Steven Kolaczkowski
Champaign,IL
Summary
Possesses versatile skills in project management, problem-solving, and collaboration. Experienced with designing and fabricating equipment for research and education. Significant background in research, curriculum development, and fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment. Brings a positive, friendly attitude and commitment to continuous learning and growth
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
Work History
Lecturer
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
01.2026 - 05.2026
- Developed and delivered three one-hour lectures per week teaching students advanced concepts in semiconductor electronics with real device structures and limitations of ideal models for device operation.
- Evaluated student performance through weekly homework assignments, two midterm exams, a final exam, and TCAD simulation-based projects.
- Actively incorporated real-world examples into lessons and connected material to relevant experiences.
Cleanroom Staff
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
01.2026 - 05.2026
- Establishing an ultra-high vacuum scanning tunneling microscope system in a class 100 cleanroom located in the University of Illinois’ electrical and computer engineering building. Duties involve transport of system from a different building to the cleanroom, cleaning and sterilizing all components, reestablishing ultra-high vacuum, building vibration isolation system, testing microscope operation, creating standard operating procedure documents for microscope use, and teaching students to use a scanning tunneling microscope.
Visiting Research Scientist
Sandia National Laboratories
01.2025 - 07.2025
- Developed and optimized experimental protocols for advanced materials research projects.
- Design, fabricate, and test ultra-high vacuum and material growth equipment.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to achieve project goals and enhance research outcomes.
Teaching Assistant
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
05.2018 - 12.2024
- Instructing students during a twice-weekly three-hour lab section in clean-room safety precautions, acid & base etching, RCA cleaning, Si doping and oxidation, high-temperature furnace use, electronic testing equipment, device contact metallization, and lithography.
- Responsibilities include writing quizzes, grading lab reports, preparing and cleaning needed chemical mixtures, operating cleanroom equipment, and instructing students on lab protocols, processes, and documentation.
Teaching Assistant
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
01.2023 - 12.2025
- Teaching students, in weekly three-hour lab sections, how to build a radio from scratch using LRC circuit design. Additionally, hosting weekly office hours and test prep sessions.
- Responsibilities include working knowledge of discrete components and circuit analysis, working closely with professors to update class material, and maintaining lab safety.
- Member of “the list of teachers ranked as excellent by their students”.
Education
Ph.D. - Electrical Engineering
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Urbana, IL05-2026
Bachelor of Science - Electrical Engineering
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Urbana, IL05-2019
Bachelor of Science - Engineering Physics
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Urbana, IL05-2019
Skills
- Condensed Matter
- 2D Material Electronics and Photonics
- Intro to Quantum Electronics
- Compound Semiconductors and Devices
- Advanced Semiconductor Nanotechnology
- Quantum Optics and Information
- Integrated Optics and Optoelectronic Devices
- Quantum Physics II
- Semiconductor Electronics
- IC Device Theory and Fabrication
Skill
- Online Teaching
- Scanning Tunneling Microscopy
- Ultra-high Vacuum Systems
- Small-molecule Organic Chemistry
- Crystal Growth Techniques
- Equipment Fabrication and Repair
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
- Safety Documentation
- Atomic Force Microscopy
- Profilometry
- Acid-Base Etching
- Lithographic Techniques
- Cleanroom Procedures
Honors, Presentations, and Publications
- Steven Kolaczkowski, Gregory S Girolami and Joseph W Lyding. Top-down reorganization of self-assembled monolayers on Au(111). 2025 Nanotechnology 36 375601 DOI 10.1088/1361-6528/ae0044
- Steven Kolaczkowski, et al. Iterative growth of graphene nanoribbon polymers through TIDA-protected haloboronic acid monomers. 2026 Manuscript Written
- Claire Hallock, Alison Wallum, Jeremy Brinker, Steven Kolaczkowski, et al. Semiconductor-Molecule Hybrid States: Si(111)-Anthracene Probed by STM/STS and UPS/LEIPS. 2025 The Journal of Physical Chemistry C 129, 50, 22041–56 DOI 10.1021/acs.jpcc.5c07070.
- Steven Kolaczkowski. Manipulation and Synthesis of Atomically Precise Graphene Nanoribbons Through Top-Down Processing. 2021 ICN+T.
- Steven Kolaczkowski. Iteratively Synthesized, Atomically Precise Graphene Nanoribbons with Heteroatoms. 2024 Materials Research Society Spring Meeting.
- Mavis Future Faculty Fellow
- James Scholar Honors Student
- HKN Outstanding Junior Award
Interests
Nanotechnology, Quantum Computing, Small Molecule Organic Synthesis, Condensed Matter
Timeline
Lecturer
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
01.2026 - 05.2026
Cleanroom Staff
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
01.2026 - 05.2026
Visiting Research Scientist
Sandia National Laboratories
01.2025 - 07.2025
Teaching Assistant
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
01.2023 - 12.2025
Teaching Assistant
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
05.2018 - 12.2024
Ph.D. - Electrical Engineering
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Bachelor of Science - Electrical Engineering
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Bachelor of Science - Engineering Physics
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign