People

Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering (2025)

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CV ~ Google Scholar

Kara is an Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering at Caltech. She grew up in Highlands Ranch, Colorado and received her BS in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University in 2016. She then completed an MPhil in Materials Science at the University of Cambridge through the support of a Churchill Scholarship. Kara graduated with her PhD from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, co-advised by Prof. Kristin Persson and Prof. Bryan McCloskey. She then went on to complete her postdoctoral work as a Schmidt Science Fellow and Junior Research Fellow in Trinity College at the University of Cambridge, working with Profs. Clare Grey and Angelos Michaelides. Outside of research, Kara is an avid birdwatcher.

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Srikant is a postdoc in the Fong Lab. He grew up in Stockton, CA and received his BS in Chemical Engineering from UC Berkeley in 2021. He earned his PhD in Chemical Engineering at Stanford University in 2026, where he was advised by Professor Jian Qin. Outside the lab, Srikant enjoys spending time outdoors and playing tennis and volleyball.

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Naiara grew up around the Pasadena area before moving across the country to get a B.A. in Chemistry at Barnard College (with a sprinkle of chemical engineering), where she worked with Prof. Lauren Marbella.  She quickly realized she missed SoCal dearly and moved back here in 2023 to pursue a PhD in Chemical Engineering. She is now a fourth year graduate student co-advised between Prof. Kim See and Prof. Kara Fong. Outside of research you can find Naiara on a beach, camping, reading a fantasy series, or at a concert.

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Maddy is a second-year PhD student in our group. Originally from Lakewood, CO, she earned her BS in Chemical Engineering, with a minor in Mathematics, from the University of Minnesota in 2024. Outside of her academic and research pursuits, Maddy is passionate about staying active and embracing the outdoors through snowboarding, running, hiking, weightlifting, and yoga.

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Eddie was born and raised in Madison, WI, and is currently a first-year Ph.D. student. He commissioned as a U.S. Army Engineer Officer after graduating from the United States Military Academy with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a minor in Engineering Management. Eddie is pursuing his graduate studies with the support of the Hertz Fellowship and is a 2025 Hertz Fellow. Outside of research, he enjoys spending time outdoors, golfing, and swimming.

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Nidhish is a first-year Ph.D. student in the Fong Lab. He was born and raised in Broadlands, VA, and he graduated with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2025. Outside of the lab, Nidhish enjoys cooking, spending time outdoors, and going to the gym.

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Mason is a first-year PhD student rotating in the Fong Lab. He grew up in El Centro, CA, and received his BS in Chemical Engineering from UC Berkeley in 2026, where he worked with Prof. Kranthi Mandadapu. Outside of academia, Mason enjoys playing music, surfing, and telling everybody how amazing the state of Oregon is!

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Phillip is a first year PhD student in Chemistry. He was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, and attended UC Berkeley, where he received a BS in Chemistry and BA in Computer Science. Outside of lab, you can catch Phillip lifting heavy things, watching the Los Angeles Lakers, playing tennis, or listening to music.

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Ryan was raised in Austin, TX and is a current junior undergraduate student. He is pursuing a degree in Chemical Engineering (Computational) and is a member of Avery House, serving as one of the social directors. Beyond academics, Ryan enjoys hiking and listening to Taylor Swift.

[email protected] Carl Crum is a sophomore at the California Institute of Technology studying applied physics. Over summer 2026, he will be completing a SURF project with graduate student Edward Chen, using molecular dynamics simulations to model ion transport under nanoconfinement. Outside of academics, Carl competes on the Caltech Men's Water Polo Team​​, is Co-Social Director of Fleming House, and volunteers with the RISE tutoring program.

[email protected] Defne is a second year MEng Chemical Engineering student at Imperial College London. Over summer 2026, she will be completing a SURF project with graduate student Maddy Murphy, using molecular dynamics simulations to study how monovalent and divalent ions adsorb at charged electrode interfaces. Outside of academics, Defne is a dedicated solo traveler who loves trying out new adventure sports, exploring new cities, and discovering their coffee shops.

[email protected] Terry was born and raised in Hong Kong and is a third-year undergraduate student of the Natural Sciences Tripos at the University of Cambridge specialising in physics; he will be joining the lab for a SURF project with graduate student Nidhish Lella over summer 2026. Besides academic pursuits, Terry sometimes spends time outdoors and also enjoys cooking and baking.