Education

• Ph.D. in Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2024 (expected)
  • Graduate Concentration in Entrepreneurship & Innovation
• M.S. in Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), 2021
• B.S. in Electrical Engineering with Honors, Summa Cum Laude, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa (UHM), 2019

Technical Experience

• Dec 2021 - Present: Bernhard Research Group, UIUC
  • National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow working with Prof. Jennifer Bernhard
  • Non-reciprocal antennas: Investigating proof-of-concept antenna architectures that display non-reciprocal radiation when comparing transmit and receive states.
  • Modal analysis: Examining the radiation and energy storage modes of canonical dipole antennas and establishing a correspondence between modal transitions and physically observable properties (e.g., radiation pattern).
• Jul 2019 - Dec 2021: Bahl Research Group, UIUC
  • National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow working with Prof. Gaurav Bahl
  • Circuit-based metamaterials: Designed and tested metamaterials to realize macro-scale models of atomically ordered topological insulators. These models provide experimental access to topological phenomena.
  • M.S. Thesis title: Exploration of crystallographic defects in topological insulator metamaterials
• Aug. 2015-May 2019: Liquid-Metal Electronics, UHM
  • Research Assistant working with Prof. Aaron Ohta and Prof. Wayne Shiroma
  • Reconfigurable antennas: Designed and fabricated dipole, bow-tie, and patch antenna prototypes that used liquid metal to physically change the antenna architectures. Project lead for Fall 2017 and Spring 2018 semesters.
  • Liquid-metal pixel: Developed encapsulated ‘pixel’ of liquid metal capable of out-of-plane electrical actuation.
• May 2018 - Aug 2018: The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA
  • Antenna Systems Intern
  • Antenna design: Designed and simulated a Vivaldi antenna for use in an RF-photonic transducer.
  • Electromagnetic simulation: Became proficient using ANSYS HFSS and Dassault Systemes CST.
  • Comprehensive literature reviews: Performed literature reviews concerning deployable antennas, and how reentry plasma sheaths affect RF communications.
• July 2017: Shimizu Laboratory, Tokyo University of Agriculture & Technology, Japan
  • Visiting Undergraduate Researcher with Prof. Hiromasa Shimizu
  • Simulation of optical confinement: Simulated optical confinement modes in various silicon waveguide sensors using Wolfram Mathematica. Processed and analyzed data comparing confinement in conventional silicon waveguides and metal-assisted waveguides.
• May 2016 - Aug 2016: Iwasa Laboratory, Quantum-Phase Electronics Center, University of Tokyo, Japan
  • Nakatani RIES Fellow with Prof. Yoshihiro Iwasa
  • Material growth: Conducted growth of 2D materials by molecular beam epitaxy.
  • Material characterization: Independently used atomic force microscopy and x-ray diffraction. Measured transport properties with a Physical Property Measurement System.
  • Soft skills: Effectively worked and communicated in a Japanese research lab. Improved cultural competency.

Service & Leadership (Selected)

• Nov 2022 - Present: Link Budget (Game), Urbana, IL
  • Creator & Designer
  • Gamifying engineering concepts: Link Budget translates fundamental concepts about antenna engineering into a multiplayer card game suitable for ages 12+.
  • Cozad New Venture Challenge: Participated in 2023 competition. Awarded Honorable Mention in the category of Educational Tools. Additionally, awarded trademark assistance through the University of Illinois College of Law Intellectual Property Clinic.

• July 2022 - Present: Engineering Alumni Association of the University of Hawai'i (EAAUH), Board of Directors

• Aug 2020 - Dec 2022: RISE UP @ Illinois, UIUC
  • Founding Member, Executive Board Member
  • Diversity & Inclusion Programming: Awarded $13,000 of internal grant funding. Organized and staffed biweekly events focused on community building (10-30 attendees per event), sensitivity training (48 participants, 50% faculty/staff), and outreach (3 STEM+art workshops serving 50 kids per event).
  • Program evaluation: Obtained Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval to conduct surveys of participating students. These surveys were used to evaluate program perception and outcomes.
  • Impact Authored a report detailing institutional challenges and provided actionable recommendations. This report was elevated to the Institute Director to inform best practices. Received Grassroots Initiatives to Address Needs Together (GIANT) Student Diversity Leadership Award in 2024.
• 2016-2018: Holmescoming, Honolulu, HI
  • EAAUH, Holmescoming Student Co-Representative
  • Student volunteer coordination: Responsible for organizing over 150 student volunteers for an annual fundraiser event that attracts over 900 guests and has been attended by David Ige, Governor of Hawai'i at time of event(s).
• Aug 2015- May 2019: Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE), UHM
  • Student Branch Chair (AY 2018-2019)
  • Responsibilities: Planning & organizing technical and professional events for 60+ student branch members.
  • Previous positions: Vice-Chair (AY 2017-2018), Secretary (AY 2016-2017)

Awards & Honors (Selected)

• GIANT Student Diversity Leadership Award, 2024
• National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, April 2019
• Hawaii Council of Engineering Societies: Student Engineer of the Year, Feb 2019
• 1st Place Engineering Oral Presentation at Undergraduate Showcase, May 2019
• 1st Place Poster Presentation - Liquid-Metal Electronics, April 2017
• Nakatani Research & International Experiences (RIES) Fellow, 2016
• University of Hawaii Regent Scholar, 2015

Publications

Insights from the Radiation and Energy Storage Modes of Canonical Dipole Antennas

S. S.Y. Cain, E. Wilken-Resman, J. T. Bernhard. (2023). "Insights from the Radiation and Energy Storage Modes of Canonical Dipole Antennas " IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, 2024.

Bound States at Partial Dislocation Defects in Multipole Higher-order Topological Insulators

S. S. Yamada, T. Li, M. Lin, C. W. Peterson, T. L. Hughes, G. Bahl. (2022). "Bound States at Partial Dislocation Defects in Multipole Higher-order Topological Insulators " Nature Communications.

Frequency-Reconfigurable Dipole Antenna Using Liquid-Metal Pixels

K. J. Sarabia, S. S. Yamada, M. R. Moorefield, A. W. Combs, W. A. Shiroma, A. T. Ohta. (2018). "Frequency-Reconfigurable Dipole Antenna Using Liquid-Metal Pixels " International Journal of Antennas and Propagation.

Out-of-plane Continuous Electrowetting Actuation of Liquid Metal

K. J. Sarabia, S. S. Yamada, R. C. Gough, M. R. Moorefield, A. W. Combs, W. A. Shiroma, A. T. Ohta. (2017). "Out-of-plane Continuous Electrowetting Actuation of Liquid Metal " Electronics Letters.

Presentations

Investigation of the Radiation and Energy Storage Modes of Small Arrays

September 11, 2023

Conference Presentation at Antenna Applications Symposium, Monticello, IL

Radiation and Energy Storage Modal Analysis of Dipole Antennas

September 22, 2022

Conference Presentation at Antenna Applications Symposium, Monticello, IL

Bound States at Partial Dislocation Defects in 2D and 3D High-order Topological Insulator Metamaterials

November 01, 2021

Conference Presentation at PIERS 2021, Hangzhou, China (Remote)

3-D Actuation of Liquid Metal with Continuous Electrowetting

July 31, 2017

Conference Paper at IEEE CYBER 2017, Honolulu, HI

Towards Flexible Patch Antennas: Characterization of Introduced Gaps

July 31, 2017

Conference Paper at IEEE CYBER 2017, Honolulu, HI

Teaching & Outreach

Link Budget (Game)

ECE 110

EE 260

Skills

• Electromagnetic Simulation
  • Ansys HFSS
  • FEKO
  • CST
• Scripting
  • MATLAB
  • python
• Circuit Simulation & Design
  • Keysight Advanced Design System (ADS)
  • EAGLE
  • KiCAD