Group 2025
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Contact
Biography
Sarah Tolbert received her Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Yale University. She then received her Ph.D. in Chemistry from UC-Berkeley, studying the structure, stability, and electronic properties of nanometer sized clusters with Prof. A. Paul Alivisatos. She was then a Postdoctoral Scholar at UCSB, researching the synthesis, characterization, and physical and structural properties of new inorganic/organic composite and mesoporous materials with Prof. Galen D. Stucky.
In 1997, Sarah joined the UCLA family as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry and currently serves in both the Chemistry and Materials Science and Engineering Departments. Her current research interests include self-organized nanoscale materials for electronic, magnetic, optical, and structural applications; nanomaterials for energy, including electrochemical charge storage and solar energy harvesting; semiconducting polymers; polymer templated nanoporous materials, including supercapacitors and strain engineering magnetic materials; new ultrahard and ultra-incompressible materials and functional materials through solution phase self-assembly.
Graduate Students
B. S. Northwestern University
Research: Energy Storage Materials (Pseudocapacitors)
Interests: Popping, locking and dropping
B. S. Penn State
Research: Magnetic and Multiferroic Materials & Aqueous Batteries
Interests: Working out, surfing, snowboarding
B. S. University of San Diego
Research: Energy Storage Materials (Alloy Anodes)
Interests: Powerlifting, golf, music
B.S., M. S. Bilkent University
Research: Semiconducting Polymers
Interests: Cooking and baking, reading, traveling
B.S. San Diego State University
Research: Energy Storage Materials (Pseudocapacitors)
Interests: Backpacking, swimming, reading
B.S. UC Davis
Research: Superhard and Ultra-Incompressible Materials
Interests: coffee, plants, rock climbing
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Research: Semiconducting Polymers and Graphene Nanoribbons
Interests: traveling and cultivating flowers
B.S. UC Berkeley
Research: Energy Storage Materials (Alloy Anodes)
Interests: cooking, reading, houseplants
B.S. University of Vermont
M.S. University of Oregon
Research: Energy Storage Materials (Alloy Anodes)
Interests: Biking, running, skiing
B.S. Cal Poly
Research: Semiconducting Polymers
Interests: video games, d&d, baking/cooking, crochet
B.S. University of Houston
Research: Energy Storage Materials (Pseudocapacitors)
Interests: Facetiming my dog, watching Tiktoks, trying new matcha recipes
MChem University of Edinburgh
Contact: beccamcalpine17@ucla.edu
Research: Energy storage materials and radiative cooling
Interests: Yoga, running and violin
B.S. UNC Chapel Hill
Contact: miguelar@ucla.edu
Research: Energy Storage Materials (Pseudocapacitors)
Interests: Reality TV, Pokemon, Weight Lifting
B.S. University of Michigan
Research: Semiconducting Polymers
Interests: Climbing, Camping, Weightlifting
B.S. University of Michigan
Research: Aqueous Batteries
Interests: Making Music, Climbing, Photography
B.S. UC San Diego
Research: Radiative Cooling & Energy Storage Materials
Interests: Hiking, Painting, Matcha, Photography
B.S. UC Irvine
Research: Energy Storage Materials (Pseudocapacitors)
Interests: Basketball, Guitar, Vinyl Records
Undergrads
Research: Energy Storage Materials (Alloy Anodes)
Interests: Gaming, Hiking, Reading, Foraging
Research: Superhard and Ultra Incompressible Materials
Interests: Golfing, Snowboarding, Filmmaking, Exploring new places
Research: Superhard and Ultra Incompressible Materials
Interests: Cafe Hopping
