Principal Investigator
Dr. Michael Hovish
Dr. Michael Hovish is a materials chemist specializing in the design of functional thin films and nanomaterials. He received his Bachelors from SUNY Albany, where he investigated solid-state memory storage devices under Prof. Nathaniel Cady. Dr. Hovish received his Masters and Doctoral degrees from Stanford University, working with Prof. Reinhold Dauskardt to design functional materials using highly scalable atmospheric pressure plasma processes. Following his PhD, Dr. Hovish led a research group in industry, driving innovation in clean energy technologies. Now, as a professor at the University of Kentucky, he leads the Hovish Research Laboratory, which focuses on designing functional thin films and nanomaterials to address challenges in sustainable energy generation, clean chemical production, and resilience in extreme environments. Through his work, he aims to contribute to a sustainable future while training the next generation of scientists and engineers.
Graduate Students
Tanikka Swope
Tanikka is a PhD candidate in the University of Kentucky's Chemical Engineering program. Her work with the HRL focuses on using atmospheric pressure plasma processing to synthesize functional carbon materials with applications in sustainable energy generation and clean chemical production.
David Porras
David is a PhD candidate in the University of Kentucky's Materials Engineering Program. His work focuses on using atmospheric pressure plasma processing and high throughput screening to synthesize and characterize high entropy materials with applications in sustainable energy production and resilience in extreme environments.
Undergraduate Students
Wilson Congdon
Wilson is an undergraduate in the Materials Engineering program at the University of Kentucky. Wilson's research with the HRL focuses on using optical emission spectroscopy to study reactive plasma species within atmospheric pressure plasmas and how they interact with custom inks injected into the discharge.
Rowan Ellis
Rowan is an undergraduate in the Materials Engineering program at the University of Kentucky. Rowan's research with the HRL focuses on using atmospheric pressure plasmas to modify natural materials like wood and mycelium to achieve functional properties.
Alumni
Kailee Barrett
Kailee is a graduate of the University of Kentucky's Materials Engineering bachelor's program ('24). Kailee's work with the HRL focused on developing palladium based optical sensors for high throughput property screening.
