Dr. Carlos M. Torres Jr. is currently a Researcher/Electronics Engineer at the United States Navy’s Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC Pacific), formerly known as Space and Naval Warfare (SPAWAR) Systems Center - Pacific, in San Diego, CA. He earned a PhD in Electrical Engineering at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) under the supervision of Prof. Kang L. Wang in June 2015. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Florida with a BS in Electrical Engineering and a BA in Physics in May 2008. He completed his MS in Electrical Engineering at UCLA in March 2011 (his thesis focused on the electronic transport and 1/f noise behavior in graphene and graphene nanoribbon devices). His current research interests revolve around the hot carrier dynamics in 2D van der Waals materials such as graphene, MoS2, and other transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) for optoelectronic applications. Carlos has co-authored >22 publications including journals such as Scientific Reports, Small, Nano Letters, and Applied Physics Letters with more than 710 citations (h-index of 15) and he currently holds 3 issued US patents. He earned several competitive awards including: the DoD SMART Scholarship from 2008-2013, the AFCEA (Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association) STEM Major Graduate Scholarship in 2014, the GMiS (Great Minds in STEM) HENAAC (Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Corporation) Scholarship in 2014, the GMiS HENAAC Most Promising Engineer - PhD (Military) Award in 2020, and the Navy Civilian Service Commendation Award in 2022. He is a Senior Member in SPIE and IEEE (2022). He is an ASN (RD&A) Dr. Delores M. Etter Award recipient (2023). He is the SMART Scholar and Mentor of the Year Award Recipient - Phase 3 - Established Leader (2024). He also participated in several internships/collaborations: NIST (2008), LBNL (2009), and the United States Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center – Pacific (SPAWAR) (2009-2012).