Dr. Jason Azoulay is an Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Materials Science and Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is the Georgia Research Alliance Vasser-Woolley Distinguished Investigator in Optoelectronics and co-director of the Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics. Prior to joining GT, he was an Associate Professor of Polymer Science and Engineering at The University of Southern Mississippi. He received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California –Santa Barbara and performed post-doctoral studies at Sandia National Laboratories. Prof. Azoulay’s research group unites strong synthetic foundations with physics, materials science, and engineering to synthesize and apply next-generation functional materials. Research efforts within the group encompass homogeneous catalysis applied to polymer synthesis; electronic, photonic, magnetic, and quantum materials; device fabrication and engineering; chemical sensing in complex aqueous environments for environmental monitoring; and the synthesis, application, and engineering of high-performance polymers across multiple technology platforms. Azoulay has directed large interdisciplinary and center-level efforts in conjugated polymers, optoelectronics, and chemical sensing. He has also received numerous awards and honors, including the 2017 Nokia-Bell Labs Prize and Department of Energy Early Career Research Program Award.
Param received his Ph.D. in Materials Chemistry from the CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology in 2014, under the supervision of Dr. K. Bhanuprakash and Dr. V. Jayathirtha Rao. His Ph.D. research focused on the molecular design and synthesis of novel organic materials for solar cell applications. He is now working on the development of shortwave infrared (SWIR) polymers for organic photodiodes since joining the Azoulay group in July 2019.
Email:pmahalingam7@gatech.edu
Tanya graduated with her B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2022. Her undergraduate research focused on sol-gel synthesis of pseudo-solid electrolytes for future energy storage applications. Tanya also worked part-time for a high-tech startup company based at the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI), where she developed new synthesis methods for proton exchange membranes used in hydrogen fuel cells. At Georgia Tech, her PhD research investigates open-shell conjugated molecules and polymers for quantum applications. It correlates their spin behavior with chemical structure through magnetic characterization techniques, including SQUID, continuous-wave and pulsed EPR, and PPMS measurements.
Sanyukta Datta Gupta earned her bachelor’s degree from Assam University and her master’s from IIT Tirupati, where her research involved synthesizing semiconductor hybrid nanomaterials using biomolecules as templates. Currently, Sanyukta is part of the Azoulay Lab, focusing on the detailed study of bonding and spin interactions in hybrid materials.
Vipul Singh earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Delhi, India. Following his master’s degree, he worked in the laboratory of Prof. Mahendra Nath at the University of Delhi, where he focused on the synthesis of metalloporphyrin molecules. Vipul’s work in the Azoulay research group centers on the synthesis of novel polymers and the post-polymerization modification of polymers utilizing gold catalysis. His research aims to develop advanced polymeric materials with enhanced functionalities through innovative chemical techniques.
Co-advised by Prof. Mijin Kim from the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
Akshay received his B.S in biochemistry from Rutgers University-Camden. His undergraduate research focused on using DNA nanostructure complexed with polymers and gold nanoparticles as a method of drug delivery. His current research focuses on creating devices that can detect phosphate in environmental solutions.
Co-advised by Prof. Natalie Stingelin and Prof. Scott Danielsen from the School of Materials Science and Engineering.
Joshua earned his B.S. in Marine Science (Oceanography) from the University of Ghana where he later completed his M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering; his research investigated the UV-protective properties of plant-derived extracts for application in cosmetic formulations and surface coatings. In the Azoulay research group, Joshua is co-advised by Prof. Natalie Stingelin and focuses on gold-catalyzed upconversion of lignin and lignin-derived aromatic monomers. His doctoral work centers on developing sustainable chemical pathways to transform biomass into high-value polymeric materials.
Ziqi graduated from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in 2025 with a B.S. in Chemistry. His undergraduate research focused on discovering a novel antimetabolite by studying chemotherapeutic drug molecules based on 5-fluorouracil. His current research focuses on excitonic materials and device fabrication.
Rachel MacDonald is an undergraduate Chemistry major with a Law, Science, and Technology minor. She joined the Azoulay lab in the fall of 2025, where she has been collaborating with postdoctoral researcher Dr. Tanner Smith on the synthesis of building block materials for 2D perovskites.
Zachary Gault is an undergraduate Physics major. He joined the Azoulay lab in the summer of 2025, where he has been collaborating with postdoctoral researcher Dr. Andrew Comstock and graduate student Oscar Eraso Toro in the device lab.
Linus is an undergraduate student in Materials Science and Engineering at Georgia Tech, concentrating in functional materials. His work in the Azoulay Research Group centers on the development and study of organic semiconductor photodetectors, with responsibilities in material characterization, device processing, and performance evaluation.