CNI Super Users
CNI Super Users are advanced graduate students who serve as technical leads within the shared laboratory community. Each Super User is assigned to a specific instrument or process area, where they develop deep expertise and act as a point of contact for peer training, troubleshooting, and technical development. Working closely with CNI staff, they help onboard new users, optimize tool performance, and contribute to the continuous improvement of lab workflows.
The program is designed not only to support CNI operations, but also to provide Super Users with meaningful opportunities for professional growth and leadership development. Super Users gain hands-on experience mentoring peers, collaborating with facility staff, and managing real-world technical challenges—all of which strengthen their skill sets for careers in academia, industry, or startups. In recognition of their contributions, Super Users receive an annual award to support educational resources and conference travel.
Interested in becoming a Super User?
[Download the Super Users Program brochure]
For more information, please contact Jacob Trevino at jt2900@columbia.edu
CNI Super Users
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Vivian Zhou
Tools: Mask Writer DWL+66, Heidelberg 3u, SUSS Mask Aligners
PhD Student: Electrical Engineering
Lipson Nanophotonics Group
Email: vz2159@columbia.edu
LinkedIn -

Megan Noga
Tools: Dicing Saw
PhD Student: Electrical Engineering
Laboratory for Unconventional Electronics
Email: men2144@columbia.edu
LinkedIn -

Yierfan (Erfan) Mardan
Tools: PANalytical XPert3 Powder XRD
PhD Student: Civil Engineering
Kawashima Lab
Email: my2764@columbia.edu
LinkedIn -

Xuanjing Chu
Tools: Park AFM
PhD Student: Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics
Hone Group
Email: xc2562@columbia.edu
LinkedIn
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Oliver Durnan
Tools: Angstrom Evaporator, Angstrom UHV, & AJA Sputter
PhD Student: Electrical Engineering
Laboratory for Unconventional Electronics
Email: sk5310@columbia.edu
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Hans Blomenkamp
Tools: Zeiss SEM
PhD Student: Electrical Engineering
Lipson Nanophotonics Group
Email: hb2694@columbia.edu
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Sameer Rajendra Kalghatg
Tools: Agilent GPC & Eco SEC GPC
PhD Student: Chemical Engineering
Kumar Research Group
Email: sk5310@columbia.edu
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Richard “Reed” Thomson
Tools: Oxford ICP Fl RIE/DRIE, Oxford ICP Cl RIE, Oxford Direct Load RIE
PhD Student: Electrical Engineering
Lipson Nanophotonics Group
Email: rht2119@columbia.edu
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Kateryna Kusyak
Tools: Wire Bonder
PhD Student: Physics
McIver Lab
Email: kk3678@columbia.edu
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Ethan Liu
Tools: Angstrom UHV Evaporator & Angstrom EVO Evaporator
PhD Student: Electrical Engineering
ETHER Lab
Email: yl5188@columbia.edu
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Willa Mihalyi-Koch
Tools: Rigaku Syngergy-S-SCXRD & Agilent Supernova XRD
Post Doc: Chemistry
Roy Research Group
Email: wm2537@columbia.edu
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Ted Chung
Tools: Autofinders
PhD Student: Mechanical Engineering
Hone Group
Email: tc3163@columbia.edu
LinkedIn
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Benson (Zhi Hao) Peng
Tools: Beamer, CMP Poly 400
PhD Student: Mechanical Engineering
Lipson Nanophotonics Group
Email: zp2234@columbia.edu
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Ariane Marchese
Tools: Bruker FastScan AFM
PhD Student: Mechanical Engineering
Hone Group
Email: akm2233@columbia.edu
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Shriddha Chaitanya
Tools: CMP G&P POLI-400L
PhD Student: Electrical Engineering
Lipson Nanophotonics Group
Email: sc4262@columbia.edu
LinkedIn -

Katherine Lee
Tools: Thermo Fisher Talos S-TEM
PhD Student: Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics
Barmak Group
Email: kl3519@columbia.edu
LinkedIn
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Saya Okuno
Tools: Thermo Fisher Talos S-TEM
PhD Student: Chemistry
Nuckolls Group
Email: sco2120@columbia.edu
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Haley Ellant
Tools: Renishaw Micro-Raman & Horiba Confocal Raman
Undergrad: Barnard
Basov Group
Email: hre2110@barnard.edu
LinkedIn