Daniel Mayo obtained B.S. degrees in mathematics, statistics, and physics at Austin Peay State University in 2007-2009 and his MS in physics at Fisk University in 2011. He is currently working on his PhD at Vanderbilt in Interdisciplinary Materials Science and is expected to finish in 2015. His research interests include semiconductor nanowire fabrication and functionalization, energy transfer mechanisms in 1-D plasmon-exciton systems, Purcell enhancement of luminescence via optical cavity effects within core-shell nanowire systems, and tuning semiconductor emission bands via plasmonic coupling. Through both optical cavity and plasmonic effects it is possible to greatly enhance luminescence with the potential for high-efficiency optoelectronic applications that include LEDs, sensors, and nanolasers.