People
Lu Research Group
Summer 2024
Fall 2023
Principal Investigator
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028
Science Hall 301-I
(856) 256-5463
Dr. Ping Lu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Rowan University. He received his Ph.D. in Agricultural & Environmental Chemistry from the University of California Davis. He then worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the Washington University in St. Louis and the Georgia Institute of Technology. His research involves the synthesis, fabrication, and characterization of polymeric and inorganic nanostructures for energy, environmental, and health applications. Dr. Lu has published peer-reviewed research papers in leading journals in chemistry and materials science, such as the Journal of the American Chemical Society, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, and Nano Letters. Dr. Lu is a Section Editor of Recent Patents on Nanotechnology (2022 Impact Factor 2.321; 2022-present), Editorial Board Member of Green Energy and Environmental Technology (2022-present), Carbohydrate Polymers (2022 Impact Factor 11.2; 2014-present), and Nanotechnology (2022 Impact Factor 3.5; 2017-present).
Current Group Members
Ph.D. Students
John Schossig
(2023-)
Currently a Ph.D. student in the Materials Science & Engineering Program. John likes to spend time with friends, ride bike, or play music in his free time.
Qiangjun hao
(2024-)
Qiangjun Hao is an international student from China. He received his B.S. degree in environmental science in 2020 from Huaibei Normal University and his M.S. degree in environmental science in 2023 from the Chinese Academy of Sciences University. Currently, he is a Ph.D. student in Pharmaceutical Chemistry. In the future Qiangjun wants to become a teacher.
M.S. Students
Wanying Wei
(2020-)
Wanying received her B.S. degree in Chemistry from Rowan University in 2021. Currently she is a M.S. student in Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Kai Xu
(2020-)
Kai is an international student from China, and he received his B.S. degree in Biochemistry in 2021 from Rowan University. Currently, he is a M.S. student in Pharmaceutical Sciences. In the future, Kai wants to become a doctor. Kai likes watching movies, comics and anime at the weekend.
Adedayo Towolawi
(2023-)
Adedayo Towolawi is an international student from Nigeria. He received his B.S. in Chemistry in 2022 from Lagos State University, Nigeria. Currently, he is a M.S. student in Pharmaceutical Sciences. In the future, Adedayo wants to become a Doctor.
Undergraduate Students
Kevin Arizapana
(2022-2024)
Kevin is an undergraduate student studying at Rowan University. In 2023, he will graduate after pursuing a B.S. degree in Chemistry. He plans to go into research after graduation. In his free time, he enjoys being social, play card games and light off fireworks.
adam peru
(2023-)
Adam is a student at Rowan University who is pursuing his B.S. in Chemical Engineering. He is expecting to graduate in Spring 2026. In his free time, he enjoys painting, skateboarding, and listening to music.
Franklin, Brianna
(2023-2024)
Brianna is an undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Chemistry at Rowan University. She plans to go into research after graduation. She enjoys swimming, reading, and spending time with her family in her free time.
Gabriella Begley
(2023-)
Gabby is a part of the Class of 2026 at Rowan University studying Molecular and Cellular Biology and Physics. She loves to spend time with friends and family and hopes to pursue a career in the medical field.
Mayooran Mohanakanthan
(2023-)
Hi my name is Mayooran Mohanakanthan and I am a first generation college student attending Rowan University. I am a Biological Sciences with a Psychology Minor and a Premedical concentration. In my free time, I tutor music students at the Summer Youth Band at Pitman and read various books. In the future, I hope to get accepted to Cooper Medical School.
Marx, Ashley
(2024-)
Ashley Marx is pursuing a B.S. in Chemistry! She is a pharmacy technician and hopes to continue in the pharmaceutical industry after graduation. In her free time, she enjoys studying other languages and cultures, drawing, and dancing.
Savastano, Derek
(2024-)
Derek is an undergraduate student at Rowan University, double majoring in Chemistry and Biology. In his free time Derek likes to go to the gym, spend time with friends, and thinking about ways of helping others & bringing change.
Bayiha, Erwan
(2024-)
Erwan is a student at Rowan College of South Jersey pursuing a Biology A.S. He plans on transferring to a 4-year institution to complete his degree work in the medical field.
High School
Sumedha Jayaraman
(2022-2023)
Sumedha Jayaraman is a rising junior at WWP High School South in NJ and will be graduating in 2024. She is passionate about chemistry, especially in the fields of nanoscience and quantum applications, and has founded a quantum club in her school. Sumedha also enjoys performing Indian classical music on her instrument, the veena.
Leo Li
(2023)
Leo Li is a rising senior at WWP High School South in NJ and will be graduating in 2024. He is passionate about chemistry and geoscience, and is interested in the use of nanomaterials in environmental applications. In his spare time, he enjoys running, collecting rocks and minerals, and constructing model aircraft.
Sarah-Grace Coren
(2023)
Sarah-Grace Coren is a rising senior at Germantown Academy and will be graduating in 2024. She is passionate about chemistry and biology and is interested in a future career as a trauma surgeon. In her spare time, she volunteers as an emt and is a student pilot.
Dhanya Jayaraman
(2024)
Dhanya is a rising junior at WWP High School South in New Jersey, set to graduate in 2026. She is passionate about the intersection of computation and chemistry and is actively involved in projects organized by Girls Who Code and Qubit by Qubit. In her spare time, Dhanya teaches math, Indian classical music, and Sanskrit to elementary school children.
Alumni
Simone Murray
(2016-2019)
Simone graduated from Binghamton University in May 2015 with a BA degree in Chemistry. She started her LIU chemistry graduate program in the fall of 2015 and graduated in August, 2019.
Rawan Ghaban
(2017-2019)
Rawan got her B.S degree from Taibah University in Medina, Saudi Arabia in 2012. She became a chemistry graduate student at LIU Brooklyn in the spring of 2016. Her research is on phase-change materials for thermal energy storage. Rawan graduated in August, 2019 from LIU.
Jiahao Chen
(2017-2019)
Jiahao received his B.S. degree from Yunnan University in China in 2016. He worked as an intern in a lubricant factory from February 2017 to July 2017. He became a graduate student in Chemistry Department in the fall of 2017. Jiahao graduated from LIU in August, 2019.
Justin Dixon
(2020)
My name is Justin Dixon a sophomore Translational biomedical science major at Rowan University; And heading to Grad School after undergrad.
Samantha Lynch
(2020)
My name is Samantha Lynch and I am currently a senior Chemistry major at Rowan University. I am also studying to obtain a certification in secondary education. I plan on working as a high school Chemistry teacher in the near future.
Juhi Surti
(2020)
My name is Juhi Surti and I am currently a junior at Rowan University. I am majoring in Biological Sciences and minoring in Psychology. I am pursuing a pre‐med pathway and plan on attending medical school.
Naina Raju
(2020)
My name is Naina Raju, I am a biology major with a psychology minor here at Rowan University. I currently am in my third year and hope to continue on to medical school after undergrad.
Ryan Hart
(2020-2021)
My name is Ryan Hart, and I am a junior at Rowan University. As a biochemistry major, it is my goal to pursue a career performing biomedical research. My hobbies include watching/playing ice hockey, listening to music, and studying science.
Emily Rooney
(2020-2021)
My name is Emily Rooney, and I am a freshman biomedical engineering major at Rowan University. I am on the E‐board of Engineers Without Borders, run cross country and track for Rowan, and am an active participant in the Pre‐Health Society and the Problem‐based Learning organization.
Christopher Beck
(2021)
My name is Chris Beck and I am a senior at Rowan, starting in 2017. I wanted to teach high school chemistry, but have been thinking about entering the brewing/distilling business after graduating.
Jacob Fowler
(2021)
Jacob is currently an undergraduate student at Rowan University and will graduate with his B.S. degree in Chemistry in 2022. After which he hopes to get work experience in the field while continuing as a graduate.
pavan patel
(2021)
Pavan is a chemistry major at Rowan University. He is currently in his senior year and hopes to purse a master degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences after graduation.
Sahil Verma
(2021)
Sahil received his associates in Liberal Arts, Math and Science from LaGuardia Community College, Queens, New York. He started Rowan University as a Chemistry major. He loves art and enjoy drawing and painting very much during free time.
Dev Patel
(2019-2022)
Currently an undergraduate student at Rowan University studying biomedical engineering. Joined Rowan in September 2019. Planning to attend Rowan SOM in the near future.
Harmann Singh
(2019-2022)
Harmann currently attends Rowan University and is majoring in biomedical engineering with the intention of heading to Rowan SOM in the future.
Christopher Wileczek
(2022)
Chris is a chemistry major in his senior year at Rowan University. His plans for the future are to move into the field of pharmaceuticals or materials science.
Anthony Lopez
(2022)
My name is Anthony and I'm currently in my senior year. I am majoring in Chemistry, looking to finish in Spring 2023 with a B.S. Afterwards I will most likely pursue a career in either the Cannabis or Research & Development/Quality Analysis field. I enjoy things like sports, gaming, and spending time with family and friends.
Jordynn Stallard
(2023)
Jordynn Stallard is a senior pursuing a B.A. in Chemistry at Rowan University. She plans to graduate this spring of 2023 and continue her education in an accelerated nursing program. Jordynn enjoys playing soccer and listening to music in her free time.
Dougherty, Michael
(2023-)
Michael is currently a senior pursuing a B.S. in Chemistry and a Certificate in Cannabinoid Chemistry at Rowan University. After graduation, he plans to go into research. Michael currently plays rugby for the Hibernian Rugby Club in Pennsylvania in his free time.
Alexis Bensley
(2022-2023)
My name is Lexi and I am currently a senior pursuing a B.S. in Chemistry here at Rowan. I plan on working in the fragrance industry after I graduate. I enjoy going for long walks and traveling.
Jayeshkumar Nayak
(2023)
Hello, I'm Jayeshkumar Nayak, an international student from India. I'm on an exciting journey towards achieving my M.S. degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Rowan University. Outside of my academic pursuits, I have a deep passion for watching movies, indulging in music, and exploring religious places during the weekends.
Jessica Holck
(2023)
Hi, my name is Jessica and I am studying for a BA in chemistry. I plan to graduate in the spring of 2024. In my free time, I enjoy drawing and painting, reading, and watching shows with my friends.
Shaik, Riyan Babu
(2023)
Riyan is currently an undergraduate freshman student at Rowan University pursuing his B.S. in Computer Science. After graduation, he plans to go into research. He enjoys reading and spending time with his family in his free time.
Michael Wildy
(2021-2024)
Michael received his B.S. degree in Chemistry from Rowan University in 2021. He is currently continuing at Rowan to pursue a Pharmaceutical Sciences M.S. degree. His hobbies include biking, skiing, and skateboarding.
High School Students
Vincent Wang (Midwood High School)
Jennifer Duong (Midwood High School)
Jessie Zheng (Midwood High School)
Katie Nikishina (Midwood High School)