The Department of Chemical Engineering celebrates Asian Pacific Islander DESI American Heritage Month (APIDAHM) and highlights some of our faculty.
Won Tae Choi, Ph.D.
Q: Tell us about your research.
My research is aimed at design and engineering of electrochemical systems for energy and sensor applications. We seek to address key questions related to electrochemical systems by leveraging electrochemistry, materials chemistry, and device engineering. Our interests include synthesis of new materials for electrochemical devices, combining electroanalysis and spectroscopy to understand dynamics and kinetics of electrochemical processes, perturbating chemistry and physics of materials to develop structure-property relationships, and developing architectures for efficient energy devices (e.g., supercapacitors and solar fuel production systems) and electronics (e.g., sensors).
Q: What is the best advice you’ve received?
“Try to break down big and ambitious goals into smaller tasks so that you can keep achieving something to maintain your motivation level.”
Q: Who inspires you?
Professor Allen J. Bard was my postdoc advisor. His philosophy of research, ethics, and training students inspired me a lot. “We make our contribution in terms of the science, and then it’s forgotten who did it. But your students go on and they have students, and those students have students, and they all make big contributions”.
Q: How do you hope to inspire the next generation?
Sharing knowledge with others is important. By sharing knowledge, we can have versatile perspectives and make bigger contributions to society and the community.
Q: Please share a fun fact about yourself.
I like collecting Nike shoes.
Q: What do you do for fun, or as a hobby?
I like playing and watching sports.
LiLu Funkenbusch, Ph.D.
Q: Tell us about your contributions to the department.
My primary responsibility is teaching the Unit Operations 2 Lab. I do a bit of educational research on teaching methods and new experiments for the lab, but teaching has always been my primary passion. I also teach Unit Ops Management and sometimes Professional Seminar with Dr. Merida.
Q: What is the best advice you’ve received?
It sounds corny but be yourself! We spend a lot of time worrying about what others think. But focusing on your passions and doing what you think is right are more important. You can be successful and happy with who you are.
Q: Who inspires you?
My mom! She is a Chinese immigrant who earned three degrees (BS, MS, PhD) in three different languages (Chinese, Japanese, English), worked in the engineering industry, and eventually made the switch to teaching to prioritize her family. She has the most drive and determination of anyone I’ve ever met, despite having faced discrimination due to her race and gender throughout her career.
Q: How do you hope to inspire the next generation?
Again, I think it’s a bit corny, but I just want to be there for them. I’m the oldest of four, and I’m very proud of my siblings. They’ve had every opportunity in education, due to strong role models and career coaching from our family. I want to help provide that for my students, whether it’s being a role model or providing career advice or helping make a networking connection that helps their career.
Q: Please share a fun fact about yourself.
I’m the third generation of college professors in my family. My grandpa taught math, my dad teaches mechanical engineering, and now I teach chemical engineering! (I’m crossing my fingers at least one of my siblings goes into teaching too!)
Q: What do you do for fun, or as a hobby?
I love to read (sci-fi and fantasy, usually). I also knit and crochet. My husband and I have started gardening recently and are crossing our fingers for a crop of super-hot peppers. We also do a lot of woodworking in our garage. Our most recent project was a gated pen to keep deer away from our garden. Next up is a table for our porch! And of course, spoiling our beloved dog (Ellie) and cat (Momo).
Yeongseon Jang, Ph.D.
Q: Tell us about your research.
Biological systems often display superior materials’ properties and sophisticated functions in hierarchically self-assembled structures. Our group seeks to develop such highly functional, bioinspired materials made of soft materials (e.g., proteins and polymers) by tuning their self-assembly behavior and nanostructures. Current research focuses on designing and engineering heterogeneous protein-assembled vesicles and nanostructured polymer thin films to develop artificial cells and bactericidal surfaces.
Q: What is the best advice you’ve received?
“Seize the opportunity. Do not be afraid of taking on challenges.” I was a cautious person who was afraid of making mistakes and always tried to be perfect in everything. In my journey, my advisors and mentors helped me to realize no one can be perfect and only a challenger can seize a chance. I always try to keep this advice in mind to step up. Similarly, “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new,” attributed to Albert Einstein.
Q: Who inspires you?
Many people inspire me. I think all helped get me to this stage. My high school literature teacher taught me that “everything in the universe is your textbook.” This made me think about the things happening to me, my people, and the world in learning aspects; even bad examples/failures can be a good resource/experience for me to grow up. My parents inspire me to have a “positive” attitude with endless love and support. My academic advisors are great role models who truly inspire me to become a good researcher, mentor, and teacher like them.
Q: How do you hope to inspire the next generation?
Like people who inspired me, I would like to be a good role model for the next generation, particularly international female students who pursue their careers in the U.S. If I become a successful model and am open to sharing my experiences with them, I believe that will be the best way to inspire the next generation with sincere hope.
Q: Please share a fun fact about yourself.
Well, I am a huge fan of the Harry Potter series. Read whole books and watched the movies more than 10 times. I have two, 1,000 piece Harry Potter puzzles in my office 😊
Q: What do you do for fun, or as a hobby?
Draw pictures, read books, watch Korean TV shows and listen to K-Pops.
Read more about Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month (APIDAHM)
