Principal Investigator
Professor Xiao Su
Office Number: RAL-107 // E-mail: x2su@illinois.edu
Xiao Su is an Assistant Professor in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He obtained his Bachelor in Applied Sciences in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo in 2011. He completed his PhD in Chemical Engineering from MIT in 2017, working under the supervision of Professor T. Alan Hatton from Chemical Engineering and Professor Timothy F. Jamison from Chemistry. During his doctoral studies, Xiao received the MIT Water Innovation Prize and the MassCEC Catalyst Award for his work on electrochemically-mediated water purification. Since joining Illinois, Xiao has been the recipient of the NSF CAREER Award (2019), the ACS Victor K. Lamer Award (2020), and the ISE-Elsevier Prize for Green Electrochemistry (2021). His research focuses on molecular engineering for advanced separations and process intensification.
Group Members
Kwiyong Kim
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Office Number: RAL-105 // E-mail: kwiyongk@illinois.edu
Kwiyong Kim received his Bachelor in Bio and Brain Engineering, and Civil and Environmental Engineering from KAIST in 2012. He earned his PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from KAIST in 2018 under the supervision of Prof. Jong-In Han. His thesis focused on the electrochemical synthesis of ammonia from water and dinitrogen as a next-generation energy carrier. He continued his career at Iowa State University, working with Prof. Wenzhen Li on electrocatalysis topics. Kwiyong’s interests at UIUC are on developing new electrochemical systems for energy-efficient water purification processes.
Johannes Elbert
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Office Number: RAL-105 // E-mail: jelbert@illinois.edu
Johannes Elbert obtained his bachelor and master’s degree in chemistry from the Technische Universität Darmstadt. During this time, he spent 10 months in the group of Prof. Ian Manners in the at the University of Bristol. He completed his PhD in 2015 (Dr. rer. nat.) at the Technische Universität Darmstadt, under the supervision of Dr. Markus Gallei and Prof. Matthias Rehahn, with a thesis on immobilized ferrocene containing polymers. He then worked at the group of Alan T. Hatton at MIT, on electrochemical water purification, and the Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena on redox-flow batteries. His research is focused on developing new redox active materials.
Kihyun Cho
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Office Number: RAL-105 // E-mail: ck84@illinois.edu
Kihyun Cho received his BS, MS, and PhD degree in Materials Science & Engineering at Korea University in South Korea. During his graduate studies, his research interests lied in the synthesis of semiconductor and metal nanomaterials for advanced energy applications, under the guidance of Prof. Yun-Mo Sung. His PhD thesis topic was the development of one-dimensional nanostructured photoelectrodes for hydrogen generation. After spending some time at Korea University as a research professor, he joined Prof. Prashant K. Jain’s group in Chemistry at UIUC, working on nanostructured fast ion conductors. His current research interest in the Su group lies in developing inorganic materials for electrochemical separations, and new approaches for electrochemical materials processing.
Yonghwan Kim
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Office Number: RAL-7 // E-mail: kyhwan53@illinois.edu
Yonghwan received his BS, MS, and PhD degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at KAIST. During his graduate studies, he focused on the selective separation of radionuclides and electrochemical removal of cadmium ions using composite adsorbents under the supervision of Prof. Jae W. Lee. After the completion of PhD in 2021, Yonghwan joined Prof. Su research group and currently focuses on developing novel electrode materials for electrochemical separation and process intensification.
Jiho Lee
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Office Number: RAL-191 // E-mail: jihol@illinois.edu
Jiho Lee received his Bachelor and Master’s degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology. He completed his PhD in Chemical Engineering at Seoul National University in 2019 under the supervision of Prof. Jeyong Yoon. His thesis focused on development of electrochemical separation systems for water purification. He then continued his career at Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), working with Dr. Seok Won Hong on photoelectrocatalytic advanced oxidation processes. His research interest in the Su group focus on material synthesis and process design for electrochemically-mediated water purification and recovery of energy and valuable resources.
Kyle Knust
Visiting Professor
Office Number: RAL-191 // E-mail: kknust@millikin.edu
Kyle Knust is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Millikin University where he teaches general and analytical chemistry courses. He received his Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from the University of Texas at Austin under the supervision of Prof. Richard M. Crooks. While on sabbatical with the Su Group, he is interested in developing electrochemically-mediated separation systems and analytical methods.
Raylin Chen
PhD Candidate, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Office Number: RAL-7 // E-mail: raylinc2@illinois.edu
Raylin graduated from the University of California Berkeley, in 2017, receiving a dual B.S. in Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering. He has performed undergraduate research at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory on catalyst synthesis and characterization. His current research interests at UIUC lie in the fundamental investigation of materials synthesis and processing through electrochemical control.
Stephen Cotty
PhD Candidate, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Office Number: RAL-105 // E-mail: cotty2@illinois.edu
Stephen graduated from Clemson University in 2017 in Chemical Engineering. During undergraduate at Clemson, he worked with Prof. Mark Roberts on redox-flow battery research, and also full-time at the Argonne National Laboratory on the design of a pilot-scale Flame Pyrolysis Plant. His focus at UIUC is on leveraging redox electrochemistry for process intensification in chemical and environmental applications.
Haley Vapnik
PhD Candidate, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Office Number: RAL-103 // E-mail: hvapnik2@illinois.edu
Haley received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University, in 2018. Her undergraduate research at Purdue involved the study of functional polymers for projects in sensing and enhanced oil recovery, and internships at Logan Aluminum, Kraft Heinz Company, Walt Disney Imageneering and King Nutronics Corporation. Haley’s interests at UIUC focus on functional materials discovery and synthesis for selective electrochemical separations.
Paola Baldaguez Medina
PhD Candidate, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Office Number: RAL-105 // E-mail: paolaab2@illinois.edu
Paola received her B.S in Chemical Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez in 2019. During undergraduate, she conducted research in separation processes with Prof. Hernández-Maldonado, and spectroscopy with Prof. Hernández-Rivera. She also had internships at the University of Minnesota through the NSF REU program working on block-copolymers, and at the University of Florida with Prof. Rinaldi on rheology studies. Paola’s interests at UIUC focus on electrochemically-driven water purification, interfacial electrochemistry, and electroactive polymer development.
Jemin Jeon
PhD Candidate, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Office Number: RAL-7 // E-mail: jeminj2@illinois.edu
Jemin received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the Hanyang University at Seoul in 2019. He conducted undergraduate research in solar cell with Prof. Min Jae Ko, microstructures with Prof.Bongjun Yeom, and nanocrystal synthesis with Prof. Brian Korgel at the University of Texas, Austin. He also had an internship as a process engineer at Hanwha Chemical in South Korea. Jemin’s interests at UIUC are on redox-polymer development, process intensification, and small molecule separations.
Riccardo Candeago
PhD Student, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Office Number: RAL-7 // E-mail: candeago@illinois.edu
Nayeong Kim
PhD Student, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Office Number: RAL-105 // E-mail: nkim65@illinois.edu
Darien Raymond
PhD Student, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Office Number: RAL-103 // E-mail: darienr2@illinois.edu
Anaira Roman Santiago
PhD Student, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Office Number: RAL-105 // E-mail: anairar2@illinois.edu
Anaira graduated from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez in 2020, obtaining her B.S in Chemical Engineering. She conducted research in the transport and destination of contaminants in groundwater with Dr. Ingrid Padilla, and synthesis of metal organic frameworks wastewater treatment with Dr. Hernández-Rivera. She participated in the NSF REU program at the University of South Carolina in graphene oxide membranes for water treatment, and at the University of Florida in wind speed up with Dr. Forrest Masters. Her current research interests focus on developing effective electrochemical systems for water decontamination and environmental applications.
PhD Candidate, Material Science and Engineering
Office Number: RAL-7 // E-mail: jh76@illinois.edu
PhD Student, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Office Number: RAL-103 // E-mail: chchung3@illinois.edu
Undergraduate Researchers
Alexandria Marchert
Academic Year: Senior
Graduation Date: May 2022
Research Period: Sep 2021-
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Junice Chae
Academic Year: Senior
Graduation Date: May 2022
Research Period: Nov 2021-
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Lily Bizub-Rodriguez
Academic Year: Senior
Graduation Date: May 2022
Research Period: Nov 2021-
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Valentina Ardila Contreras
Academic Year: Senior
Graduation Date: Dec 2022
Research Period: Jan 2022-
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Jiho Lee
Academic Year: Senior
Graduation Date: May 2023
Research Period: Jan 2022-
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Ji Soo Choi
Academic Year: Senior
Graduation Date: Dec 2022
Research Period: Jan 2022-
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Sung Jin Seo
Academic Year: Senior
Graduation Date: Dec 2022
Research Period: Jan 2022-
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Efren Guerrero
Academic Year: Junior
Graduation Date: May 2024
Research Period: Feb 2022-
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Sean Roh
Academic Year: Sophomore
Graduation Date: May 2024
Research Period: Feb 2022-
Major: Chemistry
Alumni
Emmanuel Kayiwa
MSc Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering
E-mail: ekayiwa2@illinois.edu
Graduation Date: May 2021
Current Location: 3M, Minnesota
Krista Roth
Graduation Date: May 2021
Research Period: Summer 2019-Fall 2020
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Shio Kinoshita
Graduation Date: Dec 2019
Research Period: Summer/Fall 2019
Major: Chemistry
Mateus Almeida de Araujo
Visiting exchange student, University of São Paulo, Brazil
Graduation Date: May 2022
Research Period: Summer/Fall 2019
Major: Food Engineering
Matthew Brucks
Graduation Date: May 2020
Research Period: Summer 2019-Spring 2020
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Current Location: PhD student at Northwestern University
Waliyat Oyewole
Graduation Date: May 2020
Research Period: Summer/Fall 2019
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Leticia de Souza Stefanini
Visiting BASc Student, University of São Paulo, Brazil
Graduation Date: May 2021
Research Period: Fall 2020
Major: Food Engineering
Thomas Sheehan
Graduation Date: Dec 2020
Research Period: Summer 2019-Fall 2020
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Current Location: PhD student at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Angelique Klimek
Graduation Date: May 2021
Research Period: Summer 2019-Summer 2021
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Current location: PhD student at Purdue University
Ngoc Lam
Graduation Date: Dec 2021
Research Period: May 2021-Dec 2021
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Emily Bolger
Graduation Date: May 2022
Research Period: May 2021-Dec 2021
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Youngeun Choi
Visiting exchange student from Yonsei University, South Korea
Research Period: Sep 2021-Dec 2021
Major: Chemical Engineering
Jing Lian Ng
Graduation Date: Dec 2021
Research Period: May 2019-May 2022
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Current Location: PhD student at University of Texas, Austin
David Xiong
Graduation Date: May 2022
Research Period: Aug 2021-Aug 2022
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Current Location: PhD student at Purdue University
Seungyeop Kim
Graduation Date: May 2022
Research Period: Sep 2021-May 2022
Major: Material Science and Engineering
Current Location: PhD student at University of California, Berkley