Team

Principal Investigator

Publications: Google Scholar

Yan Zeng

Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemitry, Florida State University

Current and Previous Research Appointments:

2024 - present: Assistant Professor, Florida State University

2024: Faculty Affiliate, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

2023 - 2023: Staff Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

2020 - 2022: Postdoc, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

2015 - 2020: Ph.D., Materials Engineering, McGill University

Contact Information:

Address: 102 Varsity Way, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4390

Office: Room 2002, Chemical Sciences Laboratory, FSU

Email: zeng@chem.fsu.edu

Graduate Students

Ashleigh Carroll

Bio: Ashleigh graduated from the University of North Georgia in fall 2024 with a B.S. degree in chemistry. She is from Stockbridge, GA and enjoys playing piano or swimming in her free time.

Project: Automated solution-based synthesis of energy materials. Joined 2025.

Evelyn McBride

Bio: Evelyn graduated as a commissioned Air Force 2nd Lieutenant from the United States Air Force Academy in 2024 with a BS degree in chemistry and a nuclear weapons and strategies minor. She's originally from Blairsville, GA and will befriend your dog.

Project: Automated solution-based synthesis of energy materials. Joined 2024. AFIT Masters student.

Nat James Heburn

Bio: Nat graduated from Florida State University in 2021 with a B.S. in Chemistry and a minor in Mathematics. They are a powerlifter and big fan of anime.

Project: Direct transformation of minerals to battery materials. Joined 2024.

Brandon Sauval

Bio: Brandon graduated from the University of South Florida in 2024 with a B.S. degree in Chemistry. He is from Palm Beach, Florida, and enjoys going on long runs and playing video games.

Project: Developing high-energy low-cost Na cathode materials. Joined 2024.

Seth Scoggins

Bio: Seth graduated from Birmingham Southern College in 2024 with a B.S. degree in chemistry. He is from Pensacola, FL. When not in the lab, he loves to be on the ocean either fishing or surfing.

Project: Development of high-entropy oxides as fast and stable ionic conductors. Joined 2024.

Xiaozhao Liu

Bio: Xiaozhao earned his master’s degree from South China University of Technology in 2023.

Project: Developing battery materials leveraging automation and machine learning. Joined 2024.

Elena Scivally

Bio: Elena graduated from Stetson University in 2023 with a B.S. degree in chemistry. She is from Winter Park, Florida. She is an avid reader, and her favorite genre is mystery novels.

Project: Solvothermal synthesis of energy materials. Joined 2023.

Email: es23@fsu.edu

Ajay Shaji

Bio: Ajay graduated from Indian Institute of Science Education and Research TVM with an integrated B.S.-M.S. degree in Chemistry (major) and Physics (minor).

Project: Developing advanced solid electrolytes in an automated lab. Joined 2023.

Postdoctoral Researchers

Tong Zhao

Bio: Tong obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Münster, Germany.

Project: Development of Na active materials, automation tools and workflows for materials research lab. Joined 2024.

Email: tz24d@fsu.edu

Undergraduate Students

Hayden Hanly Baker

Bio: Hayden is a senior at FSU in Chemistry. He's from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. When's he not in class, he enjoys spending time in nature and watching movies. He is working on synthesis of ionic conductors.
Joined 2025.

Malia Lally

Bio: Malia is majoring in Biomedical Sciences. She is a learning assistant for General Chemistry I and an Engage 100 peer mentor. She is working on automation and solvothermal synthesis for energy materials.
Joined 2025.

Alumni