Meet
The Team

Aditya Maan
Graduate Student
Materials Science and Engineering
M.S. Materials Science and Engineering; UPenn
admaan@knights.ucf.edu
Originally from Rajasthan, India, in 2016, Aditya completed his B.S. in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at Malaviya National Institute of Technology in Jaipur where he engaged in undergraduate research on producing pure iron from mill scale and the synthesis and testing of starch-based biodegradable plastics and composites. He completed internships at the National Taiwan University with a focus on thermoelectrics with Prof. Kuei-Hsien Chen, and at the Max-Planck-Institut Für Chemische Physik Fester Stoffe with a focus on Half-Heusler compounds with Claudia Fleser. In 2019, he completed an M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania on growing CdSe/CdS quantum dots and shells with Prof. Chris Murray. Aditya joined the Materials Science and Engineering Ph.D. program in 2020 where his research focus is on developing sustainable materials for flexible electronics. Aside from academics and research, Aditya enjoys reading, playing video games, and watching movies.

Tamar Yishay
Graduate Student
Biomedical Engineering
M.S. Nanotechnology; UCF
tamaryishay@knights.ucf.edu
Born in Jerusalem, Israel, Tamar moved to Florida when she was five. From a very young age, she aspired to become a doctor and neurosurgeon. This remains a long-term goal after completing her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, inspired by her strong connection to research while pursuing undergraduate degrees in biochemistry and biology and an MS in nanotechnology at UCF. Tamar is ambitious to advance and innovate revolutionary contributions in science and medicine by incorporating her fervor for research and medical interests—specifically those in biomedical engineering, genetics, nanotechnology, immunology, and of strongest desire in neuroscience. Aside from academics and research, Tamar enjoys fitness activities, science, traveling, yoga/ meditation, cooking, and photography.

Meryl Wiratmo
Undergraduate Student
Materials Science and Engineering, minor Chemistry
Meryl grew up in Monroeville, PA. She has been passionate about all types of science from a young age, driving her research and studies in Materials Science and Engineering at UCF. Meryl joined the Crawford Lab in 2021 where she first focused on polymer composites for non-linear optic applications and now focuses on using sustainable materials for encapsulation and energy harvesting. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in high-entropy materials, materials in extreme environments, or nuclear materials. Aside from academics and research, Meryl enjoys watching science documentaries, collecting periodic tables, and going to escape rooms.

Erin Watson
Undergraduate Student
Materials Science and Engineering
While growing up in Tampa, Florida, Erin attended Calvary Christian High School, where she developed a love of chemistry and math after participating in AP Chemistry and Mu Alpha Theta. At UCF, she found materials science and engineering the perfect combination of applied chemistry and math. She joined the Crawford Research Group in 2021, where her research focus is on manufacturing sustainably sourced polymer microfibers using centrifugal force spinning for a broad range of applications. Aside from academics and research, Erin enjoys visiting theme parks, unwinding at the beach, going to concerts, and exploring all the local coffee shops wherever she goes.

Samantha Williams
Undergraduate Student
Materials Science and Engineering, minor Chemistry
While growing up in Jacksonville, Florida, Sam attended Bishop Kenny High School, where she participated in several engineering competitions that sparked her interest in researching the properties of materials and how they correlate to mechanical applications. At UCF, she is majoring in Materials Science and Engineering. She is particularly interested in polymers, which led her to join the Crawford Research Group in 2022, focusing on manufacturing polymer microfiber composites and evaluating their structure-property relationships. Aside from academics and research, Sam enjoys cooking and baking for her friends and loves reading science fiction books—which often leads her down rabbit holes of reading research papers to see how close we are to the sci-fi technology in the stories.

Arielle Myerson
Undergraduate Student
Materials Science and Engineering
Arielle is from Fort Myers, FL. She has been interested in science, math, and the environment from a young age, and selected Materials Science and Engineering to ameliorate environmental challenges. She joined the Crawford Research Group in 2022, where her research focuses on manufacturing polymer microfibers using centrifugal force spinning applications in sustainability. Beyond academics and research, Arielle enjoys reading science fiction novels, running, and learning new languages.

This Could Be You
Crawford Group
Alumni
Postdocs
Gavin Pour, Ph.D. Chemistry; Materials Scientist at Influit Energy, Chicago, IL
Priyanka Dwivedi, Ph.D. Electrical Engineering; Assistant Professor IIIT Sri City, India
Graduate Students
Wei Zhang, M.S. Materials Science and Engineering; MSE Ph.D. Program
Nadia Aboutalebi, M.S. Chemical Engineering; MSE Ph.D. Program
Zi Wang, Ph.D. Materials Science and Engineering; 3D Biosystems, 2022
Undergraduate Students
Luis Andres Acosta Meijia, B.S. Computer Engineering; Internship with First American, 2022
Brandon Ortiz, B.S. Materials Science and Engineering; Polymer Engineer, Kent, OH, 2022
Derek Lucas, B.S. Mechanical Engineering 2022
Andrew Phillips, B.S. Mechanical Engineering; Siemens Energy, 2020
Stephanie Schreiner, B.S. Biomedical Sciences; UPenn Immunology Ph.D. Program, 2021
Ashley Santana, B.S. Biomedical Sciences; NYU Biomedical Sciences M.S. Program, 2021
Hassan Haidar, B.S. Biomedical Sciences; 2018