Amanda B Marciel, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor and William Marsh Rice Trustee Chair
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering | Rice
MS 306 | 231 Space Science and Technology Building
am152@rice.edu | 713-348-7231
@MarcielLabRice
GRADUATE STUDENTS
Dr. Winnie Shi
Undergraduate degree in bioengineering-biotechnology at UC San Diego. Currently studying how electrostatic interactions affect polymer solution behavior through biomimetic models. Often makes lab memes on Friday nights and cooks a mean bowl of cereal.
AlUMNI
Dr. Mo Samani
Current position: TEXDOT
I did my bachelors in Chemical Engineering where I worked on improving mechanical properties of fibrin-based bio-adhesives (Sharif UT, class of ’18). I’m leveraging unique properties of peptoids to crack the behavioral code of comb and bottlebrush polymers, and I also enjoy doing some microscopy and light scattering. In my free time I usually hang out with friends, read books, play video games, and listen to some indie and country music.
Dr. Nataira M. Pagán Pagán
Current position: ChampionX.
Nataira M. Pagán Pagán graduated from University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez with a B. S. degree in Chemical Engineering in 2015 and a M. S. degree in Chemical Engineering in 2018. Her M. S. research work focused on the synthesis and characterization of sulfonated polymer metal nanocomposites membranes with bacterial disinfection activity in water purification applications. In 2019, she joined Prof. Marciel research group as a Ph. D. student. Her research focuses on the investigation of interfacial film dynamics in asphaltene-stabilized water-in-oil emulsions at the single molecule level.
Dr. Shahryar Ramezani
Current position: Postdoc at UVA with Prof. Liheng Cai
I did my undergrad in Sharif University of Technology, where I earned my BSc. in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Chemistry. For my undergrad research I worked on simulation of microfluidic channels as a way of enhancing tissue culture oxygenation. Currently I’m working on the synthesis of polymer brushes, which are chains of polymers attached to a surface from one end. Also, I’m studying dynamics and interactions of polymer brushes with particles at a single-molecule level, using fluorescent microscopy and spectroscopy. In my free time I enjoy catching a show, watching sports or reading a book from time to time.