People

Yasser is a graduate student working for his MS degree in Electrical Engineering at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). He is currently working on his masters thesis, "Energy harvesting in random medium" at Oxford University under the supervision of James Kirkpatrick, PhD (Oxford), Prof. Boon Ooi (KAUST), and Prof. Andrea Fratalocchi (KAUST). He graduated Summa Cum Laude in Electrical Engineering from University of Texas at Dallas in Spring 2010.

Previously, Yasser has worked as a graduate student researcher at the Center for Advanced Molecular Photovoltaics (CAMP) at Stanford University.  For his research project, he worked on synthesis of Silver Nanowires for Transparent Electrode purpose. He also previously undertook an internship at Zyvex Labs, Texas, where he built an automated tip etcher for Atomically Precise Manufacturing.

• Sepember 2012–April 2013

• UC Berkeley, CA, USA, Research Intern.
  

• Project: Large-Area Printed Probe for Pulse Oximetry. (Worked on hardware and software for interfacing conventional electronics with printed LEDs and Photodetectros.to measure blood oxygen saturation.)

• Skills: Electronic Circuit Design, System Design, Microcontrollers, Organic Semiconductors, Characterization.

• Supervisor: Professor Ana Arias.

• July 2011–August 2011

• Oxford University, OX, UK, Research Intern.

• Project: Enhancing Light Scattering and Absorption in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells with Air Voids in T iO2 Nano-Spheres

• With Mie theory and T-matrix formulation, calculated scattering properties of air voids in T iO2 nano-spheres. Optimized air void sizes and concentration for greater efficiencies in DSSCs.

• Skills: Mathematical Modeling, Finite Difference Method, Parallel Computing, Organic Solar Cells.

• Math Advisor: James Kirkpatrick, PhD; Physics Advisor: Professor Henry Snaith.

• July 2010–August 2010

• Stanford University, CA, USA, Research Intern.
  Project: Silver Nanowire Transparent Electrodes for Replacing Existing ITO Transparent Electrodes in Organic Solar Cells

• Worked on solution synthesis to produce 10μm length silver nanowires. Developed a Matlab tool to analyze electrical response of silver nanowires, and wrote an image processing program for processing SEM images of nanowires.

• Skills: Nanowires, Chemical Synthesis, Characterization, Image Processing.

• MSE Advisor: Professor Yi Cui; EE Advisor: Professor Peter Peumans.

• September 2010–July 2012

• King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, KSA, Graduate Student Researcher.

• Project 1: Energy Harvesting in Complex Systems Experimentally investigated light trapping capabilities of deformed microstructures for energy harvesting.
  Skills: Self-assembled Monolayers, Heating and Compression Tools, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Finite
  Difference Method, Optical Microscopy, Characterization, Image Processing, UV-Vis-NIR, Python.

• Project 2: ZnO Nanorods for Simultaneous Light Trapping and Transparent Electrode Application in Solar Cells
  Studied light concentrating properties of ZnO nanorods, and at the same time evaluated those for using as
  transparent electrodes.
  Skills: Optical Microscopy, Characterization, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Finite Difference Method, UV-Vis-NIR.

• Project 3: Electrochemical Etching of Tungsten Tips for AFM, and Sliver Nano-Tips for Plasmonic Application
  Etched ultra-sharp metallic tips for scanning probe microscopy and plasmonic applications.
  Skills: Electrochemical Etching, Electronic Circuit Design, System Design, Microcontrollers, Scanning Electron
  Microscopy, Optical Microscopy, Characterization.

• Other Responsibilities: Designing and maintaining of group website photonics.kaust.edu.sa.

• Supervisor: Professor Boon Ooi; Co-Supervisor: Professor Andrea Fratalocchi.
  

• Best Poster Award, EE - Photonics Track, Electrical Engineering Days, KAUST, February 2012.

• Academic Excellence Award, (Top 5% in Graduating Class), KAUST, December 2011.

• Finalist, DOW Sustainability Innovation Student Challenge, September 2011.

• Best Poster Award, First Graduate Research Symposium, KAUST, May 2011.

• Best Poster Award, Winter Enrichment Period Research Poster Session, KAUST, January 2011.

• KAUST Provost Award, (Top 15% in Matriculating Class), KAUST, November 2010.

• KAUST Graduate Fellowship, May 2010.

• Phi Kappa Phi, Honor Society, (Top 10% in Graduating Class), UT Dallas.

• Dean’s List, All Semesters, (Top 10% in Erik Jonsson School of ECS), UT Dallas.

• Golden Key Honor Society, (Top 15% in School of ECS), UT Dallas, December 2009.

• KAUST Discovery Scholarship, October 2008.

• Academic Excellence Scholarship, UT Dallas, April 2008.

• Undergraduate Scholarship for three years, OIC, December 2005.

• Merit Scholarship, Education Board, Government of Bangladesh, (Top 1% in Graduating Class) Dec 2001, 2003, 2005.