Carl Keck

I am a second year Ph.D. student in the Materials Science and Engineering department. My current research focuses on developing plasmonic nanostructures for optogenetic applications. I’m from Middletown, CT and received my B.S. in Materials Science from the California Institute of Technology, where my research focused on toughening freeze-cast porous ceramics. I’ve also validated an electrochemical model for fabricating wood-derived copper composites and studied the effect of an applied electric field on grain refinement in aluminum alloys. In my free time I like to bike, cook, work out, read, and woodwork. I especially like riding up Page Mill Road to Monte Bello. When I came to Stanford, I decided that I wanted to completely change my research focus from the structural properties of materials. After becoming acquainted with the research going on at the Hong Lab during my accepted students tour, I became interested in neuroengineering, something which I had never even thought about before. Now I find myself at the intersection of nanofabrication, biology, and optics. I am constantly looking for ways to incorporate new skills into my research as I seek to develop a broader skill base.