Graduate Research Assistant

EDUCATION

Doctorate of Philosophy in Materials Science and Engineering (Anticipated: August 2009)

Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA

Dissertation title: Assembly of nanostructures: towards controlled hybrid morphologies and functionalities

Bachelor of Science in Composite Materials Engineering (Chemical) (May 2003)

Winona State University, Winona, MN

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Research Assistant (Georgia Institute of Technology–Atlanta, GA, Aug 2006-Present)

- Implemented nanoparticles (silver nanowires, silver nanoplates, spherical and nanorod gold particles) synthesis procedures into the Laboratory.

- Synthesized novel silver-gold nanocob for single-nanowire SERS-substrate application.

- Designed and fabricated silver nanowires reinforced polymer composites for a proof of concept design of a film-based sensor with tailored mechanical properties.

- Assisted a post-doc in SANS measurement at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

- Worked with a visiting graduate student scientist on surface behavior of rod-coil molecules using Langmuir-Blodgett technique.

- Works resulted in 8 peer-journal publications.

Research Assistant (Iowa State University–Ames, IA, Sept 2003-May 2006)

- Assisted in the synthesis of branched polymers by ATRP, NMP, and RAFT polymerizations; and performed polymer end-group modifications.

- Investigated surface behavior of amphiphilic star-shaped polymer with Langmuir-Blodgett technique.

- Works resulted in 6 peer-journal publications.

Research Assistant (Winona State University–Winona, MN, Jan 2003-May 2003)

- Fabricated and characterized a series of single-wall carbon nanotube-polymer composite samples.

- Work was published in a peer-journal publication.

Research Assistant (Winona State University–Winona, MN, Aug 2002-May 2003)

- Assisted in the synthesis of novel bis(4-difluorophenyl) difluoromethane monomer and performed model polymerization with phenol.

- Work was presented in ACS proceeding.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

- Synthesis and surface modification of colloidal nanoparticles (1-D silver nanowires, 2-D silver nanoplates, gold nanorods, and spherical gold and silver nanoparticles).

- Surface assembly of amphiphilic polymers (bithiophene monodendrons, hyperbranches, star polymers, and polyhedral oligomer silsesquioxanes) at air-water interface and on surfaces using Langmuir Blodgett (LB) technique.

- Fabrication of ultrathin film (<150 nm thick) with spin assisted layer-by-layer and Langmuir-Blodgett techniques.

- Experience with a wide range of materials: thiophene monodendrons, branched polymers, inorganic nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, and polyhedral oligomer silsesquioxanes (POSS).

- Fabrication of inorganic nanoparticles-reinforced freestanding layer-by-layer nanocomposite films.

- Star polymer functional group modifications to control their self-assembly.

- Materials characterizations using Ellipsometry technique, Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), Optical microscope, UV/Vis, Fluorescence, and Raman spectroscopy, X-ray Diffractometer (XRD), Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA), and Differential Scanning Calorimeter DSC).

- Wrote programs with Visual Basic.Net 2005 to keep track of instrumental usage, facilitate data acquisition, and data analysis.

COMMUNICATION AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS

- 14 peer-reviewed journal publications, 3 orals, and 6 poster presentations at MRS and ACS conferences.

- Prepared standard operating procedures (SOP) for various laboratory instruments.

- Collaborated with International teams in polymer characterizations (Greece, South Korea, and Ukraine).

- Planned and assigned tasks to undergraduate and high-school student research assistant.

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

- Certified Engineer in Training issued by The Minnesota Board of AELSLAGID (June 2003).

- Cross-cultural scholarship (Aug 1999-May 2003).

- Pi Mu Epsilon mathematical honor society (inducted in 2002).

- Golden Key International honor society (Inducted in 2001).

- Alpha Lambda Delta honor society (Inducted in 2000 and maintained qualification until graduation in 2003).

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

- Materials Research Society (MRS), since 2006.

- American Chemical Society (ACS), since 2005.

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

A. Refereed Journals (9/15 first author)

1. Gunawidjaja, R.; Kharlampieva, E.; Choi, I.; Tsukruk, V. V. Bimetallic core-shell nanostructures: gold nanoparticles assembly on 1-D and 2-D silver nanoparticles surface, Submitted.

2. Gunawidjaja, R.; Luponosov, Y. N.; Huang, F.; Ponomarenko, S. A.; Muzafarov, A. M.; Tsukruk, V. V. Surface molecular ordering of functionalized bithiophenesilane monodendrons. Langmuir 2009, Accepted.

3. Gunawidjaja, R.; Huang, F.; Gumenna, M.; Klimenko, N.; Nunnery, G. A.; Shevchenko, V.; Tannenbaum, R.; Tsukruk, V. V. Bulk and Surface Assembly of Branched Amphiphilic Polyhedral Oligomer Silsesquioxane Compounds. Langmuir 2009, 25, 1196.

4. Gunawidjaja, R.; Peleshanko, S.; Ko, H.; Tsukruk, V. V. Bimetallic Nanocobs: Decorating Silver Nanowires with Gold Nanoparticles. Adv. Mater. 2008, 20, 1544.

5. Liu, L.; Kim, J.-K.; Gunawidjaja, R.; Tsukruk, V. V.; Lee, M. Toroid Morphology by ABC-Type Amphiphilic Rod-Coil Molecules at the Air-Water Interface. Langmuir 2008, 24, 12340.

6. Liu, L.; Moon, K.-S., M.; Gunawidjaja, R.; Lee, E.; Tsukruk, V. V.; Lee, M. Molecular Reorganization of Paired Assemblies of T-Shaped Rod-Coil Amphiphilic Molecule at the Air-Water Interface. Langmuir, 2008, 24, 3930.

7. Gunawidjaja, R.; Ko, H.; Jiang, C.; Tsukruk, V. V. Buckling behavior of highly oriented silver nanowires encapsulated within layer-by-layer films. Chemistry of Materials 2007, 19, 2007.

8. Jiang, C.; Wang, X.; Gunawidjaja, R.; Lin, Y.-H.; Gupta, M. K.; Kaplan, D. L.; Naik, R. R.; Tsukruk, V. V. Mechanical Properties of Robust Ultrathin Silk Fibroin Films. Advanced Functional Materials 2007, 17, 2229.

9. Gunawidjaja, R.; Jiang, C.; Peleshanko, S.; Ornatska, M.; Singamaneni, S.; Tsukruk, V. V. Flexible and robust 2D arrays of silver nanowires encapsulated within freestanding layer-by-layer films. Advanced Functional Materials 2006, 16, 2024.

10. Gunawidjaja, R.; Jiang, C.; Ko, H.; Tsukruk, V. V. Free-standing 2D arrays of silver nanorods. Advanced Materials 2006, 18, 2895.

11. Gunawidjaja, R.; Peleshanko, S.; Genson, K. L.; Tsitsilianis, C.; Tsukruk, V. V. Surface Morphologies of Langmuir-Blodgett Monolayers of PEOnPSn Multiarm Star Copolymers. Langmuir 2006, 22, 6168.

12. Peleshanko, S.; Gunawidjaja, R.; Petrash, S.; Tsukruk, V. V. Synthesis and Interfacial Behavior of Amphiphilic Hyperbranched Polymers: Poly(ethylene oxide)-Polystyrene Hyperbranches. Macromolecules 2006, 39, 4756.

13. Xu, Y.; Gunawidjaja, R.; Abdel-Magid, B. Thermal behavior of single-walled carbon nanotube polymer-matrix composites. Composites, Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing 2006, 37, 114.

14. Gunawidjaja, R.; Peleshanko, S.; Tsukruk, V. V. Functionalized (X-PEO)2-(PS-Y)2 Star Block Copolymers at the Interfaces: Role of Terminal Groups in Surface Behavior and Morphology. Macromolecules 2005, 38, 8765.

15. Peleshanko, S.; Gunawidjaja, R.; Jeong, J.; Shevchenko, V. V.; Tsukruk, V. V. Surface Behavior of Amphiphilic Heteroarm Star-Block Copolymers with Asymmetric Architecture. Langmuir 2004, 20, 9423.

B. Conference Proceedings and Presentations

1. Gunawidjaja, R.; Huang, F.; Gumenna, M.; Klimenko, N.; Grady A. Nunnery, Shevchenko, V. V.; Tannenbaum, R.; Tsukruk, V. V. Assembly of functionalized POSS-M nanoparticles. ACS National Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT, Unites States, Spring 2009. (Oral presentation)

2. Gunawidjaja, R.; Peleshanko, S.; Ko, H.; Tsukruk. V. V. Silver-gold polymer composite nanocob structures. ACS National Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT, Unites States, Spring 2009.

3. Gunawidjaja, R.; Jiang, C., Tsukruk, V. V. Determination of silver nanowires elastic modulus by means of longitudinal buckling instability. ACS National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, United States, Spring 2008. (Oral presentation)

4. Gunawidjaja, R.; Peleshanko, S.; Tsukruk, V. V. "Gold nanoparticles assembly on silver nanowires surface for potential Raman-based sensor" ACS National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, United States, Spring 2008. (Oral presentation)

5. Gunawidjaja, R.; Jiang, C.; Wang, X.-Y.; Lin, Y.-H. Gupta, M. K. David, K. L.; Naik, R. R.; Tsukruk, V. V. “Buckling and Bulging Mechanical Measurements of Nanoscale Silk Fibroin Films.” MRS, San Francisco, CA, United States, Spring 2008.

6. Gunawidjaja, R.; Ponomarenko, S. A.; Luponosov, Y. N.; Muzafarov, A. M.; Tsukruk V. V. “Surface Morphology of nth Generation Thiophene Mono-dendrons.” MRS, San Francisco, CA, United States, Spring 2008.

7. Gunawidjaja, R. Tsukruk, V. V. Silver Nanowires Reinforced Anisotropic Polymer Composite Membrane, Nanotechnology for Defense Applications, San Diego, CA, United States, Spring 2007.

8. Jiang, C.; Wang, X.; Gunawidjaja, R.; Lin, Y.-H.; Naik, R. R.; Gupta, M. K.; Kaplan, D. L.; Tsukruk, V. V. Robust and biocompatible ultrathin silk fibroin films. ACS National Meeting, Chicago, IL, United States, Spring 2007.

9. Peleshanko, S.; Gunawidjaja, R.; Tsukruk, V. V. Role of the architecture of block copolymers on their interfacial behavior. ACS National Meeting, Washington DC, Fall 2007

10. Gunawidjaja, R.; Jiang, C.; Peleshanko, S.; Ornatska, M.; Singamaneni, S.; Tsukruk, Vladimir V. Freely suspended silver nanowires, MRS, Boston, MA, Fall 2006.

11. Peleshanko, S.; Gunawidjaja, R.; Tsitsilianis, C.; Tsukruk, V. V. Multiarm PEOn-PSn star polymers at the interfaces. ACS National Meeting, Atlanta, GA, United States, Fall 2006.

12. Peleshanko, S.; Gunawidjaja, R.; Tsukruk, V. V. Surface characterization of novel amphiphilic hyperbranched copolymers. ACS National Meeting, Washington DC, United States, Fall 2005.

13. Gunawidjaja, R.; Peleshanko, S.; Tsukruk, V. V. Influence of terminal groups on interfacial behavior and surface morphology of (X-PEO)2-(PS-Y)2 star copolymers. ACS National Meeting, Washington DC, United States, Fall 2005.

14. Peleshanko, S.; Gunawidjaja, R.; Tsukruk, V. V. Synthesis and characterization of novel amphiphilic hyperbranched polymers via self-condensing vinyl polymerization. National Meeting, Washington, DC, United States, Fall 2005.

15. Kopitzke, R. W.; Gunawidjaja, R.. Investigation of the difluoromethyl group as an activator for nucleophilic aromatic substitution. ACS National Meeting, San Diego, CA, United States, Spring 2005.

REFERENCES

1. Dr. Vladimir V. Tsukruk

Georgia Institute of Technology

Materials Science and Engineering

Atlanta, GA 30332-0245

Office Phone: 404-***-****

Email: ********@***.******.***

2. Dr. Chaoyang Jiang

The University of South Dakota

Department of Chemistry

Vermillion, SD 57069

Office Phone: 605-***-****

Email: ********.*****@***.***

3. Dr. Rina Tannenbaum

Georgia Institute of Technology

Materials Science and Engineering

Atlanta, GA 30332-0245

Office Phone: 404-***-****

Email: ****.**********@***.******.***

Contact this candidate