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Workshop Instructors

Dr. Mario Marques

image Mario Marques is interested in developing density functional theory methods and understanding different light and matter interactions.

Previously, Mario Marques investigated how vibrations influence optical properties of photosynthetic bacteria in the group of Prof. Linn Leppert at the University of Bayreuth. He earned his PhD from Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, where he studied the structure and dynamics of materials using machine learning under the guidance of Prof. Miguel Marques. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Coimbra, where he studied optical and magnetical properties of endohedral silicon cages in the group of Prof. Fernando Nogueira.

Ayisha Yankey

image Hi, my name is Ayisha Yankey. I am currently a high school senior and an incoming Electrical and Computer Engineering major at Carnegie Mellon University. Since last summer, I’ve been working at the ASRC in the photonics lab, where I focus on automating experimental setups. I’m excited to contribute to this workshop and happy to assist in any way I can.

Dr. Romain Tirole

image Romain Tirole’s research focuses on the investigation of various materials and nanostructures as platforms for nonlinear optical time-varying media. Time-varying photonics recently surged as a steaming field of research thanks to its promises for control of waves, yet their implementation in optics remains challenging. Using nonlinear optical techniques such as pump-probe spectroscopy, harmonic generation microscopy or Z-scan, Romain explores how the dynamics of charges carriers can help create such devices. With years of hands-on experience synchronizing instruments in tedious measurements, he’s looking forward to sharing his struggles and learned lessons with you! Romain Tirole joined the ASRC and Prof. Andrea Alù’s team as a Research Fellow in 2023 after receiving his PhD in Physics from Imperial College London working in Prof. Riccardo Sapienza’s group. Previously, Romain completed his undergraduate degrees studying at the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London and the Classe Préparatoire aux Grandes Écoles Pierre de Fermat in Toulouse.

Dr. Evripidis Michail

image Evripidis Michail’s research focuses on light–matter interactions, with the goal of investigating functional optical and electronic properties of materials and nanodevices to enable their integration into advanced technological applications.
His work primarily centers on the design and development of high-throughput, ultrafast optical and optoelectronic probes. These tools enable sensitive spectroscopic characterization of materials and photonic devices under conditions of strong light–matter coupling or intense electromagnetic fields. Through these techniques, he explores distinctive materials' properties, thereby proposing the design of nanodevices or molecular architectures with tailored functionalities, contributing to a robust scientific foundation with relevance to emerging technologies.
Evripidis joined the Advanced Science Research Center in 2021 as a Research Associate in Professor Matthew Sfeir’s research group within the Photonics Initiative. He earned his Ph.D. in Applied and Chemical Physics from Julius Maximilians University of Würzburg in Germany and received his master’s and bachelor’s degrees in physics from the University of Patras in Greece.

Kamyar Rashidi

image I’m an optics and photonics researcher specializing in the optimal design and experimental study of optical and photonic devices. I have hands-on experience testing optical modules, performing various optical measurements (such as spectroscopy and Fourier imaging), and automating these processes using object-oriented programming. 

 

 

Dr. Arash Nemati

image Arash Nemati received his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the National University of Singapore in 2020. He is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Advanced Science Research Center, City University of New York. His research primarily focuses on tunable metasurfaces and optoelectronic devices. He previously served as a Scientist at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore. Dr. Nemati has received several recognitions, including the Best Student Paper Award at APNFO12, the Best Poster Award at ICMAT 2019, and the 2018–2019 Best Paper Award from Opto-Electronic Advances.