Kevin Shah was an undergraduate student at University of Albany in the CNSE Nanoengineering program with a concentration in Energy & Environment Applications. Successfully graduating in 2018, he was accepted as a graduate student at SUNY Polytechnic Institute in the CNSE Masters’ Nanoengineering program in 2019. A fan of science fiction, he entered this field in hopes of being a part of the development of innovative and revolutionary new technologies. He was especially interested in renewable energy sources and conducted research into improving solar cell efficiencies.

He is working on an electrostatic filter for face masks for the completion of his masters’ thesis. This project began at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic with the idea that the mask shortages that affected the medical industry could be solved by developing a reusable face mask that protects its wearer by inactivating airborne viruses. The interdisciplinary aspects of conducting viral titers to determine reduction in infectivity and developing the lithography and design for the microfilter makes this an engaging and challenging project.