From Biosensors to Badminton: The Multifaceted Journey of a Ph.D. Student

Hsiao-Hsuan (Renee) Wan

Title: Ph.D Student
Advisor: Dr. Fan Ren
Department: Chemical Engineering 

Hsiao-Hsuan, a Ph.D. student in Chemical Engineering under Dr. Fan Ren, is advancing semiconductor and biosensor research. With her foundation from National Taiwan University, Renee’s work spans ultrawide bandgap semiconductors and biosensors for cancer detection.

Our graduate students bring a unique blend of passion, expertise, and dedication to their research. In and out of the lab, they are driven by curiosity and a commitment to advancing their field. Here are their stories, visions, and pop-culture fixations.

1. What did you want to be growing up?
   An R&D scientist. I enjoy tackling different challenges, which brings me a great sense of accomplishment. In Dr. Ren’s group, I work on semiconductor and biosensor projects, which are vastly different areas.
2. What is the most interesting project you have worked on at UF?
   Recently, I worked on an intriguing semiconductor project where we used liquid nitrogen to simulate the environment of space and test our device. This experience was incredibly exciting because, instead of testing at room temperature, we evaluated our device under harsh conditions, potentially making it suitable for use in vehicles traveling to different planets. It felt like I was getting closer to something that once seemed very distant.
   
   Even more fascinating was that some of our designs worked, and we observed some interesting phenomena. Based on these findings, we can design even better devices, bringing us closer to real-world applications.
3. What are your biggest accomplishments?
   In the semiconductor project, I broke the world record for breakdown voltage in lateral AlGO and lateral AlN devices. In the biosensor project, I successfully developed a functional biosensor that gained significant attention.
   
   I received interview requests from many news outlets. I recently earned the Ministry of Education of Taiwan’s Government Scholarship to study abroad and further my studies and research at UF. The $32,000 fellowship will provide two years of support for my thesis. The scholarship is very competitive in Taiwan and very difficult to obtain.
4. What are you watching?
   I love to watch suspense and detective films. Two of my favorite shows are “Blacklist” and “Lucifer.”
5. Tell us something people do not know about you.
   1. I’ve played badminton for 15 years and served as the team captain for the varsity team at National Taiwan University. During my tenure as captain, my teammates and I won the championship at the 2021 National Intercollegiate Athletic Games. After coming to UF, I joined the badminton club, and we won the gold medal in the 2022 South Conference – Eastern Collegiate Team Badminton Championships. Playing badminton is my way of relaxing from research. Whenever I feel exhausted, a game of badminton always makes me feel better.
   2. My parents are in the chemical engineering field. Seeing their successful careers and fulfilling lives inspired me to pursue a path in chemical engineering as well.