Principle Investigator
Hieu P. T. Nguyen
Hieu. P. Nguyen is currently an associate professor of Electrical Engineering at Texas Tech University. He got his Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering in 2012 from McGill University. Dr. Nguyen is a recipient of the 2019 NSF CAREER Award, the 2019 Saul K Fenster Innovation in Engineering Education Ward, the SPIE scholarship in Optics and Photonics 2012 (for his potential long-range contributions to the field of optics, photonics, or related field). He is currently serving as the Editor of Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing (Elsevier).
Financial Manager
Mrs. Sandra Branch
Research Scientist/Postdoctoral Researcher
Dr. Manikantha Babu Nethala
Dr. Manikantha Babu Nethala is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Nano Tech Centre, ECE Department, Texas Tech University. His research focuses on next-generation high-power and optoelectronic devices based on ultra-wide bandgap (UWBG) semiconductors.
At TTU, Dr. Nethala is currently developing novel Ga2O3, AlN, and III-V semiconductor devices for high-efficiency electronic and optoelectronic applications. He earned his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Hyderabad in 2016, where his research centered on HfO2-based MOS devices.
Dr. Nethala previously held postdoctoral positions at IGCAR (as a SERB-NPDF Fellow), IIT Delhi (BRICS International Postdoctoral Fellow), the National University of Singapore (Senior Research Fellow), and Texas State University.
Dr. Reddeppa Maddaka
Dr. Maddaka received his PhD in Physics, Chungnam Nat. Univ., Republic of Korea in August 2019. He was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Chungnam National University, University of Michigan, University of New Mexico, and University of Notre Dame before joining our research group at Texas Tech University. His current research interests include the synthesis, device fabrication and characterization of III-nitride semiconductors for optoelectronic and electronics device including light-emitters, sensors, water splitting and CO2 reduction applications.
Ph.D. Students
Mano Bala Sankar Muthu
Injamamul Hoque Emu
Mano is currently a PhD student at Texas Tech University. He obtained his Master’s degree (MS by Research) in Interdisciplinary Department (EE & Physics) from Indian Institute of Technology Madras India in 2022, where he worked on devices for photonic and quantum technologies by femtosecond laser micro structuring.
He joined our research group since Fall 2023. His current research work focusses on molecular beam epitaxial growth of III-nitride wide bandgap semiconductors for photonics, flexible electronics and memory device applications.
Injamamul Hoque Emu is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at Texas Tech University. He completed his B.S in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), Bangladesh, in 2017 and M.S in Electrical Engineering from Texas State University (TSU) in Summer 2024.
He worked in growth and characterization of Gallate (including CuGa2O4, MgGa2O4, ZnGa2O4) during his Masters in TSU. He joined our research group in Fall 2024. His research is primarily focused on the epitaxial growth and fabrication of wide and ultrawide bandgap semiconductors for their applications in harsh environments, optoelectronics, and photonics.
Uriel Angel Ramirez
Uriel is currently a PhD student in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at Texas Tech University. He obtained his Bachelor degree in the Electrical and Computer Engineering at Texas Tech University in 2024.
He joined the W/UWBG group in Spring 2025 under the DOD Workforce Program. His research focuses on material develop, characterization, device fabrication and characterization of III-nitride semiconductor for optoelectronics.
Justin Hutcheson
Justin is currently an undergraduate student in Texas Tech University’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Program and will graduate in Summer 2025. He will start his PhD program from Fall 2025.
Jordan Bonaldo
Jordan completed her Bachelor of Engineering at Texas Tech University, Electrical and Computer Engineering Program in May 2025 and started her graduate in May of 2025.
She joined our research group in Spring 2025 under the DOD Workforce Development Program. Her current research focuses on nanowire high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs).
Swetha Velpula
Swetha is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at the Nano Tech Center, Texas Tech University (TTU). She joined our research group in Fall 2025.
Before joining TTU, Swetha worked as a SoC Emulation Engineer at NXP Semiconductors, Austin, where she gained hands-on experience in pre-silicon validation, debug, and system-level emulation of complex ARM-based SoCs. She received her M.S. degree in Computer and Systems Engineering from the University of Houston in 2023.
Her present research focuses on III-nitride wide bandgap semiconductors, with applications in nanoelectronics, photonics, and memory devices. She is particularly interested in device physics, bandgap engineering, and advanced
Master Students
William Hennig
William received his Bachelor of Sciences in Physics from Angelo State University, Texas. He joined our research group in Fall 2024 as a Master student under DOD SCALE (SCALE (Scalable Asymmetric Lifecycle Engagement) propgram. He is co-supervised by Dr. Nguyen and Dr. Jacob Stephens. His research focuses on fabrication and characterizations of III-nitride semiconductor devices for extreme conditions and pulse power applications.
Tamara Faranaz Ena
Tamara is a graduate student in the ECE Department at Texas Tech University, currently pursuing a Master’s in Electrical Engineering. She obtained her prior degrees in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Her research focuses on the design and fabrication of semiconductor devices. Her additional interests encompass biosensors, wearable MEMS and NEMS devices, and energy-harvesting technology.
Vance Vyoral
Vance is currently a master's student in Electrical Engineering at Texas Tech University. He is supported by the DAPAR - Three-Dimensional Heterogeneous Integration Program. His research focuses on the development of efficient memory devices.
Undergraduate Students
Lorenzo Bonham
Lorenzo Bonham is an undergraduate Electrical Engineering student at Texas Tech University. He has attended Texas Tech since 2022 and is on the path to graduate in 2025. He joined the research group in 2024 as DOD SCALE fellow in RF/Optoelectronics. His research is on nanowire LEDs and RRAM devices.
Samuel Milford
Samuel Milford is an undergraduate Electrical and Computer Engineering student at Texas Tech University. He joined Texas Tech in fall of 2023. Samuel Milford has a passion in everyday electronics and wants to improve the lives of people around him. He joined our lab in Spring 2025 under the DOD Workforce Development Program. His research focuses on developing high power light-emitting diodes.
Tyler Lince
Tyler is an undergraduate of Computer Engineering at Texas Tech University. He joined our lab from May 2025 under the DAPAR - 3DHI program. His research focuses on developing high power optoelectronic devices.
Pilot Tran
Pilot is an undergraduate student majoring in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. He is interested in machine learning and artificial intelligence, especially how these tools can be used to help discover and study new materials for semiconductor applications. He joined our lab from December 2025 under the DOD Advanced Semiconductor Power Devices Program.
Marshall DeBenedictis
Marshall is currently an undergraduate student at Texas Tech University’s department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He joined our research group in May of 2024 as part of the Scaleable Asymmetric Lifestyle Engagement program (DOD SCALE), and is currently investigating wet-etching approaches, and its applications for fabricating nano-wire LED and nanoelectronic devices.
Ishwor Paudel
Ishwor is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering at Texas Tech University (TTU). He joined our research group in 2024 through the Undergraduate Research Scholars (URS) program at the TTU Honors College. Under the mentorship of Dr. Nguyen, Ishwor's research primarily focuses on Micro LEDs and memory devices as an undergraduate research assistant.
Zackary Woodel
Zackary Woodel is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering at Texas Tech University, graduating in 2029. He conducts research in the Advanced Semiconductors and Ultra‑Wide Band‑Gap Laboratory, specializing in advanced machine learning for automation and epitaxial growth process optimization. He joined our lab from May 2025 under the DOD Workforce Development Program.
Nicholas Soliz
Nicholas Soliz is currently an undergraduate student in Computer Engineering at Texas Tech University. He joined the W/UWBG Semiconductor Group at TTU in Fall 2025 through the TrUE Scholars program. He is now involved in the Scalable Asymmetric Lifestyle Engagement (DOD SCALE) program, focusing on his research in nanophotonics.
Former Group Members
+ Graduate Students
Rikesh Shretha (Former Master Student, 2024, currently is a Ph.D. student at University of Texas at Arlington)
Ethan Smitherman (Former DOD supported undergraduate student, currently Ph.D. student at Texas Tech University)
Moulik Patel (Former Master student), is now with Kulite Semiconductor Products Inc., US.
Kanan Deep (Former Master student), is now with Cummins Inc., US.
Velpula Ravi Teja (Former Ph.D. student), is now with Intel, US.
Thang Ha Quoc Bui (Former Ph.D. student), is now at KLA Corporation, US
Barsha Jain (Former Ph.D. student), is now with Intel.
Moab Rajan Philip (Former Ph.D. student): Currently is with Texas Instruments, US
Dipayan Datta Choudhary (Former Master student): Currently at KYOCERA SLD Laser Inc., US
Ranjitha Ravindran (Former Master student): Currently at Fractal Analytics as Data Scientist, US.
+ Postdoctoral Researchers:
Dr. Md. Nasiruddin Bhuyian (Postdoctoral research associate): Currently at Samsung Austin Semiconductor
Dr. Mehrdad Djavid (Postdoctoral research associate): Currently at Global Foundries, Vermont as Principle Customer Design App Engineer
Dr. Trupti Ranjann Lenka: Currently is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, National Institute of Technology Silchar, India.
+Undergraduate Students:
Andressa Marangon, received the Ronald E. McNair Scholarship, 2021, NJIT Summer Research Fellowship 2022, 2023
Oladimeji Sobanjo: received the Ronald E. McNair Scholarship, 2020
Kevin Pemberthy: received the New Jersey Governor’s STEM Scholarship, 2019
Jeffrey Jude and Moses Tumuna: received the Ronald E. McNair Scholarship, 2019
Maria Ramirez: received the 2018 NSF REU program in: "Optics and photonics: Technologies, Systems, and Devices" Maria is current a senior undergraduate student in the Physics Department of University of Southern California.
Anumeena Sorna: received the 2017 NSF REU program in: "Optics and photonics: Technologies, Systems, and Devices". Anumeena is currently an undergraduate student in Electrical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Trichy, India.
Ali Yuksel: Received the 2017 Provost Summer Undergraduate Research Program at NJIT. Currently at BOSCH as Optical Engineer.
Ashish John (Undergraduate student: Received: NJIT Provost Summer Research Fellowship Award 2015, 2016)
Nevin Varghese (Undergraduate student: Received: NJIT Provost Summer Research Fellowship Award 2015, 2016)
Ryan S. Y. Kimura (Undergraduate student from Brazil: Received the IIE Brazilian Scientific Mobility Program 2015 to conduct summer research in my group in 2016)
Yaset Evo (Undergraduate student: Received: the 2015 National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network Research Experience for Undergraduates (NNIN REU) Program at The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Richard Rocha (Undergraduate student: Received: the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program)
Mauricio Kyoiti Yamaoka (Undergraduate student from Brazil: Received the IIE Brazilian Scientific Mobility Program 2015 to conduct summer research in my group in 2015)