Current Group Members

Laxmi Awasthi

Ph.D. Graduate Student (joined group in December 2024)

E-mail:  laxmi-awasthi@uiowa.edu

Educational Background:  B.S. (2015) in Chemistry and M.S. (2019) in Physical Chemistry from Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Research Projects:  Developing new exothermic solid-state metathesis routes to boron-rich early transition-metal borides and examination of their electrocatalytic properties. 

Buddhima Pathiraja

Ph.D. Graduate Student  (joined group in December 2023)

E-mail:  buddhima-pathiraja@uiowa.edu

Educational Background:  Graduateship in Chemistry (GIC) from College of Chemical Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Ceylon, Sri Lanka (2019)

Research Projects:  Investigating new synthetic routes to phosphorous-rich and metal-rich transition-metal phosphides using PCl₃ elimination strategies.  Examining the electrocatalytic properties of metal phosphides. 

Nadeeshan Wijesundara

Ph.D. Graduate Student (joined group in December 2022)

E-mail:  nadeesh-wijesundaramudiyanselage@uiowa.edu

Educational Background:  B.Sc. (2018) in Biological Science from University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka and M.S. (2021) in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Columbo, Sri Lanka

Research Projects:  Developing and exploring new synthetic routes to metal borides and investigation of their structure and electrocatalytic properties.