Group News

2024:

April 2023: Folake successfully passed her candidacy exam.

April 2023: Himanshu successfully passed his candidacy exam.

2023:

May 2023: Faria successfully passed her candidacy exam.

April 2023: Masudur successfully passed his candidacy exam.

April 2023, Isa came in 2nd at the CLAS undergraduate symposium.

March 2023, Vinicius successfully presents his fourth year talk at inorganic seminar.

February 2023, Fatemeh successfully presents her fourth year talk at inorganic seminar.

February 2023, Isa won the 2nd best poster in the Undergraduate Research Symposium.

2022:

December 2022, Folake and Himanshu join the group.

  • July 2022, Tharanga successfully defended her thesis and accepted LTD (Logic Technology Development) Transistor Interconnect Process Integrator Engineer, Intel.
  • June 2022, Viktor, a high school student, joined our group, working with Fatemeh on synthesizing Gd2O3 nanoparticles to create a cryogenic magnetic refrigeration system.  
  • June 2022, Tepora successfully defended her thesis and accepted Assistant Director of Equity and inclusion position at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.
  • May 2022, Lakmini’s graduation.
  • Congrats to Vinicius for receiving Esther & Stanley Kirschner General Chemistry Teaching Award.
  • Stephanie Brock was selected as new member of Wayne State University Academy of Scholars.
  • Congrats to Tharanga for receiving Schaap-Rumble Graduate Research Fellowship Award for 2021-2022 academic year. 

2021:

  • First year graduate students: Ayesha, Masudur, and Faria join the group. Welcome!

  • Dec 2021 – Lakmini successfully defended her thesis and accepted a position at Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories, Inc.

  • Congrats to Tharanga for receiving The Best Student Oral Presentation Award at the 42nd Annual Michigan Catalysis Society Symposium for her oral presentation on the “Synthesis and Intrinsic Electrocatalytic Activity Evaluation of Ni2-xRhxP Nanoparticles for Water Splitting Reactions in Basic Media”

  • Congrats to Tepora for receiving the 2021 NOBCChE Inorganic Chemistry and Physical Chemistry Division Oral Presentation Award! Had a pizza party to celebrate (see above)!
  • Congrats to Tharanga for receiving the 2021 NOBCChE Materials Science and Nanoscience Division Graduate Poster Presentation Award! Had a pizza party to celebrate (see above)!
  • Fatemeh successfully passed her candidacy exam.

  • Vinicius successfully passed his candidacy exams.
  • Tharanga receives the 2021-2022 Rumble Fellowship
  • Lakmini is awarded the 2021 Summer Dissertation Fellowship
  • Stephanie Brock is the inaugural deputy editor of ACS Materials Au

2020:

  • Stephanie Brock is elected into the Academy of Scholars
  • Lakmini receives the 2020 – 2021 Rumble Fellowship
  • Fatemeh and Vinicius receive Departmental Excellence in Teaching Awards
  • Wayne State Team, chaired by Tepora is selected to the host the ACS Graduate Student Symposium at national ACS Spring 2021 meeting
  • Mikaylah and Kody join Engineering Ph.D. programs at Purdue University and University of Michigan, respectively.

  • Brock Lab volunteers at STEM Day! Liquid Crystal Demo


  • Lakmini Silva successfully presents her fourth year talk at inorganic seminar and undergrad, Alina, celebrates her birthday!


  • Holiday Christmas Party! White elephant, potluck, and welcoming new first years into the Brock and Verani Lab Family

2019

  • Congratulations to Dr. Brock for receiving the Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award
  • Congratulations to Kody Whisnant for receiving the Outstanding Student Poster Award at the Michigan Catalysis Society Symposium
  • Undergraduate, Ali Ramzan successfully defends his honors research project
  • Fatemeh and Vinicius join the group
  • Tepora receives the 2019 – 2020 Rumble Fellowship
  • Lina earns a Honors B.S. degree in Chemistry from WSU
  • Malsha successfully defends his dissertation! Great job!
  • Sam successfully defends his dissertation! Hooray!
  • Indika successfully defends her dissertation. Congratulations!

2017

  • Da Li successfully defended his dissertation
  • Tepora Receives IMSD fellowship for two years
  • Da received the Outstanding Presentation ward from the Michigan Catalysis Society 38th Annual Spring Symposium
  • Roshini successfully defended her dissertation
  • Da won a Presentation Award in the Graduate & Postdoctoral Research Symposium

2016

  • Congratulations to Bogs. He received an ACS Division of Inorganic Chemistry Award and the Wiley Award in Advanced Organic Chemistry
  • Ruchira received the Rumble Fellowship
  • Sam received the Herbert K. Livingston Award for Excellence in Teaching Service
  • Welcome our new group members, Taisia (visiting scholar), Kody and Mikaylah (undergraduates)
  • Dr. Brock becomes the editor of Chemistry of Materials
  • Ruchira successfully defends his dissertation!
  • New first years Tepora, Lalani, and Lakmini join the group
  • Jessica successfully defends her dissertation!