PHD: Auke Vlasblom

Utrecht University

Email: a.vlasblom@uu.nl

Student of pillar 1

Student of pillar 3

Short Biography

I started my PhD on October 1^st 2022 in the Condensed Matter and Interfaces (CMI) group at Utrecht University under supervision of dr. Ingmar Swart. My research focusses on realizing topological superconductors with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). With an STM, we can create artificial structures atom by atom. Building topological structures on a superconducting substrate will allow us to investigate topological superconductivity in artificial systems.

Previously, I received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry (2016-2019) and a master’s degree in Nanomaterials Science (2019-2021) at Utrecht University. During my Master’s, I did my thesis in the group of Ingmar Swart, where I developed an autonomous in situ STM tip preparation tool using machine learning. Further, I did an academic internship at Leiden University in the group of Sense Jan van der Molen. Here, I investigated local charge transport (potentiometry) of nanodevices using a low-energy electron microscope (LEEM).

After my master’s studies, I worked a year (2021-2022) on a collaborative project between Seaborough—a company developing LED technology—and the group of Andries Meijerink (Utrecht University—CMI).

In my free time I enjoy sports, such as indoors free-climbing and running. Further, I like to spend my time reading books, watching series and I occasionally visit the theater or go to a concert.