Former Members

Title	Current Positon	Research Interests
Ph.D. student	Wei An Professor, Shanghai University of Technology	Ab initio studies of B, C, Ge, and Au clusters.
PH.D. Student	Jaeil Bai Research Associate, Dept. of Physics, University of Nebraska-Omaha	My research focuses on phase behavior of confined fluids, water in particular.
Ph.D. Student	Satya Bulusu Associate Professor, Indian Institute of Technology, Indore	Ab Initio studies of gold and boron clusters.
Ph.D. Student	Tikhon Bykov Chairman, Professor, Dept. of Physics, McMurry University, Abilene, TX	Statistical Mechanics of Solid-Liquid Interfaces and Wetting.
Ph.D. Student	David Deibert Postdoc University of Nebraska Omaha	Ab initio studies of gold, doped gold clusters and their structural evolution.
Ph.D. Student	Yang Hong Senior Computational Scientist, Purdue University	Molecular Dynamics studies of material’s thermal and elastic properties.
Ph.D. Student	Jian Jiang Postdoc, City University of Hong Kong	My research focuses on computational nanocatalysis and conduction in nanoscale systems.
Ph.D. Student	Navneet Khetrapal Postdoc, University of Minnesota	Ab initio studies of gold and gold alloy clusters and nanocatalysis.
Ph.D. Student	Chad Killblane Chemistry Instructor, Cowley College (Kansas)	Ab initio studies of fullerenes and Au clusters.
Ph.D. Student	Lei Li Associate Professor, Southern University of Science and Technology	My research focuses on computational nanocatalysis and properties of carbon nanoribbons.
Ph.D. Student	Kwangjin Oh Division Director & Senior Research Scientist, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information, Daejeon Korea	Statistical Theory and Computer Simulation of Vapor Nucleation.
Ph.D. Student	Rhitankar Pal Research scientist, Johnson & Johnson.	My research is primarily focused on the determining structural and electronic properties of pure and various doped gold nano-clusters.
Ph.D. Student	Seema Pande, Visiting Assistant Professor, Nebraska Wesleyan University	Ab initio study of gold,doped gold clusters and their structural evolution.
Ph.D. Student	Ruben Parra Professor, Dept. of Chemistry, DePaul University, Chicago, IL	Ab inito Studies of Hydrogen Bonding Complexes.
Ph.D. Student	Nan Shao Lecturer & Postdoc at University of Nebraska-Omaha	My research is focused on the computer simulations of clusters, such as carbon, gold and zintl clusters. Semi-empirical density-functional based tight-binding method (DFTB) and empirical potentials are combined with basin-hopping (BH) global search programs to search for the low-lying energetic structures. Subsequent geometric optimizations and property analysis are performed by ab initio and density-functional theory (DFT) calculations to determine the relative stability of various candidate clusters. For Au catalysis, the catalytical ability of gold-cage clusters for CO oxidation reaction are studied theoretically.
Ph.D. Student	Jun Wang software developer, General Motors Company	My research mainly focuses on the study of basic thermodynamic properties (i.e. melting point and surface tension) of model materials such as LJ fluids, Stockmayer fluids, water and silicon based on classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.
Ph.D. Student	Soohaeng Yoo Willow Research Assistant Professor, Illinois Institute of Technology	Computer Simulation of Vapor Nucleation, and Global Search of Silicon Clusters.
Ph.D. Student	Menghao Wu Postdoctoral fellow at MIT, then now professor, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China	First-principles studies of graphene nanoribbsons, half metals, and low-dimensional nanomaterials.
Ph.D. Student	Yu Zhao IT scientist, Silicon Valley	My research focuses on boron-nitride nanostructures and gold clusters on surfaces.
Ph.D. Student	Jie Zhong Professor, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao	Research interest: Water Cluster, Wettability.
M.S. Student	Dylan Drake-Wilhelm Chemistry Instructor at Metropolitan Community College, Omaha, NE	Ab Initio studies of silicon and germanium clusters.
M.S. Student	Mark Gibson Senior Software Engineer, Forte Research, Madison, WI	Computer Simulation of Langmuir Films.
M.S. Student	Alexander J. Kim Attorney at Law & Patent Attorney at Hamre, Schumann, Mueller & Larson, P.C., Minneapolis, MN	Computational Studies of Hydrogen Bonding Complexes.
M.S. Student	Joy Woller Product Solutions Architect, Wolters Kluwer Law & Business	Computer Simulation of Polar Fluids.
M.S. Student	Zhanping Xu Ph.D. Student Dept. of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, UNL	Nano-technology
M.S. Student	Hong Yuan Application Development Manager, Bank of New York-Melon, Princeton, NJ	Computer Simulation of Rare-Gas Fluids.
Postdoc	Pankaj Apte Associate Professor, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology at Kanpur	Computer Simulation of Solid-Liquid Interfaces.
Postdoc	Shuang Chen Associate Professor, Kuang Yaming Honors School, Nanjing University	Multiscale simulations on ferroelectrics and nanomaterials
Research Assistant Professor	Jun Dai Bioinformatics scientist, Ayass Bioscience	Ab initio studies of electronic, magnetic, structural, and transport properties of nanostructured materials.
Postdoc	Yi Gao CAS Professor in Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences	Ab initio studies of gold clusters, nanocatalysis, hydrogen storage materials, and carbon, boron clusters.
Postdoc	Yurui Gao Professor, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, CAS	Computational and theoretical studies on battery materials and liquids.
Postdoc	Guangtu Gao Research Scientist, COOL AND COLD WATER AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, USDA, WV	Computer Simulation of Polar Fluids, Nanotribology.
Postdoc	Minggang Ju Professor, Southeast University	Ab initio studies of energy materials and excited state of optical materials.
Postdoc	Kenji Kiyohara Research Scientist, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Osaka Japan	Electric Field Effect on Properties of Polar Fluids.
Postdoc	Kenichiro Koga Professor, Dept. of Chemistry, Okayama University, Okayama Japan	Computer Simulation of Confined Water, Nanoscale Ices, Density-Functional Theory of Nucleation, Tolman Length.
Postdoc	Hui Li Associate Professor (2013-2016), Institute of Physics (Beijing), Chinese Academy of Sciences; Long-term Professor, Center for Soft Matter Science & Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology	My research focuses on quantum molecular simulations of phase transition and interfacial water and ice.Dr. Hui Li received 2012 UNL Postdoc Award Honorable Mention
Postdoc	Pengfei Li Research Associate Professor, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences,Hefei, China	The development of tight-binding potential for semiconductor element and their alloys.First principle theoretical study on the physical properties of low-dimensional condensed matter.
Postdoc	Ning Lu Associate Professor, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, China	First-principles studies of two-dimensional nanostructures and metal alloys.
Postdoc	Liang Ma Professor, School of Physics, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu	Multiple scales simulation study on growth/synthesis mechanisms and properties of graphene nanostructures.
Postdoc	Keke Mao Lecturer, Anhui University of Technology	New theoretical catalysts design and catalytic mechanism investigation
Postdoc	Yong Pei Professor, Associate Dean, Xiangtan University	Ab inito studies of ligand-covered gold clusters, boron, silicon clusters, and polymers.
Postdoc	David Swanson Director Holland Computing Center, UNL	Computer Simulation of Langmuir Films, Nanotribology.
Postdoc	(Elvis) Yuk Wai Tang Accountant in Kinder Clinic in Hong Kong	Computer Simulation of Thermal Transport.
Postdoc	Vadim Warshavsky Department of chemical engineering, University of Massachusetts at Amherst	Theoretical Studies of Polar Fluids and Ion Induced Nucleation.
Postdoc	Honghui Wu Professor, University of Science and Techonology Beijing	Integrated Computational Materials Engineering.
Postdoc	Xiaojun Wu Vice Chairman & Professor in Department of Materials Science and Engineering, USTC (Hefei, China)	The main purpose of my research is to theoretically study the chemical and physical properties of new materials at nano-scale, including nanotubes, nanocones, nanoscrolls, nanocages and nanoribbon. By using the well-established theoretical methods, the structural, electronic and mechanical properties of these materials, as well as their chemical reactivity are predicted. These studies are meaningful for their potential applications in electronic devices, biologic devices, and hydrogen storage.
Postdoc	Zuo-bin Wu Professor in Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences	Theoretical Studies of Nanotribology Problems.
Postdoc	Wenwu Xu Professor in Physics, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China	Computational Studies of Gold Nanoclusters and Nanocatalysis.
Postdoc	Wenhui Zhao Associate Professor in Physics, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China	Molecular simulation of confined water
Postdoc	Rulong Zhou Chairman, Professor, Department of Materials Physics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China	First-principles studies of magnetic nanoclusters, cold compressed graphite, and carbon nanotube networks..
Postdoc	Chongqin Zhu Professor, Beijing Normal University	Computational and theoretical studies of liquids at nanoscale.
Postdoc	Xiao-lei Zhu Professor, Department of Chemistry, Nanjing University of Technology	Ab Initio Studies of Silicon Clusters.
visiting student	Noriyoshi Arai Associate Professor, Keio University, Japan	Soft-matter simulations.
Visiting graduate Student	Bo Cai Postdoctoral fellow, Nanjing University of Science and Technology	Spintronic devices; electronic devices; excitonic solar cells; thermophotovoltaic cells; molecular adsorption.
Visiting graduate student	Hongyan Guo Associate Professor, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, China	First-principles studies of two-dimensional nanostructures.
Visiting graduate Student	Yu Guo Associate Professor, Department of Physics, Dalian University of Technology	Computational studies on structural and electronic properties of 2D materials.
Visiting student	Masaki Hiratsuka R&D in Toyota Inc.	Molecule simulations
Visiting graduate student	Yingying Huang Associate Professor, East China University of Science and Technology	My research focuses on the unrevealed ice phases and new P-T phase diagram of water ice; and new methane hydrate phases and H-P phase diagram of methane hydrates.
Visiting student	Toshihiro Kaneko postdoctoral fellow, Tokyo University	Water/ice phase transition in nanoscale, molecule simulation methods.
Visiting graduate Student	Hao Li Postdoctoral Fellow, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences	Theoretical studies on the formation mechanism of aerosol new particle in the atmosphere.
Visiting graduate Student	Ling Liu Postdoc, Beijing Institute of Technology	Theoretical studies on the new particle formation mechanism of atmospheric aerosol involving chemical reactions.
Visiting graduate student	Xiuling Li Lecturer, School of Physics and Technology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China	First-principles studies of defects and one-dimensional nanowires.
Visiting graduate student	Xiaoqing Liang Lecturer, Taizhou University, Zhejiang Province	First-principles studies of magnetic clusters.
Visiting graduate student	Peng Lu Engineer, Shanghai Aircraft Design and Research Institute	Civil aircraft design and research.
visiting student	Kentaro Nomura postdoctoral fellow, RIKEN, Japan	Molecular dynamics program development, water/ice transition.
Visiting graduate student	Xiaorui Sun Software Engineer, Beijing	First-principles studies of Ce-based alloys and phase transition of liquid metals.
Visiting graduate Student	Qisheng Wu Research Associate, Brown University	Computational design and first-principles calculations of new 2D materials.
Visiting graduate student	Zhuhua Zhang Professor, Institute of Nanoscience, Nanjing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics, Nanjing, China	Semi-empirical study on mechanical-electrical-magnetic coupling of the low-dimensional materials;First principle study on the physical and mechanical properties of the Low-dimensional materials and devices and related composite structures;Magnetism and spin transport of nano materials.
Visiting Postdoc	Yuan Liu Associate Professor, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Sun Yat-Sen University	Theoretical studies on porous ices, heterogeneous ice nucleation.
Visiting Graduate Student	Hao Yuan Postdoc, Institute of High Performance Computing, Agency for Science, Techonology and Research, Singapore	Theoritical studies on low-dimensional catalysis.
Visiting Postdoc	Wei Zhang Associate Professor, Institute for Energy Research, Jiangsu University	Computational Studies of Reaction Mechanism on Nanocluster catalysts.
Visiting Postdoc	Weiduo Zhu Lecturer, Hefei University of Technology	My research focuses on molecular simulations of new structures and phase transitions of water.
Visiting Postdoc	Jinrong Yang Research Associate Professor, East China Normal University	Theoretical studies of water molecules interaction with nanoclusters.