Priyanka Kumari

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT PRIYANKA KUMARI

I am a materials science Ph.D. candidate with a strong foundation in soft condensed matter physics and over 6 years of hands-on experience in optics, photolithography, and thin-film device fabrication. My research focuses on ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals, where I use photoalignment techniques to pattern polarization textures and explore topological structures with relevance to next-generation display and photonic applications. I bring 4+ years of cleanroom experience, including UV photolithography, spin coating, and wet chemical processing on silicon and flexible substrates. My work spans optical characterization (POM, DHM, PolScope), polymer and alignment layer engineering, and quantum dot synthesis. I’ve also designed tunable optical components, such as a voltage-controlled LC half-wave retarder, and collaborated with interdisciplinary teams on both experimental design and data analysis using tools like MATLAB, Python, and Origin. Beyond the lab, I have presented my work at international conferences and contributed to peer-reviewed publications in Science, Nature Communications, and Physical Review Research. I am passionate about advancing optical materials through fundamental research and engineering, and I enjoy working at the interface of materials science, optics, and device innovation.