Engineering Assistant
Resume:
CAI, YANGJUN “Andrew”, PhD
*** ******* **. #**** 979-***-****
College Station, TX 77840, USA **********@*****.***
http://sites.google.com/site/caiyangjun/
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OBJECTIVE AND QUALIFICATIONS
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• To obtain a challenging and stimulating research position that requires my knowledge and skills of surface science, material science, biomolecules, polymers, and engineering.
• Skills:
Surface characterization and analysis (AFM, XPS, SEM, contact angle analysis, calculation and analysis of surface energy, adhesion, wettability, and surface/interfacial forces);
Surface functionalization and preparation of inorganic, polymer, colloidal, and biological surfaces, both solid and liquid, through self-assembly, evaporation, and chemical solution deposition;
Micro/nanofabrication (photolithography, soft lithography, colloidal lithography nanoimprinting, EBL, reactive ion etch (RIE), wet-etching, familiar with clean room procedures);
Preparation and analysis of thin films (CVD, spin-coating, dip-coating, sputtering, vapor deposition, metal evaporation, and ellipsometer);
Colloidal chemistry (preparation of colloidal particles, zeta-potential calculation, analysis of colloidal stability, UV/VIS spectroscopy, DLS, and electrophoresis);
Organic/polymer synthesis and characterization (NMR, HPLC, GC, IR, MS, TGA, DSC);
Optical and fluorescence microscopy, Surface plasmon resonance (SPR), FTIR, Oxygen plasma, Cell culture.
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EXPERIENCE
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Postdoctoral research associate (Advisor: Prof. Paul S. Cremer)
Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 2009 – present
• Developed a new variation of soft lithography–deflected capillary force lithography (dCFL) for fabricating asymmetric polymer/metal nanostructures.
• Use of colloidal chemistry, micro/nanofabrication and thin-film techniques to create novel polymer/metal nano-materials and investigated their optical properties of surface plasmon resonances for applications in chemical and biosensors.
• Working on creating novel nano-channels for single-molecule manipulation and separation of nanoparticles.
Research assistant (Advisor: Prof. Bimin Zhang Newby)
Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 2005 – 2009
• Use of surface science and techniques to develop novel and versatile methods for creating new surface materials with applications as semiconductors, biomaterials, etc:
Pioneered using surface tension gradient (Marangoni flow) to self-assemble nanoparticles. Extended this method to create arrays of water micro-droplets for generating porous polymer membrane.
Developed a fracture-induced approach to generate poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) strips for biomaterials (e.g., cell alignment).
Developed a novel protein patterning technique based on the instability (dewetting) of polymer films on poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-modified surfaces.
• Use of surface modification techniques in conjunction with lithography to create gradient surfaces in order to systematically investigate the biocompatibility (proteins and cells) of the surfaces and nanoparticle coatings.
• Use of a variety of surface and polymer analysis techniques to investigate the properties and biocompatibility of silica nanoparticles modified by organosilanes, and the stability of polymer-coated films on self-assembled monolayers.
• Investigated the bacterial antifouling of zosteric acid-coated films and effect of surface properties (charge, surface energy, chemistry, morphology, etc) by using surface analysis and microfluidic techniques.
• Mentored and led undergraduate and high school students’ research projects and maintained instruments in the lab.
Research fellow
WuXi AppTec. Co. Ltd. Shanghai, China. 2004 – 2005
• Synthesis and purification of pharmaceutical intermediates for Merk & Co., Inc. Use of an inorganic compound to purify the aldehydes, which increased the efficiency and reduced the cost as compared to conventional column chromatography.
Research associate (Advisor: Prof. Shengming Ma)
Department of Chemistry at Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. 2003 – 2004
• Use of multi-step synthesis (~9 steps) to produce organic intermediates (2, 3-butadienoic acid methyl ester and a series of amino, bromo-substituted naphthyridine) for Beijing Honghui Meditech Co,. Ltd.
• Developed and investigated new methodologies in organic synthesis by using catalysts.
Research assistant (Advisor: Prof. Wensong Xu)
Department of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. 2000 – 2003
• Investigated the chiral resolution of amino acids by asymmetric transformation and the reaction dynamics.
• Developed a new synthesis method of vitamin B3 in the lab and conducted pilotscale production (~1 ton/day) in Fuyang Wanzhou Chemistry Co., Ltd.
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EDUCATION
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2005 – 2009: Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA
Dissertation: Simple alternative patterning techniques for selective protein adsorption.
2000 – 2003: M.S. in Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
1996 – 2000: B.S. in Mineral Processing Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
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PUBLICATIONS
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Patents:
1. Well-spaced parallel silicone strips (US patent, pending).
2. Marangoni flow induced surface patterning (US patent, pending).
3. “Process for the preparation of methyl 2,3-butadienoate” Ma, S.; Jin, X.; Cai, Y. Chinese Patent. Faming Zhuanli Shenqing Gongkai Shuomingshu 2005, CN 1583707.
Papers submitted and in preparation:
1. “Split-rings fabricated by colloidal lithography for localized surface plasmon resonance” Cai, Y.; Cremer, P. S.
2. “Scalable fabrication of elliptical nanorings with highly tunable plasmonic resonances.” Cai, Y.; Cremer, P. S.
3. “Deflected capillary force lithography: asymmetric nanostructures.” Cai, Y.; Chen, J.; Yang, T.; Cremer, P. S.
Selected peer-reviewed papers and book chapter:
4. "Polymeric microstructure arrays consequence of Marangoni flow-induced water droplets” Cai, Y.; Zhang Newby, B.-m. Applied Physics A 2010, 100, 1221-1229.
5. “Fracture-induced formation of parallel silicone strips” Cai, Y; Zhang Newby, B.-m. Journal of Materials Research 2010, 25, 803-809.
6. “Generation of contact-printing based stepwise micrometer-sized poly(ethylene glycol) gradient surfaces” Cai, Y.; Yun, Y. H.; Zhang Newby, B.-m. Colloids and Surfaces, B: Biointerfaces 2010, 75, 115-122.
7. “Porous polymer films templated by Marangoni flow-induced water droplet arrays” Cai, Y.; Zhang Newby, B.-m. Langmuir 2009, 25, 7638-7645.
8. “Marangoni flow induced self-assembly of hexagonal and stripelike nanoparticle patterns”, Cai, Y.; Zhang Newby, B.-m. Journal of the American Chemical Society 2008, 130, 6076-6077.
9. “Dewetting of polystyrene thin films on poly(ethylene glycol)-modified surfaces as a simple approach for patterning proteins” Cai, Y.; Zhang Newby, B.-m. Langmuir 2008, 24, 5202-5208.
10. “Stability enhancement of polystyrene thin films on aminopropyltriethoxysilane ultrathin layer modified surfaces” Choi, S.-H.; Cai, Y.; Zhang Newby, B.-m. Silanes and Other Coupling Agents 2007, 4, 179-197 (Refereed Book Chapter).
11. “Fabricating tunable nanoparticle density gradients with the contact printing based approach” Song, F.; Cai, Y.; and Zhang Newby, B.-m. Applied Surface Science 2006, 253, 2393-2398.
12. “NaI-catalyzed highly regioselective ring-opening [1+2] cycloaddition reaction of cyclopropenes with imines: highly stereoselective synthesis of cis-vinylic aziridines” Ma, S.; Zhang, J.; Lu, L.; Jin, X.; Cai, Y.; Hou, H. Chemical Communication 2005, 7, 909-911.
13. “An X- (X = I, Br)-triggered ring-opening coupling reaction of cyclopropenes with organic halides” Ma, S.; Zhang, J.; Cai, Y.; Lu, L. Journal of the American Chemical Society 2003, 125, 139**-*****.
Selected proceedings and meetings:
1. 239th ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, United States, March 21-25, 2010. Cai, Y.; Zhang Newby, B.-m. “Marangoni flow-induced water droplet arrays as novel templates.”
2. 236th ACS National Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, United States, August 17-21, 2008. Cai, Y.; Zhang Newby, B.-m. Marangoni flow induced self-assembly of hexagonal and stripelike nanoparticle patterns.”
3. 233rd ACS National Meeting, Chicago, IL, United States, March 25-29, 2007. Cai, Y.; Yun, Y. H.; Zhang Newby, B.-m. “Protein adsorption and cell attachment/spreading on gradient surfaces of poly(ethylene glycol) generated by the contact printing approach.”
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SELECTED HORNORS AND AWARDS
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• Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Graduate Student Award at University of Akron (2006).
• MSNO (Microscopy Society of Northeastern Ohio) Spring Symposium and Poster Award (2006).
• Outstanding Student Scholarship at Zhejiang University (1st, 2001 – 2002).
• Excellent Student at Central South University (CSU) (1997 – 1998).
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Reference:
Prof. Paul S. Cremer (Postdoc Advisor at Texas A&M U.). 979-***-****, ******@****.****.****.***
Prof. Bi-min Zhang Newby (PhD Advisor at U. of Akron). 330-***-****, *****@******.***
Prof. Jie Zheng (committee member at U. of Akron). 330-***-****, ******@******.***
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