Stephan Berko

B.S. in Physics @ Princeton University | 1962

Junior Thesis Advisor: John A. Wheeler

Senior Thesis Advisor: Charles Misner

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" Physics is my only hobby. " 

Dr. Harry Tom

he/him/his

Co-Principal Investigator from Materials Science & Engineering

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" ... "

Dr. Gabriel Cecchini

he/him/his

Co-Principal Investigator

Head Research Scientist

MPS-Ascend Postdoctoral Fellow   |   August 2013 - October 2023

Postdoctorate | August 2021 - October 2023

Senior Thesis Advisor: Allen P. Mills

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" I enjoy trying new drinks. "

Graduate Student Researchers

Marcus Asaro

he/him/his

Ph.D. Candidate

M.S. in EE @ UCR   |   2021

M.S. in Physics @ SFSU   |   2006

B.S. in Physics @ SSU   |   2001

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" Studying is my hobby. "

Keanuhea Dailey

Ph.D. Candidate

B.S. in Physics @ UCR | 2021

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" I enjoy my privacy. "

 Linke Xie

he/him/his

Ph.D. Candidate

M.S. in Physics @ UCR | 2019

B.S. in Physics @ Shanghai Tech University | 2018

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" I like to sing in my free time. "

Erick Membreno

he/him/his

Ph.D. Candidate

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" ... "

Undergraduate Researchers

Alexander Mendazibal

he/him/his

B.S. in Physics @ UCR | Expected 2026

UCR Positron Intern | Summer 2023

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" ... "

Dacey Nguyen

she/her/hers

B.S. in Physics @ UCR | Expected 2024

UCR Positron Intern | Summer 2023

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" I love anything that involves food, so eating, cooking, and trying new foods and recipes! I really enjoy going to concerts, traveling, gymming, and hanging out with my partner and our shiba inu, Noodle. "

David Nwineh

he/him/his

B.S. in Physics @ UCR | Expected 2025

Substrate Fabrication Assistant | July 2023 - Present

NSF MacREU Fellow | Summer '23

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" I enjoy cooking and sharing my food with others. "

Donna Martinez

she/her/hers

B.S. in Chemistry @ UCR | June 2023

UCR Positron Intern | Summer '23

R&D Team Lead & Laboratory Inventory Manager | August 2023 - Present

UCR Positron Intern | Summer 2023

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" I enjoy playing trading card games, specifically Digimon, and spending time with family and friends. "

Jack Wang

he/him/his

B.S. in Physics @ UCR | Expected 2026

UCR Positron Intern | Summer 2023

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" In my spare time, I like reading novels, cooking, walking around, and playing games that don't involve PvP. "

Jacob Gower

he/him/his

B.S. in Physics @ UCR | Expected 2026

B.S. in Pure Mathematics @ UCR | Expected 2026

UCR Positron Intern | Summer 2023

NSF MacREU '23 Director of Experience | Summer 2023

NSF MacREU '22 Fellow | Summer 2022

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" I like board games, card games, video games, trivia, fantasy/sci-fi books, and movies. "

Juana Cecelia "Cece" Martin Gonzalez 

she/her/hers

B.S. in Physics @ UCR | Expected 2023

UCR Positron Intern | Summer 2023 

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" I enjoy spending my spare time hiking and hanging out with friends and family. "

Nam Vu

he/him/his

B.S. in Educational Physics @ UCR | Expected 2026

UCR RISE Fellow | Summer 2023

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" I enjoy reading novels and playing League of Legends, especially TFT. "

Noa Capulong

she/her/hers

B.S. in Physics @ UCR | Expected 2024

UCR Positron Intern | Expected 2024

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" I love steak. "

Michelle L. Wu

she/her/hers

B.S. in Applied Mathematics & Chemistry @ UCR | Expected 2024

R&D Team Lead | Fall 2022 - Current

Laboratory Inventory Manager | June 2023 - Current

UCR Positron Intern | Summer 2023

NSF MacREU '23 Grad Mentor | Summer 2023

NSF MacREU '22 Fellow | Summer 2022

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" In my spare time, I enjoy figure skating, experimenting with culinary and baking techniques, and working on personal projects. "