Haley Dishmann
Graduate Student, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Mona Ebrish Research Group
My inspiration to pursue my current research area is rooted in my undergraduate experiences. As a proud HBCU graduate from Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, I was introduced to device fabrication through research opportunities supported by the AAMU RISE Foundation and Dr. Satilmis Budak. This program provided critical resources, materials, industry partnerships, and hands-on training that allowed me to gain early exposure to cleanroom processes and experimental research.
Although my undergraduate work focused primarily on battery fabrication and materials optimization, the skills and confidence I developed during that time became the foundation for my transition into selective doping research in graduate school. With the guidance and support of my advisor, Dr. Mona Ebrish, I was able to pivot into this new area and quickly recognize how transferable my laboratory skills truly are. That transition reinforced both my passion for semiconductor research and my motivation to continue exploring how precise material engineering can advance next-generation electronic devices.
My experience with VINSE has been incredibly positive. From the tech crew members who are in the lab first thing in the morning, ready to help, to the staff who consistently support idea development, tool access, and process optimization, VINSE fosters an environment where research can truly thrive. The lab community is equally impactful, collaborative, and encouraging, with someone always willing to offer guidance, discuss a process challenge, or provide advice on a new material or technique. It has also shown me just how transferable my laboratory skills are across diverse research spaces.
The next steps in my research focus on deepening my understanding of selective doping mechanisms in GaN and expanding the techniques I use to engineer precise dopant profiles. I plan to continue optimizing diffusion and implantation conditions, exploring alternative capping layers, and integrating annealing conditions to achieve shallow, well-controlled activation. These efforts will contribute to building more reliable models of dopant behavior and ultimately improving the performance of GaN devices.
My hobbies outside the lab include running, exploring new places with my boyfriend Christian, and playing fetch with my dog Nala.