Team Members – Materials Chemistry Whisperers

Together We’re Growing

Research Associates

Dr. Ramesh Kumar (Fall 2024-)

Dr. Ramesh Kumar completed his PhD from IIT Madras, Chennai, in 2011. He worked as a postdoctoral researcher at SNU, South Korea, and the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. He also received the International Young Scientist Fellowship from CAS, IOP, (Beijing) between 2018 and 2020. Before joining Clemson University as a Research Specialist, he worked as an Assistant Professor at GITAM (Deemed to be University), Vizag, India from 2021 to 2024. His research interests span strongly correlated electron physics, thermoelectric materials, magnetocaloric materials, spintronics, and superconductivity, as well as emergent phenomena in these fields.

Dr. Xudong Huai (Fall 2024-)

Xudong was born in Shandong province, China. He obtained his BSc in Chemistry from Qingdao University of Science and Technology. He obtained his Ph.D. in Chemistry at Clemson University. He is excited about exploring different classes of quantum materials,.
Favorite element: Si
Favorite structure: Graphene
Hobbies: Music, Photography, Piano
Xudong on Google Scholar
xhuai@g.clemson.edu

Graduate Researchers

Dasuni Rathnaweera (Spring 2021-)

2025 Mandel Fellowship

2024 PEG Travel Award

2023 3MT Award

Dasuni was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka. She obtained her BSc in Chemistry from the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon in 2019. She was a research intern at Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology where she completed her undergraduate research titled on Urea modified calcium carbonate nanohybrids as a next-generation fertilizer. She joined our team in Spring 2021.
Favorite element: Sr
Favorite structure: C₆₀Hobbies: Hiking, Youtube, making DIY stuff
Dasuni on Google Scholar
krathna@clemson.edu

Uchenna Vivian Chinaegbomkpa (Fall 2022-)

2025 Interdisciplinary Fellowship

2024 Nigerian Student Leadership Award

2023 Distinguished Ethics Scholar Award

Uchenna hails from Imo state, Nigeria, and obtained her BSc in Chemistry from the university of Nigeria, Nsukka. After a brief program at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, where also served as a graduate assistant, Uchenna joined the Tran group, at Clemson, in September, 2022.
Favorite element: Sn
Favorite structure: Spinel
Hobbies: Cooking, music, reading and spending time with family
Orcid ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5523-7449.
Web of Science researcher ID: ABB-2787-2021
Google Scholar profile: Uchenna Chinaegbomkpa
uchinae@clemson.edu

Jeffrey Keegan Hommerding (Spring 2024-)

2023 Chemistry Faculty Award

Keegan is from Easley, South Carolina. He attended Easley High School and earned Chemistry BS with Management minor from Clemson University. He joined the team in January 2024.
Favorite Element: Ag
Favorite Structure: Iceland Spar
Hobbies: Sports, Movies and TV, Travel

Faith Adeyemi (Fall 2024-)

State of Origin: Ekiti State, Nigeria
Education: BSc in Chemistry: Adekunle Ajasin University, Nigeria, September 2023; Graduate Assistant: Redeemer’s University, Nigeria (February 2024 – July 2024)
Favorite Element: Silicon (Si)
Favorite Structure: Peridot
Hobbies: Reading, volunteering, and cooking
Google Scholar Profile: Faith Adeyemi
Contact: fadeyem@clemson.edu