ABATE Lab

People

Office: 13-5094
iabate@mit.edu

Iwnetim Abate

About

Assistant Professor

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Iwnetim (Tim) Abate is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His work combines electrochemistry, X-ray and electrochemical characterization with quantum mechanical simulations to design materials for decarbonization and sustainability. Prior to joining MIT DMSE, he was both a Miller and Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow at UC Berkeley working on layered materials (including 2D materials and heterostructures) for application in computing, catalysis, and sensing. He completed his Materials Science and Engineering Ph.D. at Stanford, with or under Prof. William Chueh and Prof. Thomas Devereaux. His PhD aimed at improving the energy capacity of Li- and Na-ion batteries to meet the ever-growing global demand for energy storage. Prior to joining Stanford, he did a research stint at IBM Alamden and Los Alamos National Laboratory working on metal-air batteries and hybrid perovskite solar cells, respectively. Iwnetim was born and raised in Ethiopia.

Outside the lab, Iwnetim is a co-founder and president of a non-profit organization (www.scifro.org) working on empowering the African youth to solve local problems through scientific research and innovation. The organization is generously supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, National Science Foundation, American Physical Society and others.

Meet Our Group Members

Awesome

Dr. Yifan Gao

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW

Ph.D., Environmental Science and Engineering
Tsinghua University
B.S., Environment Engineering (major), Economics (minor)
Tsinghua University

Research at MIT:
Hydrogen
Lithium-ion battery recycling

Outside the Lab:
Hobbies include travel, hiking,
and cooking

Office: 13-5142
yifangao@mit.edu

Dr. Seok Hee (Justin) Han

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW

Ph.D., Chemistry
Seoul National University
B.S., Chemistry (major), Economics (minor)
Seoul National University

Research at MIT:
Electrochemical ion Insertion
2D materials, Hydrogen, Batteries

Outside the Lab:
Hobbies include weightlifting, running, wine,
classical music, and occasional cooking

Office: 13-5118
shhan@mit.edu

Dr. Bachu Sravan

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW

Ph.D., Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB)
B.S., Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal (NITK)

Research at MIT:
Electrode materials for Sodium ion batteries 

Outside the Lab:
Hobbies include watching cricket, playing Table Tennis and hiking

Office: 13-5142
bachusravan.nitk@gmail.com

Dr. Varun Kamboj

POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE

Ph.D., Physics
University of Cambridge. UK
M.Sc. Nanoelectronics. University of Manchester

Research at MIT:
2D materials, Spectroscopy and Microscopy, Electrochemical ion Insertion

Outside the Lab:
Hiking, Bowling

Office: 13-5098
vkamboj@mit.edu

Dr. Yaoshen Niu

POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE

Joint Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering
Xi’an Jiaotong University; Institute of Physics CAS
B.S., Metallurgical Engineering
Central South University

Research at MIT:
Sodium ion batteries

Outside the Lab:
Hobbies include movie collection, gym, and billiards

Coming Soon
niuyaoshen@foxmail.com

Hugh Smith

PHD STUDENT

B.S.E., Materials Science and Engineering (major); Applied Data Science, Geology, and History (minor)
Case Western Reserve University

Research at MIT:
Sodium-ion batteries

Outside the Lab:
Hobbies include intramural sports, exploring Boston,
and gym

Office: 13-5098
hughs@mit.edu

Corson Chao

PHD STUDENT

B.S., Materials Science and Engineering
Cornell University
M.E., Electrical & Computer Engineering
Cornell University

Research at MIT:
Automation; Magnetism

Outside the Lab:
Hobbies include art, tennis,
and gym

Office: 13-5098
corsonc@mit.edu

Anirudh Adavi

PHD STUDENT

B.S., Materials Science and Engineering
Georgia Tech
B.S., Chemistry
Georgia Institute of Technology

Research at MIT:
Polaron physics; optics of layered materials

Outside the Lab:
Hobbies include skateboarding, violin,
and gym

Office: 13-5118
aadavi64@mit.edu

Lokesh Sangabattula

PHD STUDENT

B.Tech (with Honors), Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science
Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IITB)

Research at MIT:
Electrochemistry; Economic Analysis 

Outside the Lab:
Hobbies include watching, trading,
and gym

Office: 13-5142
lokeshs@mit.edu

Virgil Watkins

PHD STUDENT

B.S.E, Materials Science and Engineering
University of Michigan

Research at MIT:
Electrochemical Ion Insertion; 2D/Layered Materials

Outside the Lab:
Hobbies include cooking, board games,
and gym

Office: 13-5118
virgiljw@mit.edu

Ashley Luo

MASTER’S STUDENT

B.S. Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (major), Mathematics (minor)
MIT

Research at MIT:
2D Materials, Devices

Outside the Lab:
Hobbies include hiking, dancing, drawing/painting,
and gym

Office: 13
ashlyluo@mit.edu

Enoch Ellis

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT

Candidate for B.S. in Chemical Engineering and B.S. in Mathematics
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Research at MIT:
Hydrogen Production
Electrochemistry
Applied Mathematics

Outside the Lab:
Undergraduate Association Officer on Diversity
Hobbies include Track and Field, Psychology,
and Cooking

ellis22@mit.edu

Kathryn Simons

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Kathryn Simons provides wide-ranging administrative, financial, and human resources duties for Professors Iwnetim Abate, Robert J. Macfarlane, and Frances M. Ross and their research groups. Tasks include tracking student account assignments, purchasing lab equipment and supplies, managing travel planning, and working with the DMSE human resources office to process appointments and visas for visiting students and scholars. Before starting at DMSE in 2003, she was a staff assistant at the Harvard Institute for International Development. Previously, Simons directed the Speakers’ Bureau at Oxfam America, where she assigned country directors to visit colleges and universities across the United States to educate students and faculty about the aid agency’s efforts in developing countries. Outside of work, Simons is an enthusiastic skier, having grown up skiing with her family in the Adirondacks and throughout the US. In all seasons, when not running around in her Somerville neighborhood, Simons can be found at MIT’s Zesiger Sports and Fitness Center putting in miles on the stationary bikes. She has a bachelors’ degree in psychology with a concentration in communications from the University of New Hampshire and has taken masters-level courses in international development.

Outside the Lab:
Hobbies include skiing and cycling

Office: 13-5062
kesimons@mit.edu

Mahia Brown

FINANCIAL COORDINATOR

Mahia Brown works in DMSE’s finance office. Previously, Brown was an office manager at educational consulting company CollegeVine. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of Hartford. In her free time, she enjoys sports, and spending time with friends and family.

Outside the Lab:
Hobbies include sports and spending time with friends and family

Office: 6-112
mahia@mit.edu

You?

In its radiance, the bulb embodies two core ideals. First, it symbolizes our unwavering commitment to advancing the realm of green electricity and energy. Second, it reflects our laboratory’s steadfast dedication to nurturing your professional and personal growth, fostering the light within you to shine brightly.

Meet Our Alumni

Dr. Victor Venturi

POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE,
Argonne National Laboratory

Position In Abate Lab:
Postdoctoral Associate

Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)
B.S., Mechanical Engineering (major), Computer Science and Aerospace Engineering (minor)
Caltech

vventuri@mit.edu