Rianne De Leon

Graduate Student studying Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern. I am interested in novel electronic materials and their device applications.

Northwestern University Lauhon Lab- Graduate Researcher

Evanston, Illinois – December 2024 to Present

• Lead exploratory materials research studying oxide-polymer composite to leverage the electrostatic and volumetric doping that each component can provide. 
• Developed OECTs devices utilized the composite as the channel material for neuromorphic computing applications. 
• Characterized the electrical properties of the devices during operation and before and after electrochemical doping, to study the reversible and non-volatile responses. 
• Studied the structural changes in the devices during operation using Raman Spectroscopy.
• Developed my own workflow to visual and analyze data using Python. 
• Presented findings at group meeting and to NU-MRSEC IRG-2 collaborators.

New Brunswick, New Jersey – December 2022 to August 2024

• Enhanced the luminescence of a novel halide containing organic molecule using plasmonic metasurfaces.
• optimized size and periodicity of plasmonic nanoparticle metasurfaces to maximize coupling between plasmons and light emitting molecule. 
• Characterized the photophysical properties of bromine containing molecule and explored its application in an OLED device.
• Presented updates to peers during senior lab classes and to the research group.
• Presented findings as a poster at Rutgers Malcolm G. McLaren Symposium and was awarded the undergraduate first place prize. 

Piscataway, New Jersey – May 2023 to August 2023

• Collaborated with a lead scientist to develop manufacturing infrastructure to grow gallium nitride high electron mobility transistors on large substrates for electric vehicle applications.
• Presented findings to PI and company CEO weekly.
• Grew efficient power devices that can function at high currents (>20A) and high voltages (>600V).

New Brunswick, New Jersey – October 2021 to December 2022

• Processed immiscible polymer blends via extrusion and injection molding that used recycled polymers as the matrix and layered materials as an additive to increase the mechanical properties of the polymer. 
• Conducted mechanical tests (flex, tensile, impact) on immiscible polymer blends following ASTM standards.
• Developed methods that used the MTS Static Materials Test machine to measure the

Working towards a Masters Degree in Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University.