Institute for Functional Nanomaterials

Nanoengineer

University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus

Biography

Born and raised in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, Sepulveda obtained a Ph.D. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Michigan State University in December 2005 and joined the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus in January 2006. During his last year of graduate school, he was a Microsystems and Engineering Sciences Applications (MESA) Fellow at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His Ph.D. work focused on the development of micro and nano devices. These devices can find applications in the areas of radio-frequency (RF) communications, electronics, information technology, medicine, chemistry and biology. The nano devices could range from simple mechanical systems such as cantilevers to more complex electro-mechanical structures and systems that can be integrated into a single chip. Nelson's projects are currently being funded by the National Science Foundation PR-EPSCoR program, which has helped him find collaborators from industry (MacAulay Brown, Discera, IBM), academia (University of Michigan and Michigan State University) and national laboratories (Sandia National Laboratories, Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Cornell Center for Materials Resarch, CCMR and the Air Force Research laboratories, AFRL). Sepulveda's research group will work with IFN local and external collaborators to use the center's nanostructured materials to develop nano devices and their integration into complete systems.1

Teams

Cluster III: Multifunctional Nanostructures

Phone

+1-787-832-4040 ext. 3611, 4000

Direct phone

+1-787-832-4040

E-mail

nelson ece uprm edu

Website

http://www.ece.uprm.edu/~nelson/

Education

• Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University (2005)

Appointments

2008	Summer Faculty Researcher, Cornell Nanoscale Science and Technology facility, Ithaca, NY, United States
2007	Visiting Faculty Researcher, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio, United States
2006–present	Assistant Professor, University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez, Mayaguez, PR, Puerto Rico
2006	Visiting Faculty Researcher, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio, United States
2005	Sandia National Labs MESA Fellow, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, United States

Publications

1. R. Cabrera, F. Fernandez, A. Rua, and N. Sepúlveda, "Young’s modulus of VO2 thin films as a function of temperature including insulator-to-metal transition regime", Applied Physics Letters, 92, 191913 (2008)

Grants

1. L. F. Fonseca, M. A. Hines, R. D. Kirby, A. R. Mayol, G. Morell, L. G. Rosa, N. Sepúlveda, E. Y. Tsymbal, and J. Velev. University of Puerto Rico System PREM in Materials Research to Achieve Competitiveness and Promote Diversity in World-Class NSE, National Science Foundation, Partnerships for Research and Education in Materials , 5 years, September 2009, Multiple PIs, Pending, $3,500,000.
2. F. A. Acosta, A. M. Padovani, P. Quintero, N. Sepúlveda, and O. M. Suarez. Acquisition of Nanoindentation System for the Enhancement of Interdisciplinary Research in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, National Science Foundation, MRI, 3 years, August 2009, Single PI, Pending, $264,101.
3. C. R. Cabrera, L. F. Fonseca, R. Furlan, G. Morell, L. G. Rosa, N. Sepúlveda, and J. Vedrine. MRI: Acquisition of an Atomic Force Microscope Nanolithography DPN 5000 System, National Science Foundation, DMR - MRI, 1 year, August 2009, Multiple PIs, Pending, $386,736.
4. N. Cardona, A. J. Hernández, P. Kohl, A. M. Padovani, O. J. Perales, R. G. Raptis, C. Rinaldi, J. Santos, N. Sepúlveda, G. Serrano, D. Suleiman, O. M. Suárez, and M. Torres. Nanotechnology Center for Biomedical and Energy Driven Systems and Applications (NCBEDSA), National Science Foundation, CREST, 5 years, September 2008, Multiple PIs, Approved, $5,000,000.

Presentations

1. S. L. Aviles, D. S. Belen, D. S. Belen, D. S. Belen, V. Florian, A. Parra, A. Parra, M. E. Rivera, S. M. Rivera, M. E. Rivera, N. Sepúlveda, and g. gfhf (July 2008) "VO2-based semiconductor and MEMS devices" in Cornell NanoScale Science & Technology Facility.