TMI Newsletter | January 2026
Featured News
A team led by Dr. Guihua Yu published a PNAS paper introducing a hydrogel design that stabilizes aqueous metal batteries by strengthening water binding while maintaining ionic conductivity, enabling more durable grid-scale energy storage.
MSE alum Shanmukh Kutagulla and student Patrick Carmichael led an ACS Nano study using room-temperature pulsed laser deposition to grow boron nitride on fuel cell membranes. The approach reduced hydrogen leakage by 32% and increased power density by 20%, offering a scalable, low-cost improvement to hydrogen fuel cell performance.
Two MSE alumni from Dr. Warner’s group published papers introducing advanced electron microscopy techniques, using cryogenic ion beam milling to study liquid-electrolyte batteries and combined EELS–STEM methods to better analyze polymer desalination membranes and battery interfacial stability.
Dr. Mangolini's group developed the Full Spectrum Method (FSM) for absolute hydrogen quantification in polymers using ToF-SIMS, summing all relevant ions to reduce matrix effects. It was validated on PP, PS, and PTFE and provides a protocol for unknown polymers.
Professor Bahadur’s research group has published two papers, "Influence of thermodynamic conditions on techno-economics of megaton-scale carbon sequestration via carbon dioxide hydrates" and "Critical properties enhancement of oil-paper transformer insulation with turbostratic boron nitride". Both have been posted on ScienceDirect, addressing important challenges in carbon management and electrical materials.
Allan H. MacDonald, a University of Texas at Austin physicist, has won the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in basic sciences for his work that has enabled scientists to transform and control extraordinary phenomena linked to new materials.
Published by UT News.
MS&E Fall 2026 Recruitment
TMI hosted recruitment during January 14–17, in which prospective students participated in networking activities on Lady Bird and met with current graduate students to learn more about the program and graduate student experiences!
Dr. Manthiram Receives Honors for Contributions to Materials Research
Professor Arumugam Manthiram has recently received several prestigious recognitions highlighting his impact at the intersection of materials science and artificial intelligence. He was elected as a Fellow of the International Academy of Artificial Intelligence Sciences (AAIS), an honor that recognizes outstanding contributions to the advancement of AI-driven research and innovation. In addition, Professor Manthiram was inducted into Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Honor Society, a distinction awarded by invitation only to researchers who demonstrate excellence in scientific achievement.
Further underscoring his leadership in this space, Professor Manthiram recently spoke in a Materials Genome Initiative webinar organized by the National Academy of Engineering, where he discussed the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in accelerating battery materials development. His work continues to shape the future of energy storage research through interdisciplinary innovation and global collaboration.
Spring 2026 MSE 397 Seminar Series
Dr. Xiaoqing Pan, UC Irvine
"Atomic-Scale Imaging of Interfacial Structure, Charge, and Phonon Dynamicss"
Wednesday, February 4, 2026
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
EER 1.528
Dr. Alison Dunn, University of Florida
"Relationship between fractography and sliding friction on soft materials"
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
EER 1.528
Dr. Yimo Han, Rice University
"Advanced Electron Microscopy of Moire Quantum Materials"
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
EER 1.528
Graduate Student Spotlight: Subhashini Sugumar
Undergraduate Degree & Institution:
Subhashini Sugumar (she/her) is a second-year Ph.D. student in the Materials Science and Engineering program at The University of Texas at Austin, where she joined as part of the Fall 2024 cohort. She earned her B. Tech in Chemical and Electrochemical Engineering from CSIR–Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CECRI), India.
Cohort:
Before beginning her doctoral studies, Subhashini had experience in working as a Research Engineer at the Battery Innovation Center at Ola Electric in Bangalore, India. This experience exposed her to real-world battery challenges and helped shape her interest in developing tools that connect fundamental science with practical energy storage applications.
Current Lab:
At UT Austin, Subhashini conducts her research in the MAPLE Lab under the supervision of Prof. Venkat Subramanian. Her work focuses on physics-based electrochemical modeling of Lithium–Sulfur (Li–S) batteries, addressing the complex coupling between electrochemical reactions, electrolyte speciation, and multicomponent transport that makes these systems difficult to model and manage.
What's the best part of the project you're working on now?
One of the most rewarding aspects of her research is translating fundamental electrochemical physics into predictive models that can inform real-world battery operation. Li–S batteries are widely regarded as a promising next-generation energy storage technology due to their high theoretical capacity and energy density. Through her modeling efforts, Subhashini seeks to optimize charging protocols, understand degradation behavior, and identify operating conditions that enable longer battery life.
What advice would you give to future students that could see themselves going to graduate school and how to get there?
For students considering graduate school, Subhashini emphasizes the importance of being genuinely passionate about one’s work. She believes that curiosity, persistence, and a willingness to learn naturally help navigate challenges and pave the way toward long-term goals.
What is your favorite thing to do outside of school/work?
Outside of research, Subhashini enjoys painting, reading, hiking, kayaking, and exploring new places, especially experiencing different cultures and cuisines
Upcoming Events & Announcements
Graduate School Spring Events
- Talking to Humans: Networking for Graduate Students and Postdocs: Februrary 2 | 5:15 to 6 p.m. | Virtual
- Networking Workshop: February 17 | noon to 1:30 p.m. | FAC 2.142
- Qualitative Research Night: February 24 | 5 to 7 p.m. | RLP 1.302
- Cover Letter Workshop/Lab: February 25 | noon to 1:30 p.m. | FAC 2.142
Spring 2026 Academic Dates
- First Day of Class: January 12
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; no classes held: January 19
- 12th class day | Last day to drop a class without permission | Tuition payment deadline is 5:00 p.m. CST for undergraduate, graduate, and law students: January 28
- Payment for remaining tuition balances due by 11:59 p.m. CST: March 13
- Spring Break: March 16 - 21
