Srivastava Lab
Self-Assembly of Soft Materials
The Srivastava Lab is based in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department of the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Our research focuses primarily on harnessing self-assembly as a tool for materials design. We are specifically interested in the role of electrostatic interactions, and our work spans from molecular design and synthesis to fabrication characterizations of nano-, micro- and macro-scale materials, with applications in consumer products (such as cosmetics, adhesive and coatings), biomedical and biochemical industries, construction materials and 3D printing.
Openings
We are building a multidisciplinary team of researchers. Currently, we are looking for graduate students to join our group.
Graduate Student Opening in the Srivastava Lab
We are looking to hire 1-2 graduate (MS and Ph.D.) students for an ongoing NSF-funded project on electrostatic hydrogel-based wet adhesives. This experimental research project will envisage polymer synthesis, material characterization, and application in diverse biomedical settings, and will offer ample opportunities for collaborations with biomedical scientists and clinicians. Students with a background in chemical engineering, materials science, chemistry and biochemistry, and physics are encouraged to apply. Interested candidates should email Samanvaya at samsri@ucla.edu
Postdoctoral researchers: We do not have any active openings currently. However, please email Samanvaya with a copy of your CV and a statement of research interests if your research interests match with our group's work.
Group News
[May 2023] Holly wins the Micheal E. Jung Excellence in Teaching Award from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Congrats Holly!
[May 2023] Divya wins the best presentation award at the 4th year graduate students symposium at the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Congrats Divya!
[May 2023] Caitlyn is selected as a BioPACIFIC MIP fellow for the 2023-2024 program.
[May 2023] Alisa completes her stint at UCLA and heads back to KIT. All the best Alisa!
[May 2023] Caitlyn is selected as a fellow for the Collegium of University Teaching Fellows (CUTF) program. Congrats Caitlyn!
[April 2023] Haleema Kashif joins the group as a student in Masters of Applied Chemical Sciences (MACS). Welcome Haleema!
[March 2023] Divya wins 1st place in the SWE-LA's Inaugural Graduate/Academia Research Symposium and is invited to present at the SWE-LA Professional Development Conference in Torrance, CA.
[March 2023] Undergraduate students, Chad and Vanessa, present their research in the poster session at the APS March Meeting 2023 in Las Vegas, NV.
[March 2023] Advait, Divya, Holly, Fahed, Mohammad, and Sam present their research at the APS March Meeting 2023 in Las Vegas, NV.
[March 2023] Divya reaches the semi-final of the 2023 UCLA Grad Slam.
[January 2023] Caitlyn is selected to teach through the Clusters program where she will design and teach her own course this spring.
[January 2023] Caitlyn passes her oral exam to become a PhD candidate. Congrats Caitlyn!
[January 2023] Our work on polyelectrolyte complex scaffolding for photocrosslinked hydrogels led by Defu appears in Molecular Systems Design & Engineering. [PDF]
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