Joint Master’s Thesis with Empa – Spring 2026
We have a joint Masters Thesis opening with Dr. Michael Stuer at Empa. Details can be found in the pdf document below. Please note that the work and supervision will primarily be conducted at Empa. For EPFL Masters students, Prof. Yee will serve as the internal co-supervisor.
Master’s Projects/Thesis – Spring 2026
If you are interested in learning more about any of the projects below, please contact Prof Yee at [email protected]. Please note that all projects will be at the Neuchâtel campus.
Hydrogel Infusion Additive Manufacturing of Glass (Thesis)
One line summary: Printing of glass
One of our group’s research thrusts is on the development of polymers that can be thermally converted into composites, ceramics, and metals. We achieve this by infusing hydrogels with metal precursors and then chemically and thermally processing them to convert them into the desired product. Using our technology, we have been able to make a variety of functional materials, from zinc oxide to tungsten.
In this project, you will work with us to extend this technology to glass. This will entail the following: fabrication of silica-polymer composites, thermal processing of silica-polymer composites, and characterization of the resulting materials
Required experience: Must have worked in a wet chemistry lab before.
Preferred experience: Polymer synthesis; Resin-based 3D printing
Hydrogel Infusion Additive Manufacturing of Copper (Thesis)
One line summary: Nano/Micro-scale printing of copper
One of our group’s research thrusts is on the development of polymers that can be thermally converted into composites, ceramics, and metals. We achieve this by infusing hydrogels with metal precursors and then chemically and thermally processing them to convert them into the desired product. Using our technology, we have been able to make a variety of functional materials, from zinc oxide to tungsten.
In this project, you will work with us to extend this technology to nano/microscale fabrication. This will entail the following: two-photon lithography of hydrogels, fabrication of copper composites, and characterization of the resulting materials
Required experience: Must have worked in a wet chemistry lab before.
Preferred experience: Polymer synthesis; Resin-based 3D printing, Thermal processing
Open Projects
If none of the projects above interest you but you are interested in working with ALCHEMY in general for a Masters Semester Project, Masters Thesis, or otherwise, please contact Prof. Yee to discuss. We often have multiple other possible projects available but they often a) require a more specialised skillset or b) are not that suitable for the once-a-week nature of Semester Projects due to our location in Neuchâtel.