A printable version of my CV is available here

Nicholas Ignacio

Ph.D. Candidate, Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin
Provost's Early Career Fellow, The University of Texas at Austin

2501 Speedway, Austin, 78712 TX | +1(325) 829-6146 | igni@utexas.edu | nignacio.com

Education​

2021-2025 (expected) Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering , The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX. - Advisor: Prof. Deji Akinwande
- Thesis: Phase and Defect Engineering in 2D Materials Studied by STM.

2020 Visiting Student through Materials Exchange Program , University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

2017-2021 S.B., Materials Science and Engineering , Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA.

Research Interests​

• Integration of 2D materials in PCM and RRAM for neuromorphic computing.
• Crystalline-crystalline phase transformations for multilevel PCM.
• Electronic transport in low dimensional material devices.
• Scanning transmission electron microscopy and scanning tunnelling microscopy (Cryogenic STM superuser at TMI)
• Effects of peer mentorship in learning outcomes.
• Development of online educational tools for hands-on lab skills

Awards & Honors​

2024
2024 Provost's Early Career Fellow, University of Texas at Austin, Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost.

2023
Science Gradutate Student Research Fellowship, U.S. Department of Energy, hosted by Oak Ridge National Lab, Center of Nanophase Materials Science, Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Group.

K-12 Outreach Certificate, CDCM MRSEC, University of Texas at Austin

2022
Professional Development Award, University of Texas at Austin.

2021
Virginia and Ernest Cockrell, Jr. Fellow, University of Texas at Austin.

T. W. Whaley, R. Scholarship, University of Texas at Austin.

Publications​

*Denotes equal contribution.

In Preparation​

1. M. Floto*, N.D. Ignacio*, R. Ciufo, D. Akinwande, C.B. Mullins, Hydrogen-Induced Surface Reconstruction of Co(pol) Studied by STM

Prepress​

2. S. Kutagulla, M. Coupin, C. Favela, N. D. Ignacio, N.H. Le, I. Terry, C. Bohn, J. Warner B. Korgel, D. Akinwande, Ozonated monolayer graphene for extended performance and durability in hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles Adv Mater (2024) In Review

Journal articles​

2024

3. Y. Lee, Y. Huang, Y.-F. Chang, S. J. Yang, N. D. Ignacio, S. Kutagulla, S. Mohan, S. Kim, J. Lee, D. Akinwande, S. Kim, Programmable Retention Characteristics in MoS2-Based Atmristors for Neuromorphic and Reservoir Computing Systems, ACS Nano (2024)

4. J. Xie, Md. N. Patoary,Md. A. Rahman Laskar, N. D. Ignacio, X.Zhan, U. Celano, D. Akinwande, I. Sanchez Esqueda, Quantum conductance in vertical hexagonal boron nitride memeristors with graphene-edge contancts, ACS Nano Lett 24, 8, 2473-2480 (2024).

2023

5. N. D. Ignacio, J. Fatheema, Y. Jeon, D. Akinwande, Air-stable atomically encapsulated crystalline-crystalline phase transitions in In2Se3, Adv Elec Matr 10, 1, 2300457 (2023).

6. S. Mohan, D. Kireev, S. Kutagulla, N. D. Ignacio, Y. Gu, H. Celio, X. Zhan, D. Akinwande, K. Liechti, Direct, Metal-free Growth and Dry Separation of Bilayer Graphene on Sapphire: Implications for Electronic Application, ACS Appl Nano Mater 6, 20, 19018-19028 (2023).

7. Y. Huang*, Y. Gu*, S. Mohan, A. Dolocan, N. D. Ignacio, S. Kutagulla, K. Matthews, A. Londono-Calderon, Y.-F. Chang, Y.-C. Chen, J. Warner, M.T. Pettes, J.C. Lee, D. Akinwande, Relialbility Improvement and Effective Switching Layer Model of Thin-Film MoS2 Memristors, Adv Func Mater, 2214250 (2023).

Conferences​

Posters​

2023

Structural Phase Transitions for Multi-Level In2Se3 Based Phase Change Memory, Materials Research Society (MRS) Fall 2023 Meeting, Boston, MA, USA.

2022

Control of Crystalline-Crystalline Phase Changes in In2Se3 by Encapsulation, Materials Research Society (MRS) Fall 2022 Meeting, Boston, MA, USA.

Hydrogen-Induced Surface Reconstruction of Co(poly) Studied by STM, 82nd PEC Meeting 2022, Chicago, IL, USA.

Memberships​

• American Chemical Society (ACS)
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
• Materials Research Society (MRS)
• American Physics Society (APS)

Teaching Experiences​

Teaching Assistantships​

2023 Graduate Teaching Assistant/Supplementary Instruction Leader, Department of Astronomy, Austin, TX, USA

• Introduction to Astronomy for non-STEM students (AST301) Prof. Paul Shapiro

2022 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Austin, TX, USA

• Materials Engineering (ME334) Dr. Jeremiah McCallister

2019 Undergraduate Teaching Assistant/Recitation Leader, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cambridge, MA, USA

• Introduction to Solid State Chemistry (3.091) Prof. Jeff Grossman

Pedagogical Training​

2022-2024 Graduate Certificate in Engineering Education, Cockrell School of Engineering, UT Austin, Austin, TX, USA.

2023 Teaching Preparation Certificate, Center for Teaching and Learning, UT Austin, Austin, TX, USA.

2023 Inclusive Classrooms Leadership, Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, UT Austin, Austin, TX, USA.

Service & Outreach​

2022-present, Reviewer for: ACS Nano, Journal of Emerging Investigators

08/2023-current UT Austin Materials Research Society President

08/2023-current UT Austin Graduate Engineering Council Financial Director

08/2023-current UT Austin Materials Graduate Student Assembly Materials Science representative

09/2022-09/2023 Cockrell School of Engineering DEI board member

02/2022-current K-12 STEM outreach through UT MRSEC in local elementary schools

08/2021-current MIT Education Councilor (interview prospective undergraduates)

08/2020-06/2021 MIT First year associate advisor

08/2020-06/2021 MIT undergraduate associate advising steering committee member

06/2020-06/2021 Dept. Representative on DEI board of MIT Undergraduate Association

08/2020-06/2021 Vice President of Society of Undergraduate Materials Scientists at MIT

08/2018-08/2021 Dept. of Materials Science Freshman Pre-orientation prgram mentor and coordinator

Professional Experience​

08/2020-07/2021 SLS Materials Engineer, Formlabs

06/2019-08/2019 Low Observable Materials Intern, Lockheed Martin Skunkworks

01/2019 Low Observable Materials Intern, Lockheed Martin Skunkworks

Last updated: October 2024