Vahideh Shirmohammadli
Chair, IEEE SFU Student Branch
Ph.D. Candidate, Simon Fraser University, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Mechatronic Systems Engineering
How I ended up here
Started my journey in a small city in the northern part of Iran.
Selected Projects
Integrated Circuit Design
I can’t believe I spent almost 4 years during my bachelor’s and master’s programs on the design of low power integrated circuits, especially low dropout regulators, and low noise amplifiers.
Microfabrication of Sensors
I devoted almost 3 years of my research career to the microfabrication of devices. I have gone through many photolithography, lift-off, and RF sputtering processes during this time.
Breast Cancer Detection
Successfully trapping the circulating tumor cells (CTC) using patterned nanowire substrates, was one of my projects that received my attention for 2 full years.
Physical Computing Platforms
Sensors can not only sense the environment but also can make sense of it on their own. I’m developing physical computers during my Ph.D. studies using a specific type of sensors.
Synthesis of ZnO Nanostructures
Synthesis of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanostructures was a part of my research on capturing CTCs from normal blood cells. I have synthesized nanorods, nano leaves, nanoflowers, and nanosheets.
Device Level Simulations
I have designed and simulated many device-level structures, including tandem solar cells, field-effect diodes, memory devices, and photodetectors using Silvaco Atlas.
Microfluidics
When they say microfluidics, I imagine a flow of blood cells in a microfluidic channel using an electrical field gradient. While the drag force tries to oppose the motion of the cells, the dielectrophoresis force deflects them based on their size in various directions.
COMSOL Multiphysics
Semiconductors, heat convection and conduction, and microfluidics are the modules I had the chance to work with during my research career. I have done transient and stationary analysis.
Maple/Matlab/Simulink
I can solve problems with everything I have in my power: I’ll try Matlab or Maple. I am super comfortable with both of them either in coding, designing circuits, or simulation of electrical/mechanical systems in the Simulink.