MY PORTFOLIO

Aisha Siddiqui

My Nanotechnology Engineering Journey

01 / APPLIED ENGINEERING

Projects

A showcase of physical implementations, high-voltage diagnostics, and custom software pipelines.

Sep 2025 - Apr 2026

National Institute for Materials Science

Research and Development Intern

CPW Resonators
Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Jan 2025 - Apr 2025

Kinectrics

Engineering and Research Intern (High Voltage and Safety Testing)

Cryogenic Controls
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
May 2024 - Aug 2024

Technology Innovation Institute

Quantum Sensors Intern

QEC Visualizer
Masdar, Abu Dhabi, UAE
May 2026 - Present

Undergraduate Research Assistant

University of Waterloo

University of Waterloo Research
Waterloo, Canada
02 / DISCIPLINE & RESEARCH

Past Internships

A timeline of research internships spanning printed electronics, organic electrochemical transistors, and quantum sensing.

EXPERIENCE

Undergraduate Research Assistant

University of Waterloo · Research Assistant

May 2026 - Present · Waterloo, Canada
  • Led electrical and mechanical characterization of printed conductors on an emerging nanopaper substrate, in partnership with industry startup Tangho NanoPaper.
  • Designed and ran a process screening matrix across substrate batches, varying ink formulation, print parameters, and curing conditions to identify combinations that met conductivity and adhesion targets.
  • Developed standardized testing protocols for sheet resistance, flexibility (bend-cycle), and adhesion testing, improving repeatability of results across team members and substrate batches.
  • Built a material compatibility matrix correlating substrate, ink, and process parameters with electrical and mechanical performance, used by the team to guide material selection decisions.
  • Documented experimental methodology and results in a structured lab notebook and presented findings to faculty and industry collaborators.

Supermolecules Research & Development Intern

National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) · Intern

Sep 2025 - Apr 2026 · Tsukuba, Japan
  • Developed and optimized thin-film fabrication recipes for organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs), iterating on spin coating, thermal annealing, and solution-processing parameters to improve device yield and consistency.
  • Engineered Nafion-based ion transport layers, enabling stable device operation without conventional electrolyte additives.
  • Investigated electrochemical doping mechanisms in semicrystalline polymers (PBTTT, PDCBT), distinguishing bulk versus interfacial ion transport behavior to inform process changes.
  • Used X-ray diffraction (XRD) and spectroscopic metrology to correlate microstructure with electronic performance and guide process optimization.
  • Ran time-resolved electrical characterization (transient gate biasing, current response analysis) to troubleshoot device behavior and document findings for the team.
  • Research paper in preparation for publication.

High Voltage and Safety Testing Engineering and Research Intern

Kinectrics · Engineering and Research Intern

Jan 2025 - Apr 2025 · Toronto, Canada
  • Designed and executed R&D test protocols and diagnostics (dielectric spectroscopy, TDR/FDR, partial discharge analysis) for low- and medium-voltage nuclear power cable systems.
  • Performed partial discharge (PRPD) trending across multiple cable samples to identify early-stage insulation degradation and correlate findings with known failure modes.
  • Automated data acquisition and signal processing in MATLAB for instrument control, reducing manual test time and improving consistency across repeated measurements.
  • Applied statistical analysis to non-destructive examination (NDE) data to support cable condition assessment, then documented methodology and results in formal engineering reports for nuclear utility clients.

Quantum Sensors Research and Development Intern

Technology Innovation Institute · Research and Development Intern

May 2024 - Aug 2024 · Abu Dhabi, UAE
  • Supported development of a levitated optomechanical quantum accelerometer, performing hands-on optical alignment, beam collimation, and fiber coupling to improve particle trapping stability in a vacuum environment.
  • Built and calibrated a particle imaging system for tracking motion and extracting displacement data, iterating on optical setup and component alignment to improve measurement precision.
  • Integrated NI DAQ hardware with Python-based acquisition and signal-processing workflows to streamline data collection across test runs.
  • Analyzed particle dynamics using power spectral density (PSD) and peak detection methods to identify characteristic frequencies and contributed to iterative tuning of trapping and vacuum operation parameters.
03 / SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND

About Me

I am a Nanotechnology Engineering student at the University of Waterloo with research and engineering experience across advanced materials, quantum sensing, and nuclear power infrastructure, developed in Canada, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates.

I am currently a Research and Development Intern at the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), working on supramolecular and organic-inorganic hybrid materials for applications in semiconductors and molecular electronics, using spectroscopy, microscopy, thin-film fabrication, and computational analysis.

Previously, I contributed to quantum sensor development at the Technology Innovation Institute and supported high-voltage, dielectric, and non-destructive testing for nuclear power systems at Kinectrics.

I thrive in interdisciplinary, research-driven environments and am particularly interested in advanced materials, nanofabrication, quantum-enabled technologies, and energy systems.

PROGRAM:
Nanotechnology Engineering, with Specialization in Nanoelectronics and Option in Quantum Engineering
LOCATION:
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
GRADUATION:
April 2028
EMAIL:
a27siddi@uwaterloo.ca
04 / ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS

Research & Articles

Laboratory notebooks examining phase dephasing, system integration, and topological surface decoders.

7 Dec, 2023 [ News Article ]

First-year student recognized for exceptional achievements

READ ↗
12 May, 2026 [ Internships ]

My National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) Internship!

READ ↗
12 May, 2026 [ Internships ]

My Internship at the Technology Innovation Institute!

READ ↗
13 March, 2026 [ Events & Exhibitions ]

Attending Nanotech Japan 2026

READ ↗
13 Dec, 2025 [ Events & Exhibitions ]

Biotechnology Edition of the Waterloo Nanotechnology Conference

READ ↗
18 July, 2026 [ Article ]

Bits, Qubits, and Beyond: A History and Review of Quantum Computing

READ ↗


05 / TECHNICAL SKILLS

Skills

Core proficiencies across fabrication, characterization, testing, programming, and lab operations.

Fabrication & Process

Spin coating, thermal annealing, thin-film/multilayer device fabrication, solution processing, conductive ink formulation, process recipe development & optimization.

Metrology & Characterization

XRD, XRR, SEM, TEM, Raman, FTIR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, ellipsometry, TGA, DSC.

Electrical Testing & Diagnostics

Dielectric spectroscopy, TDR/FDR, partial discharge (PRPD), OECT characterization, transient electrical measurement.

Programming & Data Analysis

Python (data acquisition, numerical analysis, OOP), MATLAB (automation, signal processing).

Lab Safety & Documentation

WHMIS 2015 certified; structured lab notebook and chronological record-keeping practices; formal engineering report writing (IEEE/ACS citation standards).

Design & CAD

SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Fusion360.



06 / ESTABLISH CONVERSATION

Reach Out

LAB INTERCONNECTS
UNIVERSITY
University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
PERSONAL:
a27siddi@uwaterloo.ca