Shan Kutagulla

I build things one atom at a time.

Controlling materials at the smallest scale that matters, then making that control useful.

Research

Akinwande Nano Research Group · UT Austin
2021 – 2025Lead author

Better membranes for fuel cells

Energy

Added ultrathin graphene and boron nitride layers to fuel-cell membranes, raising power 20% and cutting hydrogen leakage 32%.

2021 – 2025Collaborator

Low-power memory devices

Chip materials

Helped make 2D memory devices switch more reliably, with retention that can be tuned for neuromorphic computing.

2023 – 2026Collaborator

Electronics that work with the body

Bioelectronics

Co-authored a Nature Reviews Materials perspective on thin bioelectronics and a study on their safety with neural stem cells.

Education

2021 – 2025Austin, TX

University of Texas at Austin

PhD, Materials Science and Engineering

Advised by Deji Akinwande.

2016 – 2020Los Angeles, CA

University of Southern California

BS, Chemical Engineering · MS, Materials Engineering

Undergraduate research in physical chemistry.

Recognition