Kiarash Vakhshouri

Email: abqlkb@r.postjobfree.com

Address: *** *. ***** **.

City: State College

State: PA

Zip: 16803

Country: USA

Phone: 814-***-****

Skill Level: Entry

Salary Range: $85,000

Willing to Relocate

Primary Skills/Experience:

See Resume

Educational Background:

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Job History / Details:

KIARASH VAKHSHOURI

EDUCATION

June. 2009 aMay 2013 The Pennsylvania State University, Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical engineering. GPA: 4.00.

Thesis: Charge Transport through Inhomogeneous Polymeric Materials.

Jan. 2007- July 2008 University of British Columbia, Master of Applied Science in Chemical Engineering. GPA: 3.82

Thesis: Gas Distributor and Plenum Chamber Effects on Fluidized Bed Hydrodynamics.

Sep. 2001- June 2006 Sharif University of Technology, Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. GPA: 3.78

Thesis: HYSYS and ASPEN Simulation, MATLAB Optimization, and Conceptual Design of OCM (Oxidative Coupling of Methane) Plant.

RESEARCH

Polymer Solar Cells/Transistors: Using cutting-edge characterization techniques (X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) to elucidate the role of structure on charge transport of polymer semiconductors and designing high performance devices based on the results.

PATENT

1. "Highly crystalline electrically conductive polymers, methods of manufacture thereof and articles comprising the same", filed by the regents of the Dow Chemical Co. and Pennsylvania State University on July 20, 2012. (Application Serial No. 13/554,729)

PUBLICATIONS

16. "Intracrystalline order governs charge mobilities in poly(3-hexylthiophene)", Vakhshouri, K.; Wang, C; Salleo, A.; Wang, C.;Hexemer, A.; Gomez, E.D., submitted 2013.

15. "Contact doping with polyelectrolytes for organic photovoltaics", Gopal, K. M.; Jones, D.; Weathers, P. J.; Megumi, K. B.; Vakhshouri, K.; Hickner, M. A.; Verduzco, R.; Gomez, E. D., submitted 2013.

14. "Ultra-thin body poly(3-hexylthiophene) transistors with improved short-channel performance", Wang, C.; Rivnay, J.; Himmelberger, S.; Vakhshouri, K.; Toney, M.F.; Gomez, E.D.; Salleo, A., submitted 2013.

13. "Elemental mapping of interfacial layers at the cathode of organic solar cells" Mor, G.K.; Vakhshouri, K.; Gomez, E.D., submitted 2013.

12. "Synthesis of Perfluoroalkyl End-Functionalized Poly(3-hexylthiophene) and the Effect of Fluorinated End-Groups on Solar Cell Performance" Mao, Z.; Vakhshouri, K.; Jaye, C; Fischer, D.A.; Fernando, R.; DeLongchamp, D.; Gomez, E. D.; Sauve, G., Macromolecules, 2013.

11. "Effect of crystallization kinetics on microstructure and charge transport of polythiophenes" Vakhshouri, K.; Gomez, E.D., Macromol. Rapid Commun. 2012.

10. "Characterization of the mesoscopic structure in the photoactive layer of organic solar cells" Vakhshouri, K.; Kozub, D.R.; Kesava, S.V.; Gomez, E.D., Materials Letters (In Press), 2012.

9. " Direct measurements of exciton diffusion length limitations on organic solar cell performance" Kozub, D.R.; Vakhshouri, K.; Kesava, S.V.; Wang, C.; Hexemer, A.; Gomez, E.D., Chemical Communications, 2012.

8. "Effect of Miscibility and Percolation on Electron Transport in Amorphous Poly(3-Hexylthiophene)/Phenyl-C61-Butyric Acid Methyl Ester Blends" Vakhshouri K.; Kozub, D.R.; Wang, C; Salleo, A.; Gomez, E.D., Physical Review Letters 2012, 108, 026601.

7. "Influence of Acceptor Structure on Barriers to Charge Separation in Organic Photovoltaic Materials" Pensack, R.D.; Guo, C.; Vakhshouri, K.; Gomez, E.D.; Asbury, J.B., The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 2012.

Article highlighted as the cover of the Journal of Physical Chemistry C.

6. "Polymer crystallization of partially miscible polythiophene/fullerene mixtures controls morphology" Kozub, D.R.; Vakhshouri, K.; Orme, L.M.; Wang, C.; Hexemer, A.; Gomez, E.D., Macromolecules, 2011, 44, 5722-5726.

Article highlighted in SPIE News, "Organic solar cells: to mix or not to mix", 24 October 2011, SPIE Newsroom. DOI:10.1117/2.1201109.003834

5. "Effects of the Plenum Chamber Volume and Distributor Geometry on Fluidized Bed Hydrodynamics" Vakhshouri, K.; Grace, J. R., Particuology, 2010, 8, 2-12.

4. "Modeling of Bubble Formation at a Submerged Orifice in a Gas-fluidized Bed" Vakhshouri, K.; Grace, J. R., Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 2008, 87(6), 843-851.

3. "The Operation of a Steam Reformer under Severe Conditiona a Simulation Study" Shayegan, J; Vakhshouri, K.; Hashemi, M.M.Y.M., Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2008, 86, 747-755.

2. "Coke Formation Possibility during the Production of Reducing Gas in Large Scale Direct Reduction Plant" Sadri, M.; Vakhshouri, K.; Hashemi, M.M.Y.M., Ironmaking & Steelmaking, 2007, 34(2), 115-123.

1. "Simulation Study of Radial Heat and Mass Transfer Inside a Fixed bed Catalytic Reactor" Vakhshouri, K.; Hashemi, M.M.Y.M, International Journal of Chemical and Biological Engineering, 2007, 1,1-8.

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS

a "The Importance of Donor-acceptor Miscibility on Charge Transport and Photovoltaic Device Performance", K. vakhshouri, D.R. Kozub, B. Edmonson, K.M. Rees, E.D. Gomez, Annual Meeting of the Material Research Society (MRS), Nov. 2012.

a "Examining the Role of Structure on Charge Transport of Polymer Semiconductors", K. vakhshouri, E.P. Chan, E.D. Gomez., Annual Meeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), Nov. 2012.

a "Charge Transport in Amorphous Polythiophene-Fullerene Blends", K. Vakhshouri, D. R. Kozub, C. Wang, A. Salleo, E.D. Gomez, Gordon Research Seminar (Polymer Physics), July 2012.

a "Effect of Miscibility and Percolation on Electron Transport in Amorphous Poly(3-Hexylthiophene)/Phenyl-C61-Butyric Acid Methyl Ester Blends", K. Vakhshouri, D. R. Kozub, C. Wang, A. Salleo, E.D. Gomez, Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society (APS), March 2012.

a "Charge Transport in Amorphous Polythiophene-Fullerene Blends" K. Vakhshouri, D. R. Kozub, C. Wang, A. Salleo, E.D. Gomez, Emerging Materials for Thin Film Solar Cells Workshop, Aug. 2011.

a "Examining the Role of Structure on Charge Transport of Polymer Semiconductors" K. Vakhshouri, E. D. Gomez, Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society (APS), March 2011.

a "Towards quantitative structure-function relationships for organic solar cells" D. R. Kozub, K. Vakhshouri, E. D. Gomez, Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society (APS), March 2011.

HONORS

Selected as the Padden Award finalist for the 2013 American Physical Society meeting.

Received "Best Graduate Student Paper award", Chemical Engineering Department, Pennsylvania State University, 2012.

Awarded travel grant, Gordon Research Seminar (Polymer Physics), 2012.

Awarded Air Products and Chemical Inc. Fellowship, Chemical Engineering Department, Pennsylvania State University, 2012.

Best Poster Award, Emerging Materials for Thin Film Solar Cells Workshop, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2011.

Awarded travel grant, Workshop Thin Film Solar Cells, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2011.

Awarded the Ahura Scholarship, 2011.

Larry Duda award for outstanding graduate student performance, Pennsylvania State University, 2010.

Awarded Best Candidacy Examination, Chemical Engineering Department, Pennsylvania State University, 2010.

Awarded the Chothia Trust Scholarship, 2010.

Awarded the FEZANA Academic Scholarship, scholar of the year, 2009-2010.

Awarded the Maseeh Scholarship, 2009.

Awarded USC Viterbi School of Engineering/Chevron Fellowship in Energy recourses, 2008.

Awarded aInternational Partial Tuition Scholarshipa for two years from the University of British Columbia, 2007-2008.

Awarded an "Outstanding Students" admission to Master level in Chemical Engineering, Sharif University, 2006.

Ranked 3rd amongst all Students of Sharif University of Technology, School of Chemical Engineering, 2002.

Awarded aNational B.Sc. Scholarship Entrance Examinationa (2002-2006).

LEADERSHIP

REU Summer Program Mentor, mentoring of 6 undergraduate students during summer 2010 and summer 2011.

Vice President of the Sustainability Club at University of British Columbia (2007-2008).

Service Trip Leader, University of British Columbia (2007-2008)

TEACHING EXPERIENCES

Teaching Assistant in Fluid Mechanics course, (Fall 2011), Penn State University.

Teaching Assistant in Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics course, (Spring 2011), Penn State University.

Teaching Assistant in Computational Methods course, (Winter 2006), University of British Columbia.

Teaching Assistant in Process Dynamics and Control course, (Winter 2006 and Fall 2007), University of British Columbia.

Teaching Assistant in Process Engineering course, (Fall 2005) Sharif University of technology.

SKILLS

Computer Skills: LabView, ASPEN PLUS, ASPEN B-JAC, HYSYS, Pro/II with Provision, HTFS, Fluent & Gambit, MATLAB, Igor, Mathematica, Microsoft Office Suite.

Lab Techniques: TEM, EFTEM, FIB, SAXS, XRD, GISAXS, RSoXS, AFM, SEM, XPS, EDS, UV/Vis, DSC, Rheology, Photolithography, Electron-beam Lithography, Solar Cell and Field-Effect Transistor Fabrication, Polymer Thin Film Fabrication.

INDUSTRIAL WORK EXPERIENCES

Ph.D. Internship, Air products and Chemical Inc., summer, 2012.

Performed as a Process Engineer, IRITEC Company, Iron Reduction Division, June 2005-Dec 2006.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).

Material Research Society (MRS).

American Physical society (APS).

International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE)

Golden Key International Honour Society.

CHBE Sustainability Club, University of British Columbia.

Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE).

Volunteer member of UNICEF, Canada, Toronto.

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