CV

Education

• Ph.D., Physics: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (December 2019)
  • Area of Study: Computational Condensed Matter Physics
  • Advisor: Vincent Meunier, Ph.D.
  • Dissertation: Dynamical Properties of Nanocarbon
  • Publications: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3512-7146
• B.S., Physics: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (December 2013)

Professional & Research Experience

• Researcher: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (January 2020 – April 2020)
  • Designed a machine learning model to predict molecular structure from spectral data; trained using supercomputing resources. Collaborated in the probabilistic analysis of reinforcement learning algorithms.
• PhD Researcher: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (September 2014 – December 2019)
  • Led collaborations with external research groups. Developed applications to study properties of nanomaterials; derived theoretical underpinnings of experimental phenomena. Launched project for bulk use of reduced-accuracy approximations; enabled computationally inexpensive determination of trends in material properties.
• Teaching Assistant: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (September 2014 – May 2019)
  • TA’d 5 courses (2 undergraduate quantum physics; graduate quantum mechanics; computational physics; introductory physics). Assisted students with coding and labs; graded assignments. Recognized for outstanding contribution to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s teaching program.
• Research Assistant: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (January 2014 – May 2014)
  • Designed high-throughput algorithm for materials discovery; researched novel nanostructures. Elucidated device fabrication processes; predicted tunable materials for use in nanoelectronics.
• Undergraduate Research Assistant: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (June 2013 – December 2013)
  • Optimized, parallelized, and added functionality to atomic simulation code; increased performance (+1000%) and accuracy. Investigated nanomaterial dynamics and electronic properties.
• Contracted Data Analyst: Grenzebach Glier and Associates (May 2012 – August 2012)
  • Remotely performed work relating to data analytics for nonprofit fundraising.
• Summer Intern: Grenzebach Glier and Associates (June 2011 – August 2011)
  • Processed fundraising data for nonprofits using scripts; documented the process of data standardization.
• Office Assistant: Prince William County Juvenile and Domestic Circuit Court (January 2010)

Skills

• Programming/Scripting Languages
  • Expert: C++
  • Skilled: Rust, Typescript, Python, Bash
  • Familiar: Kotlin, Java, Haskell
• Tools and Technologies
  • Linux CLI and Administration (Arch Linux, Ubuntu)
  • Algorithmic Optimization and Parallelization (MPI, Threading, CUDA, LAPACK)
  • Build Tools and Version Control (CMake, Make, Git)
  • Scientific Programming: VASP, Quantum Espresso, pyQuil, LAMMPS, TensorFlow
  • Web Development and Services: React, Docker
• Scientific Data Analysis and Visualization
• Technical Writing (LaTeX)

Publications

1. Q. Sun, O. Gröning, J. Overbeck, O. Braun, M. L. Perrin, G. Borin Barin, M. El Abbassi, K. Eimre, E. Ditler, C. Daniels, V. Meunier, C. A. Pignedoli, M. Calame, R. Fasel, P. Ruffieux, Massive Dirac Fermion Behavior in a Low Bandgap Graphene Nanoribbon Near a Topological Phase Boundary, Advanced Materials, 1906054 10.1002/adma.201906054 (2020).
2. J. Overbeck, G. Borin Barin, C. Daniels, M. L. Perrin, L. Liang, O. Braun, R. Darawish, B. Burkhardt, T. Dumslaff, X. Wang, A. Narita, K. Müllen, V. Meunier, R. Fasel, M. Calame, P. Ruffieux, Optimized Substrates and Measurement Approaches for Raman Spectroscopy of Graphene Nanoribbons, physica status solidi (b), 1900343 10.1002/pssb.201900343 (2019).
3. J. Overbeck, G. B. Barin, C. Daniels, M. L. Perrin, O. Braun, Q. Sun, R. Darawish, M. De Luca, X. Wang, T. Dumslaff, A. Narita, K. Müllen, P. Ruffieux, V. Meunier, R. Fasel, M. Calame, A Universal Length-Dependent Vibrational Mode in Graphene Nanoribbons, ACS Nano, 10.1021/acsnano.9b05817 (2019).
4. D. Liu, C. Daniels, V. Meunier, A. G. Every, D. Tománek, In-plane breathing and shear modes in low-dimensional nanostructures, Carbon 157, 364–370 10.1016/j.carbon.2019.10.041 (2020).
5. C. Sánchez‐Sánchez, T. Dienel, A. Nicolaï, N. Kharche, L. Liang, C. Daniels, V. Meunier, J. Liu, X. Feng, K. Müllen, J. R. Sánchez‐Valencia, O. Gröning, P. Ruffieux, R. Fasel, On‐Surface Synthesis and Characterization of Acene‐Based Nanoribbons Incorporating Four‐Membered Rings, Chemistry – A European Journal 25, 12074–12082 10.1002/chem.201901410 (2019).
6. N. W. Hackney, D. Tristant, A. Cupo, C. Daniels, V. Meunier, Shell model extension to the valence force field: application to single-layer black phosphorus, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 21, 322–328 10.1039/c8cp05923c (2019).
7. O. Gröning, S. Wang, X. Yao, C. A. Pignedoli, G. Borin Barin, C. Daniels, A. Cupo, V. Meunier, X. Feng, A. Narita, K. Müllen, P. Ruffieux, R. Fasel, Engineering of robust topological quantum phases in graphene nanoribbons, Nature 560, 209–213 10.1038/s41586-018-0375-9 (2018).
8. J. Owens, C. Daniels, A. Nicolaï, H. Terrones, V. Meunier, Structural, energetic, and electronic properties of gyroidal graphene nanostructures, Carbon 96, 998–1007 10.1016/j.carbon.2015.10.042 (2016).
9. C. Daniels, A. Horning, A. Phillips, D. V. P. Massote, L. Liang, Z. Bullard, B. G. Sumpter, V. Meunier, Elastic, plastic, and fracture mechanisms in graphene materials, Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter 27, 373002 10.1088/0953-8984/27/37/373002 (2015).
10. Z. J. Qi, C. Daniels, S. J. Hong, Y. W. Park, V. Meunier, M. Drndić, A. T. C. Johnson, Electronic Transport of Recrystallized Freestanding Graphene Nanoribbons, ACS Nano 9, 3510–3520 10.1021/nn507452g (2015).
11. A. Nicolaï, J. Monti, C. Daniels, V. Meunier, Electrolyte Diffusion in Gyroidal Nanoporous Carbon, The Journal of Physical Chemistry C 119, 2896–2903 10.1021/jp511919d (2015).
12. C. Daniels, Z. Bullard, E. C. Girão, V. Meunier, Emergent magnetism in irradiated graphene nanostructures, Carbon 78, 196–203 10.1016/j.carbon.2014.06.072 (2014).
13. Z. Bullard, E. Costa Girão, C. Daniels, B. G. Sumpter, V. Meunier, Quantifying energetics of topological frustration in carbon nanostructures, Physical Review B 89, 10.1103/physrevb.89.245425 (2014).

Teaching

• Honors Physics II (Spring 2019)
  • Role: Graduate teaching assistant. Oversaw and assisted students during laboratory exercises weekly, held office hours, and graded all coursework for my section, with the exception of in-class quizzes.
  • Content: PHYS 1250. AC and DC circuits. Electromagnetic waves, optics, and selected topics in modern physics. Laboratory exercises are carried out emphasizing measurement uncertainty and clear, concise reporting.
• Quantum Mechanics I (Fall 2018)
  • Role: Sole teaching assistant. Responsible for helping students through assignments during office hours, grading all assignments and in-class activities, and holding exam reviews.
  • Content: PHYS 6510. Graduate Quantum Mechanics. Dirac notation, operators, representations & bases, spin 1/2 systems, time evolution, Schrödinger vs. Heisenberg picture, angular momentum, ensembles, tensor operators. (Text: Sakurai & Napolitano. Modern Quantum Mechanics. 2010)
• Computational Physics (Spring 2018)
  • Role: Sole teaching assistant. Responsible for assisting students with both coding and conceptual issues during in-class activities and office hours, as well as grading all assignments for the course.
  • Content: PHYS 4810. Assignment and project based class on numerical algorithms as applied to physics. Numerical integration/differentiation, ODEs, PDEs, Monte Carlo methods, etc.
• Introductory Quantum Mechanics (Spring 2017)
  • Role: Sole teaching assistant. Responsible for office hours, helping students through in-class activities and holding exam reviews.
  • Content: PHYS 4100. Quantum mechanics beyond Schrödinger wave mechanics. Second quantization, Dirac notation, Hilbert spaces, perturbation theory, and applications to simple systems. (Text: Townsend. A Modern Approach to Quantum Mechanics. 2012)
• Quantum Physics I (Fall 2016)
  • Role: Holding office hours and grading assignments as one of two teaching assistants.
  • Content: PHYS 2210. Intro to Special Relativity, Schrödinger wave mechanics, and spin-1/2 particles. (Text: Townsend. Quantum Physics: A Fundamental Approach to Modern Physics. 2010)