Julian Lopez is a Ph.D. student in ME supported by Rackham Merit Fellowship and ME Chair's Fellowship, with a keen interest in advanced characterization and diagnostic tools for batteries, earning him the nickname "Battery Doctor." Before embarking on his graduate studies, he earned his Bachelor's degree in Physics from Colgate University. Outside of his academic pursuits, Julian enjoys playing volleyball, mountain biking, and exploring the culinary world by learning to cook various types of cuisine.

2024 The ECS University of Michigan Student Chapter, Chapter of Excellence

2024 Rackham Merit Fellowship

2024 ME Chair's Fellowship

Sherman Hegang Zhi is a Ph.D. student in ME awarded by Rackham Graduate Student Research Grant. He was previously mentored by Professor Greeshma Gadikota and Professor Johannes Lehmann at Cornell University and earned his Master's degree in Environmental Engineering. His research focuses on gaining fundamental insights into naturally occurring materials and electrochemistry methods for greenhouse gas removal. In his leisure time, Sherman enjoys training at the gym, where he finds inspiration in both symphonies and rock music, which fuel his research and lift his spirits.

2024 Rackham Graduate Student Research Grant Awardee

2025 Graduate Student Instructor (GSI)

Evan is a graduate student in Macromolecular Science and Engineering (Macro) with a focus on electrochemistry and battery projects.

Sharon Xirong Liu is a graduate student in Mechanical Engineering focusing on wood cellulose project.

  Dr. Ka Man Chung

 Email: kmchung@umich.edu

Ph. D. Institution and Major: UCSD; Materials Science and Engineering (MATS) 

Ph. D. Advisor: Prof. Renkun Chen

Research Interests: Ultra High-Temperature/Low- Temperature Synthesis, Ceramic Electrolytes,  High-Entropy Alloy Materials, Fuel Cell, Batteries.

Hobbies: Playing the guitar, writing songs, reading books and watching movies

2025 IES Fellows Cohort, Institute for Energy Solutions (IES) Graduate and Postdoc Fellowship Program

Research Interests: Upcycling Waste into Valuable Products; Recovering and Separating Critical Metals, Materials and Minerals (CMMM); Carbon Capture, Utilization and Sequestration (CCUS).

Jackson is a sophomore undergraduate student majoring in Mechanical Engineering. His research interests focus on sustainable energy storage, with a particular emphasis on high-performance batteries. Outside of academics, he enjoys rock climbing, hiking, cooking, and staying active at the gym.

James is a senior undergraduate researcher in Mechanical Engineering, focusing on Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) techniques for battery characterization. In his free time, he enjoys exploring electronic music and playing golf, boasting a personal best score of 79 on a par-72 course.

2024 UM Undergraduate Research, Innovation, Service and Entrepreneurship (RISE) Program

Luke is an Undergraduate Student in Mechanical Engineering interested in Advanced Energy Solutions.