Dacen Waters Email & Phone Number

I am a research scientist, focused on experimental condensed matter physics, primarily scanning tunneling microscopy of two dimensional materials. I am also interested in policy including topics such as science, technology, education, and climate. I am looking for science policy jobs that can combine my skill set and expertise as a scientist with my passion and experience in advocacy and policy.In my research, I utilize a variety of experimental techniques to study the electrical and structural properties of two-dimensional materials. I am interested in both the applicability of these materials to devices, such as field effect transistors, and the study of novel phenomena exhibited in these materials, such as topological edge states and superconductivity. My primary experimental technique is scanning tunneling microscopy, where I currently use a low-temperature system with magnetic field capabilities to study a variety of systems. I have previously studied both epitaxially grown and exfoliated semiconductor heterostructures. More recently, I am studying new and exciting phases in the layered transition metal dichalcogenides, which have a variety of application potential. My research hopes are to understand the structural properties of these systems in order to improve predictive capabilities for their electrical behavior and to gain insight into their application potential.I am a very active member of my community, particularly with the Carnegie Mellon University Graduate Student Assembly (GSA). During my many years of involvement on the GSA, I have worked on many initiatives and advocacy areas on the CMU campus as well as at the federal level. Some of the work I am most proud of is my role in helping to establish free legal consultations of for students at CMU, rolling out a child care grant program for graduate students with dependents, and my advocacy work around the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 where I helped lead a national effort to keep the House version of the bill from taxing tuition waivers as income for PhD students.

Listed skills include Matlab, Event Planning, Scanning Tunneling Microscopy, Nanofabrication, and 6 others.