
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 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).
Research Scientist/Postdoctoral Researcher


Dr. Trupti Ranjan Lenka
Dr. Boker Agili
Dr. Lenka has research experience covering everything from nanoelectronics to nanophotonics. He got his PhD degree in Microelectronics Engineering from Sambalpur University, Sambalpur, Odisha, India (2012). He has 22 years of experience in academics and semiconductor devices research. Specifically, his research experiences include the following areas: AlGaN/GaN and AlN/Ga2O3 based HEMT for high-power and high-speed electronics; III-Nitride nanowire based Light Emitting Diode (LED) for high-efficiency and high-luminescence light technology; Synthesis and Characterization TiO2 nanowires and thin-films for Opto-Nanoelectronics Applications; Polarization charges and effect of stress and strain distribution in high performance GaN/InGaN Core/Shell Multiple Quantum Well nanowire for solar energy harvesting. His current research focuses on wide/ultrawide bandgap semiconductors for high performance electronics and photonics.
Dr. Agili has been in the power and energy industry for more than fifteen years and has worked in academia for more than seven years. His research related topic is in energy sources and power systems.
He got his Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from Texas Tech University in 2019 and performed his postdoctoral research in Energy Production and Conversion at Massachusetts Institute of Technology for one year before returning back to TTU. His current research interests are in the field of epitaxial growth, device fabrication, and characterization of semiconductor devices for power electronic, and optoelectronic devices.
Graduate Students

Mano Bala Sankar Muthu
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.

Tanjim Rahman
Tanjim is currently pursuing a Master's degree at Texas Tech University. She obtained her Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) from the National Institute of Technology Silchar, India, in 2024, where her work focused on the simulation and characterization of HEMT devices.
She joined our research group in Fall 2024, and her current research centers on the simulation and fabrication of III-nitride nanowire structures for applications in power electronics, sensors, and memory devices.

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.

Jordan Bonaldo
Jordan is currently an undergraduate student in Texas Tech University’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Program and will graduate in May of 2025 with a major in Electrical Engineering and a minor in Mathematics.
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).

Injamamul Hoque Emu
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.

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.

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.

Tamara Faranaz Ena
Tamara Faranaz Ena is a graduate student in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Texas Tech University, currently pursuing a Master’s in Electrical Engineering after joining the interdisciplinary engineering program in Fall 2023. 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.
Undergraduate Students

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.

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.

Ethan Smitherman
Ethan Smitherman is an undergraduate Electrical and Computer Engineering student at Texas Tech University. He joined Texas Tech in 2022 and joined the Ultra Wide Bandgap Semiconductor team at the beginning of 2025 under the DOD Workforce Development Program. His research focuses on Ultrawide Bandgap Semiconductor for power electronics.

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.
Former Group Members
+ Graduate Students
Rikesh Shretha (Former Master Student, 2024)
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
+ Visiting Scholar:
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)