Current Lab Members
PhD Students
Will be updated soon.
Research Assistants
Venera Atambayeva, Sweet Briar College (Cum Laude, Engineering Science Major, class of 2025), topic: digital twin based battery manage system
Undergraduate Students
Chandanie Smith, UCF MSE undergraduate student topic: battery characterizations
Ian Thorn, UCF MAE undergraduate student, topic: second development of battery testing instruments
Seth Houk, MAE undergraduate student, topic: second development of battery testing instruments
MSE Senior Design (2025~2026): near room temperature lithium electrolysis
Dominick Rapatalo
Hanna DePaiva
Michael Tassinaro
PhD Openings (updated 10/17/205)
The lab is still looking for one PhD student to join my lab at the University of Central Florida for Fall 2026.
I am currently looking for one more PhD student to join my lab at the University of Central Florida for Fall 2026. Interested candidates are welcome to contact me at yuxun.ren@ucf.edu and apply through UCF graduate application portal. There is no application fee for application earlier than November 1st!
The application deadline will be December 1st, 2025 (reference letters can be submitted later). The research topic will be experimental research of battery materials and non-destructive battery characterizations.
Students with a Materials Science Engineering, Physics or Mechanical Engineering background are highly welcome to apply. No GRE is required!
The lab has been established with state-of-the-art prototyping and testing equipment since Spring 2025.
UCF graduate application link:
https://graduate.ucf.edu/application-deadlines-and-requirements/
English test requirement for international applicants:
- TOEFL iBT score of 80
- IELTS band score of 6.5
- Duolingo English Test score of 120*
Please read before emailing Yuxun (updated 10/17/2026)
- The email title: MSE PhD applicaiton Fall 2026_your name
- Please describe your research experience relevant to this position
- Please attach your transcripts since undergraduate
Advantages of doing PhD at UCF
- Strong program: UCF CECS and MSE program rank around 50~60 nationwide, one of the best engineering college and MSE program in Florida
- Strong local industry: Orlando is the home of numerous start-ups and high-tech companies (e.g., Siemens, Northrup Grumann, Mitsubishi, L3-Harris)
- Summer intership: the student is encouraged to intern at companies during summer
- Life at UCF: one of the biggest campus in the U.S., great infrastructure (gym, library, lab and share facility), Orlando is the most visted city in the U.S. for its proximity to NASA, Disneyland, Universal, and many other natural sightseeings
- Studentship: based on qualification, full coverage until graduation
Postdoc Opening
The lab is still planning for hiring a postdoc. If you are highly interested in our research, please feel free to reach out to Yuxun. We can try to create a position.
Undergraduate Research Opportunities
The lab is actively looking for UG students to do research. The students will be assinged a specific direction to build the students’ research experience. We currently still have two openings for OPS undergraduate research.