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Here's how to visit us or contact us!
Were you (or was somebody you know) in our group previously?
Have a look at our Alumni page!
Want to join ESMP?
Check out our job opportunities!
Current Group Members
Hakam Agha
Research Associate
Hakam works on the commercialization of our projects and results and the launching of spin-off companies and ventures based on our research.
PROJECT
INTERACT, LAB'RINTH, VALIDATE
FROM
Kharkiv, Ukraine
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Condensed Matter Physics, Université de Strasbourg
PREVIOUSLY AT
Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization; Lebanese University; Université de Lorraine
JOINED IN
2016
Churchill Agoni
Ph.D. Candidate
In the SHADOW project, Churchill investigates ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals under confinement in shells and droplets.
PROJECT
SHADOW
FROM
Nigeria
EDUCATION
M.Sc. Photonics, University of Eastern Finland
PREVIOUSLY AT
University of Ibadan; National Open University of Nigeria; Federal Government Girls' College Abuloma; Ambrose Alli University
JOINED IN
2025
Deniz Işınsu Avşar
Research and Development Associate
Deniz works on the TRANSCEND project for using cholesteric shell reflectors (CSRs) as means to encode data for autonomous navigation and secure authentication.
PROJECT
TRANSCEND
FROM
Ankara, Türkiye
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Natural Sciences, University of Luxembourg
DEFENDED
27 August 2025
PREVIOUSLY AT
Middle East Technical University; Hacettepe University
JOINED IN
2021
+352 46 66 44 4679
Florian Bruch
Intern
After having done his Bachelor's thesis in our group, Florian has returned to further work on the characterization of cellulose nanocrystal suspensions.
PROJECT
ALCEMIST
FROM
Luxembourg
EDUCATION
B.Sc. Physics, University of Luxembourg
JOINED IN
2024
Chih-Chieh Chien
Postdoctoral Researcher
As part of the BIOFLICS project, Chih-Chieh works with novel sample collection methods and functionalized liquid crystal droplets as reporters of biological and chemical sensing events.
PROJECT
BIOFLICS
FROM
Taiwan
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University (Taiwan)
PREVIOUSLY AT
JNC Corporation; Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research
JOINED IN
2025
Tadej Emeršič
Postdoctoral Researcher
Tadej works on the INVISIMARK project on using cholesteric liquid crystal shell reflectors for secure authentication in defense applications.
PROJECT
INVISIMARK
FROM
Ptuj, Slovenia
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Physics, University of Maribor (Slovenia)
PREVIOUSLY AT
University of Chicago; University of Ljubljana; Jožef Stefan Institute
JOINED IN
2025
Yong Geng
Research Scientist
Yong works on several projects involving the use of cholesteric liquid crystals for security and safety applications.
PROJECT
SSh
FROM
Shandong, China
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Physics, Universidade Nova de Lisboa
PREVIOUSLY AT
Otto von Guericke University of Magdeburg
JOINED IN
2015
Lawrence (Larry) Honaker
Postdoctoral Researcher
Larry works on a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action-funded project, TECHSTILE, to create smart textiles with liquid crystal and liquid armor functionalities.
PROJECT
TECHSTILE
FROM
Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Physics, University of Luxembourg
PREVIOUSLY AT
Wageningen University; Kent State University; BASF; Ministry of National Education, France
Ph.D. Materials Science Engineering, University of Santiago (Chile)
PREVIOUSLY AT
ESCPI, Paris
JOINED IN
2024
+352 46 66 44 5619
Mohammadreza Kamyab
Intern
Reza works with Alejandro on the logging of environmental conditions in our laboratories.
PROJECT
LiCER
FROM
Iran
JOINED IN
2025
Rijeesh Kizhakidathazhath
Senior Research Associate
Rijeesh works on polymerizable liquid crystals for myriad applications, ranging from mechanochromic liquid crystal elastomer sensors to polymerized cholesteric shell reflectors for authentication and identification purposes.
PROJECT
BriCE
FROM
Kozhikode, India
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Life Science, Hokkaido University (Japan)
PREVIOUSLY AT
Kyushu University, Tampere University
JOINED IN
2018
Jan Lagerwall
Principal Investigator
Jan is the leader of the ESMP group and a Professor of Polymer Physics at the University of Luxembourg. Check out his personal website for more information!
PROJECT
Lots
FROM
Gothenburg, Sweden
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Materials Science, Chalmers University (Sweden)
PREVIOUSLY AT
Seoul National University; Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg; Universität Stuttgart; University of Colorado Boulder
JOINED IN
2007
+352 46 66 44 6219
Xu Ma
Research and Development Associate
Xu works on the ECLIPSE project to improve the production of cholesteric spherical reflectors through electrospray and phase separation processes.
PROJECT
ECLIPSE
FROM
Hebei, P.R. China
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Natural Sciences, University of Luxembourg
DEFENDED
25 August 2025
JOINED IN
2020
+352 46 66 44 4677
Yosuke Pestana Nakamura
Ph.D. Candidate
After doing both his Bachelor's and Master's theses with ESMP, Yosuke is doing his Ph.D. within the COSAMOS project on the use of mechanochromic cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers in soft robotics applications.
PROJECT
COSAMOS
FROM
Porto, Portugal
EDUCATION
M.Sc. Physics, University of Luxembourg
JOINED IN
2022
+352 46 66 44 5626
Nikolay Popov
Research and Development Associate
Nikolay works on the BIOSHELLS project, using microfluidically produced liquid crystal shells as reporters of biomolecular sensing.
PROJECT
BIOSHELLS
FROM
Tvardița, Moldova
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Natural Sciences, University of Luxembourg
PREVIOUSLY AT
Ivanovo State University (Russia)
DEFENDED
29 August 2025
JOINED IN
2018
+352 46 66 44 6056
Zornitza Tosheva
Research Scientist
In addition to managing our labs, Zory is primarily involved in research on cellulose nanocrystal self-assembly.
PROJECT
ALCEMIST
FROM
Sofia, Bulgaria
JOINED IN
2014
+352 46 66 44 6332
Vijaykumar Varma
Postdoctoral Researcher
Vijay works on pioneering sustainable liquid crystal elastomers to achieve versatile responses to stimuli such as heat, light, humidity, and strain.
PROJECT
ALCEMIST
FROM
Maharashtra, India
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Materials Sciences, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore)
PREVIOUSLY AT
Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology; University of Pune
JOINED IN
2025
Yansong Zhang
Postdoctoral Researcher
Yansong works primarily on the LETZCOLOR project to beautify solar panels through the magic of liquid crystal elastomers.
PROJECT
BIOFLICS, LETZCOLOR
FROM
Beijing, P.R. China
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University (Taiwan)
JOINED IN
2022
+352 46 66 44 4665
Georgia Kaprou
Research Facilitator
Georgia works as part of the Research Facilitation team to help us secure grants and manage our projects.
PROJECT
Helping us secure funding and manage our projects
FROM
Greece
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Bionanotechnology, University of Crete
JOINED IN
2023
+352 46 66 44 5568
Adamantia Galani
Group Secretary
Adamantia is our group secretary who helps us navigate the formidable apparatus of university administration.
PROJECT
Helping manage projects and other administrative tasks
