People
Principal Investigator
Email: jingtang@umich.edu
Phone: (734) 936-2775
Office: 3458 G.G. Brown Laboratory
Postdoctoral Scholars
Email: ckaman@ucsd.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
Ph. D. Graduate Students
Julian Lopez
Email: jlopezz@umich.edu
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.
Xifei Cao
Email: xifeicao@umich.edu
Xifei is pursuing his Ph.D. in ME. His research primarily focuses on High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) and Cryo-Electron Microscopy (CryoEM) techniques for studying batteries. His work aims to enhance state-of-the-art microscopy and spectroscopy methods for inventing and characterizing energy materials. In his spare time, he enjoys reading and running.
Lejun Wang
Email: lejun@umich.edu
Lejun is a Ph.D. student specializing in ME. His research focuses on developing new Magnetic Resonance Methods to gain insights into the function of battery systems. He conducts NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance)-related research across a broad spectrum of energy-related projects. Apart from his academic pursuits, Lejun excels in Ultimate Frisbee and enjoys a variety of sports and activities, including basketball, wrestling, fishing, badminton, and snowboarding.
Sherman Zhi
Email: hegang@umich.edu
Sherman Hegang is a Ph.D. student in ME. Previously, he was mentored by Profs. Greeshma Gadikota and Johannes Lehmann at Cornell University. Sherman seeks fundamental insights regarding Natually Occuring Materials for Greenhouse Gas Removal. In his leisure time, you can find him training in the gym while listening to the symphony and rock musics that fuel both his research and his spirit.
Zixuan Mu
Email: zixuanmu@umich.edu
Zixuan is a Ph.D. student in ME. His research interests are Mechanics of Materials, Wood Cellulose, and Greenhouse Gas Removal from the Atmosphere. He completed his undergraduate degree in ME at Imperial College London. In his free time, Zixuan enjoys watching soccer games, playing basketball, and working out at the gym.
Xiangyu Lu
Email: xiangyul@umich.edu
Xiangyu is a Ph.D. student in ME. Throughout his undergraduate studies at Tsinghua University, he worked as a research assistant in the Laboratory of Flexible Electronics Technology (LFET) from 2022 to 2024. Now at the University of Michigan, Xiangyu focuses on Natural Wood Cellulose.
Fang Niu
Email: fangniu@umich.edu
Fang is a Ph.D. student in ME. Fang graduated from The University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) with a master's degree in materials and chemical engineering in 2024. His research interests mainly include the development of High-Performance Solid-State Electrolytes; Battery Cyclic Stability and Longevity Enhancement; and Fast-Charging Battery Performance Optimization. In his free time, he enjoys going to the gym, playing basketball, playing guitar, and riding gravel bikes.
Masters Students
Kavya Jawahar
Email: jkavya@umich.edu
I am a masters student in manufacturing. I am dedicated to fostering a sustainable environment by integrating smart manufacturing and automation, aiming to optimize the resource usage. Apart from academics, I enjoy reading and have a passion for writing.
Ran Zhang
Email: ranzhang@umich.edu
Ran is a masters student in ECE. His research interests are Natural Wood Cellulose and 3D Laser Printed Materials and Devices. In addition to his academic commitments, he also enjoys badminton, traveling, and cooking.
Sharon Liu
Email: xirongl@umich.edu
Xirong Sharon Liu is a masters student in ME. Her ME 590 project focuses on Natural Wood Cellulose. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her friends, hiking, some extreme sports and cooking, and she is a big fan of roller coasters.
Tim Zhang
Email: tianyezh@umich.edu
Tim is a SUGS student in ME and is currently exploring the development of Natural Wood Cellulose. He is also greatly interested in living materials that harness multi-physical properties. He loves competition robotics, chess and hanging out with friends.
Undergraduate Students
Hi, my name is Hamza Chaudhry, and I'm an undergraduate student aspiring to specialize in ME. My interests lie in solid-state batteries.
Terry is an undergraduate student intending Biomedical Engineering. He has research interests in Natural Wood Cellulose. Besides academic passion, he also has broad interests in sports, such as basketball, skiing, and swimming.
Hello, my name is James and I am an undergraduate student in ME. My academic interests are Advanced Characterization Tools for Batteries, especially NMR Spectroscopy. Beyond my academic pursuits, I enjoy playing golf and listening to electronic music.
Melody is an undergraduate student majoring in Computer Science. Her research interests are Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA) and Battery.
Group and Team Roles
Julian Lopez & Fang Niu: New Member Safety Training and Orientation, Lab Coats, Safety Glasses, Lab Supply, Chemical Ordering, Lab Notebook Distribution
Xiangyu Lu & Zixuan Mu: Group Website (Public and Intranet), New Member Onboarding, Group Meeting Schedule, Weekly Manager Assignment, Exit Procedure
Xifei Cao & Ka Man Chung: Lab Instruments SOP Overall Checking, Renewal, Superuser List, Google Calendar Manager
Ran Zhang, Sharon Liu, Ka Man Chung, Lejun Wang, Julian Lopez, Xifei Cao, Tim Zhang: Chemical Inventory, Lab Cleaning, and Safety Team, Monthly Self-Inspection
Group Honors and Awards
Year 2024
ME Chair's Fellowship - Julian Lopez
Summer Undergraduate Research in Engineering – SURE Program (for Non-UM Undergraduate Students) - Javier Vargas Garcia from Universidad de Monterrey
Summer Undergraduate Research in Engineering – SURE Program (for Non-UM Undergraduate Students) - Karla Becerra from Universidad de Monterrey
UM Undergraduate Research, Innovation, Service and Entrepreneurship (RISE) Program - James Zhang
Rackham Merit Fellowship - Julian Lopez
Year 2023
Stanford College Offer - Cindy Shum
Summer Undergraduate Research in Engineering – SURE Program (for UM Undergraduate Students) - Terry You
The Tang Lab is energized by a diverse team of individuals who are passionate about tackling scientific challenges and eager to acquire new knowledge.
For the Past Members, please check Alumni.