People

Joshua Willoughby
Ph.D. Student

Joshua Willoughby is a 3rd year Ph.D. student in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Clemson. He received a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering with a minor in Chemistry in 2022 from Clemson University. His research interests are energy conversion technologies and co-ionic conducting electrolytes for fuel cells. In his free time, Josh enjoys weightlifting, playing video games, and reading.

Nakeshma Cassel
Ph.D. Student

Nakeshma Cassel is a 4th year PhD student in the MSE department at Clemson University. She previously received her B.S. in chemistry with a minor in Mathematics from the University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas in 2017. Her current research interests are in thermochemistry and crystal structure of hollandite- type materials. In her spare time, Nakeshma enjoys reading, dancing and traveling.

Peyton McGuire
Ph.D. Student

Peyton McGuire is a 4th year PhD student in the MSE Department at Clemson University. He earned a B.A. in Chemistry and Physics from Coe College in his hometown of Cedar Rapids, IA, in 2021. His current research involves the study of glass/glass-ceramic nuclear salt waste forms, with a primary focus on tin fluorophosphates. Outside of the lab, Peyton enjoys reading, writing science fiction, and dabbling in acting/voice acting; he is also an active member in the Graduate Student Government, serving as its Treasurer since 2023.

Rahul Rajeev
Ph.D. Student

Rahul Rajeev is a 4th year PhD student in the MSE department at Clemson University. He previously received his Bachelor of Technology with Honors in Materials Science and Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar in 2020. His current research interest is the 3D printing and laser sintering of lithium conducting oxides. In his free time, Rahul enjoys playing soccer, road trips, and exploring new places.

Nathan Cretegny

Nathan Cretegny was a masters student in the Brinkman group at Clemson University, graduating in 2024. He received a B.S. in Material Science and Engineering from Clemson University in 2022, with a minor in Chemistry. His undergraduate research focused on properties of triple conducting cathode materials, and his masters work focused on hexagonal layered perovskite materials for electrolyte applications in protonic ceramic fuel cells. When not doing research Nathan enjoys working out, listening to music, playing soccer, and skiing.

Dr. Shraddha Jadhav

Dr. Shraddha Jadhav was a Postdoctoral Researcher in Brinkman group. She received her master’s (M.Sc.) in Analytical Chemistry from Fergusson College, Pune, India in 2013. She did her Ph.D. in Chemical Science from Universidad de Guanajuato, Gto. Mexico as well as during academia worked as a research scholar in DOMEN Lab at Shinshu University & The University of Tokyo, Japan during 2018- 2019. Her doctorate worked involved synthesis, characterization and development of heterogeneous metal oxide nanocomposites and their photocatalytic studies toward environmental applications. Her work focused on Materials synthesis and characterization efforts on oxides for energy including solid state ionic conductors based on garnet structured LLZO. Shraddha also likes hiking, watching movies, cooking, travelling.

Dr. Nancy R. Birkner

Dr. Nancy Birkner was a Research Assistant Professor in the Brinkman group. She earned her PhD in Inorganic Chemistry at the University of California Davis in 2015 with her advisor Alexandra Navrotsky. Her PhD focused on the application of experimental thermodynamics to solve difficult research questions about complex oxide minerals and materials at the bulk and nanoscale. Dr. Birkner’s research currently applies experimental thermodynamics and Raman spectroscopy to examine the phase formation, stability, reactivity, and local structure of simple- and complex-structured inorganic oxides, MOFs, and molten salts. She has various additional interests including the violin, ballroom dancing, body building, alpine skiing, and golfing.

Jack Duffy

Jack Duffy received his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Clemson University in 2023. He previously received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Northeastern University in 2018. Jack focused on cathode materials for protonic ceramic fuel cell applications, especially the fundamental properties of triple-conducting mixed ionic-electronic conductors. He also works on surface-level and microstructural modification of cathode materials for application. Jack enjoys hiking, watching and playing sports, and listening to music in his free time.

Donovan Moses

Donovan Moses was a PhD student in MSE Department at Clemson University. He previously received his B.S in Materials Science and Engineering with a minor in electronic and photonic materials from Penn State University. His research interests are in functional ceramic energy harvesting devices and anode materials for fuel cells. Donovan likes to hike, play drums, and play basketball in his free time.

Dr. Changlong Li

Changlong Li received his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Clemson University in 2021. He previously obtained his B.S. in Applied Chemistry from Shantou University in Guangdong, China. He also received his M.S. in both Materials Science and Engineering and Computer Science at Clemson University. Changlong focused on solid-state Lithium ion conducting garnets for solid-state lithium ion batteries, including microstructural modification and computational and experimental investigation of material thermodynamics.

Dr. Mingyang Zhao
Ph.D. Student

Mingyang Zhao received his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Clemson University in 2021. He previously received his B.S. from Hohai University in 2013 and his M.S. from the University of Florida in 2015, both in Materials Science and Engineering. Mingyang focused on thermochemistry and electrochemistry of hollandite-type materials as nuclear waste forms and solid-state conductors.

Dr. Jun Gao

Jun Gao received his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Clemson University in 2021. He previously received his B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Nanjing Tech University in 2014 and received his M.S. at Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2017. Jun focused on energy conversion and storage materials, especially on oxygen-ion and protonic-based solid oxide fuel cells and nanostructured ceramic membranes for enhanced tritium management. He also worked on the proton/deuterium surface exchange process using in-situ Raman technique. Currently working as a postdoc in Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Dr. Yuqing Meng

Dr. Yuqing Meng was a postdoctoral researcher in the Brinkman group from 2018-21. He previously received in PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from University of Science and Technology of China in 2018, and joined the Brinkman group that same year. Dr. Meng’s research interests focused on sustainable clean energy based on solid state ionic materials, including oxygen-ion conducting and proton-conducting ceramics. He has technical expertise in synthesis and electrochemical characterization of ceramic fuel cells, electrolysis cells, and catalytic membrane reactors.

Dr. Christopher Dandeneau

Dr. Christopher Dandeneau was a postdoctoral researcher in the Brinkman Group at Clemson University. He previously received his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Washington. He is currently working in Savannah River National Laboratory.

Dr. Akihiro Iishi

Dr. Akihiro Iishi was a postdoctoral researcher in the Brinkman group from 2019-2020. He previously received his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Tohoku University. While in the Brinkman group, his research focused on 3D printing of oxide materials for solid-state protonic ceramic fuel cells and lithium ion batteries. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Takamura group at Tohoku University.

Dr. Robert Grote

Dr. Robert Grote received his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Clemson University in 2019. His research focused on the effect of composition on the structure, symmetry, and stability of tunnel-structured hollandite ceramics for nuclear waste immobilization. Research Engineer at Semiconductor Solutions in Columbus, Ohio.