Emmanuel Dabuo
Graduate Student, Interdisciplinary Materials Science
Caldwell Research Group
Before coming to Vanderbilt, Emmanuel was convinced his research would center on 2D materials, particularly graphene, for solar energy applications. That changed during a rotation in Prof. Caldwell鈥檚 lab, where he was introduced to defect characterization in wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductors.
After exploring the literature on gallium nitride (GaN) and learning about its role in enabling technologies such as blue LEDs, Emmanuel became fascinated by its potential to transform next-generation electronics and energy technologies. When he officially joined Dr. Caldwell鈥檚 lab, the research focused on developing scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) to characterize defects in WBG materials, especially GaN.
VINSE has played an important role in Emmanuel’s academic journey at Vanderbilt. From the cleanroom and analytical labs to the advanced imaging suites and NanoGuides activities, VINSE has been a place where Emmanuel has grown as both a researcher and a Vanderbilt community member.
Looking ahead, Emmanuel hopes his research will help improve the performance and reliability of wide-bandgap semiconductors, especially GaN, by developing advanced characterization techniques to better understand defects and carrier behavior.
Outside the lab, Emmanuel enjoys talking with his mom, preparing Ghanaian dishes and beverages, riding his bike, and tending his pepper and ginger plants. One of his favorite activities is simply watering them and watching them grow. He also enjoys reading and exploring new ideas, which helps him stay curious and balanced beyond his research.