J.R. Gaines of Kurt J. Lesker Company

Biography:

J.R. Gaines is the Technical Director of Education for the Kurt J. Lesker Company, (Jefferson Hills, PA). The Lesker Company is a global scientific equipment manufacturer supplying materials and tools for vacuum-enabled innovation. Gaines has more than 50 years of experience in the research, development, and commercialization of advanced materials technologies including superconductivity, semiconductors, cryogenics, space simulation, energy generation, energy conversion, and storage. His experience includes vacuum systems, thin film deposition, inorganic chemistry, nanotechnology, and advanced ceramic processing. He currently develops and delivers the Company’s many educational programs through Lesker University teaching events.

In addition to managing the Lesker U program, Gaines has recently completed a 3-volume book series onvacuum science and system design, available currently in print or as an e-book from the scientific publisher Elsevier,Ltd.

Prior to joining the Lesker Company, J.R. worked for Lake Shore Cryotronics manufacturing temperature sensors and refrigeration systems for cryogenic applications, Superconductive Components, Inc. where he helped develop a line of ceramic superconductors and superconductive devices, Oak Ridge Micro-Energy where he helped commercialize solid-state thin film batteries, and the Sputtering Target Manufacturing Company where he developed a unique approach for advanced ceramic sputtering targets which was subsequently acquired by the Kurt J. Lesker Company.

He has a master’s degree from the Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio) and earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Toledo (Toledo, Ohio).

Sezin Sayin of George Mason University

Biography:

Sezin Sayin is the Interim Nanofabrication Facility Manager at George Mason University. She holds a PhD inElectrical Engineering, an MSc in Materials Science and Nanoengineering, and a BSc in ChemicalEngineering. During her PhD studies, she served as an Associate Guest Researcher at the NIST Biomolecular Measurement Division.

Her research focuses on developing plasmonic biosensors for biomedical diagnostics and polymeric nanostructures for controlled and targeted drug delivery. Dr. Sayin’s expertise lies in nanofabrication, materials characterization, biosensors, and semiconductor technology, with a strong emphasis on innovative diagnostic solutions. She has published her work at international conferences and in journals, includingNanotechnology, RSC, MRS, and ACS.