Team
Principle Investigator
Fazel Tafti was born in Yazd, a city that dates back to 4000 Ҵý in central Iran, and is famous for its rich history, unique architecture, and delicious sweets. Fazel completed his undergraduate studies at Tehran University and then immigrated to Canada. His Ph.D. thesis at the University of Toronto was supervised by Prof. Stephen Julian and focused on developing transport measurements under ultrahigh pressures in diamond anvil cells. He completed two postdoctoral positions, one in physics at the University of Sherbrooke with Prof. Louis Taillefer, and another in chemistry at Princeton University with Prof. Bob Cava. He joined Boston College in 2016 to build a cross-disciplinary research lab at the junction of physics, chemistry, and materials science. Research in the Tafti Lab is focused on the design of new quantum materials with specific functions such as magnetocaloric effect, topological superconductivity, and quantum entanglement. Such materials have applications in atomically thin devices, quantum computers, sustainable energy, and ultra-fast electronics. Fazel is a hands-on adviser who enjoys discussing physics and spending time with his students. His interests outside physics are reading novels, playing Flamenco guitar, hiking, and rock climbing.
Current Members
Dr. Bhawana Mali
Postdoctoral Researcher
I received my Bachelor’s degree from the Physics Department at Mohanlal Sukhadia University in 2013. As an undergraduate, I had the opportunity to understand various physics concepts through experiments. There I gained interest in physics and continued my Masters in Physics, which I completed in 2015. My master’s thesis was mainly based on multiphase analysis of Titanium di-Oxide through X-ray diffraction. Then I started my Ph.D. in the Physics Department at the Indian Institute of Science, where I have grown single crystals of rare-earth orthoferrites by the optical float zone method and studied their structural and magnetic properties. I joined Tafti lab as a Postdoc to further pursue my interest in Quantum materials. My current research is focused on synthesizing quantum materials and analyzing their physical and chemical properties. In my free time, I enjoy playing badminton and cooking.
Xiaohan Yao
Fifth-year Ph.D. student
I received my BSc degree from the physics department at Peking University in 2014. My undergraduate research involved activities on nanoscale semiconductors in the junior year at Prof. Ye’s Lab, where I synthesized and characterized a series of two-dimensional semiconductors, especially heterostructures. I joined Boston College as a Ph.D. candidate at the Tafti Lab in 2019. My research is focused on understanding the hydrodynamic limit of electron transport via a combination of DFT calculations and transport experiments.
Alenna Streeter
Research Technician
I received my bachelor’s degree in Physics from the State University of New York at Geneseo in 2020. There, I gained a passion for teaching through assisting with lab courses from astronomy to digital electronics. I was introduced to experimental condensed matter physics during an REU at the University of Rochester in 2019. My research there focused on correcting defects in the crystal substrate of spin qubit quantum nanostructures. I joined Tafti Lab in 2020 to further pursue my interest in quantum materials as a Ph.D. candidate. My current research is focused on X-ray and neutron diffraction, with plans to investigate proposed Kitaev spin liquid materials, which are candidates for the realization of topological quantum computers. In my free time, I enjoy being involved in physics community outreach programs, riding horses, and eating good food.
Kyle Fruhling
Fourth-year Ph.D. student
I am from Madison, Wisconsin where I received my B.Sc. from the University of Wisconsin in 2020. My undergraduate research was focused on visualizing modeled asteroseismic oscillations. After coming to Boston College, I made a big pivot from astronomy to experimental solid-state physics and joined the Tafti Lab. My current research is focused on synthesizing and investigating the magnetic properties of intermetallic compounds with a Kagome lattice structure. Such materials are potential candidates for a quantized anomalous Hall effect in a special phase known as a Chern insulator. When I am not in the lab, I spend my free time playing ultimate frisbee and cooking.
Sudhaman Balguri
Third-year Ph.D. student
I received my bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in 2019. During my undergrad I developed deep fascination towards foundations of quantum mechanics especially from the Bohr-Einstein debates and double slit experiment. My undergrad thesis was on Entanglement and Bell’s inequality. I formally shifted to physics and received my masters in 2021. I got intrigued by the quote “More is Different” by Philip Anderson and idea of emergence where seemingly innocent electrons can create phenomena like Magnetism. I joined the Tafti Lab to pursue research in this direction. In my free time, I post physics memes and videos.
Enrique Gonzalez
Second-year Ph.D. student
I received a bachelor’s degree in Physics applied to Electronics from the University of Puerto Rico at Humacao in 2021. As an undergraduate student, I had the opportunity to explore different areas of condensed matter Physics through research. Because of these experiences, I became interested in quantum phenomena that emerge in materials. My research is focused on x-ray and neutron diffraction, with the aim to study topological Dirac magnons in oxide materials for spintronic applications. In my free time, I enjoy playing the piano and watching movies.
Xinyi Zhao
First-year Ph.D. student
I earned my Bachelor’s degrees in Physics and Mathematics from Denison University. Following that, I embarked on a journey to obtain my Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering at Washington University, focusing my research on microwave superconducting resonators. In 2023, I became a part of the Tafti lab. Drawing from my experience in utilizing resonators for crystal property detection, my current research delves into the captivating realm of honeycomb magnets. Outside of my academic pursuits, I enjoy exploring diverse culinary experiences with friends at various restaurants in my free time.
Siddharth Nandanwar
First-year Ph.D. student
I received my bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of Iowa in 2023. I had my first exposure to the vast world of Condensed Matter Physics in 2020 when I started my research on van der Waal materials at Prof. Folland’s Lab, specifically on the fabrication and optical characterization of Transition Metal Dichalcogenides. My passion for exploring different systems and not being confined to the 2D limit led me to join Tafti Lab. My research here is on trying to understand the Hydrodynamic behavior of electrons through DFT predictions as well as transport experiments.