Joseph (Joey) Brogan
Research Technician, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2025-Present
B.S. Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2025
Research Interests: Agricultural productivity, biotechnology.
Research Topics: Plant metabolomics, microscopic imaging.
Ph.D. GRADUATE STUDENTS
Aurore Niyitanga Manzi
Ph.D. Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2022-Present
M.S. Geological Sciences, Texas Christian University, 2022
B.S. Environmental Science, Texas Christian University, 2019
Research Interests: Elucidating the mechanisms in organic-mineral interactions and the controlling role of these interactions in environmental and industrial processes.
Research Topics: Probing the catalytic properties of mineral oxides in nutrient recycling and recovery.
Norah Chen
Ph.D. Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2023-Present
M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2023
B.S. Environmental Science, Nankai University, China, 2022
Research Interests: Application of proteomics and metabolomics to study bacterial degradation pathways and exploration of industrial applicability of degradation products.
Research Topic: Quantitative analysis of microbial catabolism of plastics products.
Cara Flynn
Ph.D. Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, , 2024-Present
B.S. Biochemistry, McGill University, Canada, 2024
Research Interests: Understanding microbial metabolism, idnentify mechanisms in bioconversion and bioremediation.
Research Topic: Microbial catabolism of plastics derivatives and production of value-addded compounds.
Dominique Kelly
Ph.D. Student, Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Northwestern University, 2024-Present
Co-advised with Prof. Maggdalena (Maggie) Osburn, EEPS
B.A. Environmental Science and Policy, Smith College, 2022
Research Interests: Understanding mechanisms of microbial adaptation to nutrient stress during nutrient cycling and acquisition under different environmental conditions.
Research Topic: Using metabolomics and lipidomics techniques to evaluate the impact of nutrient availability and carbon source in bacteria.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
Lynna Deng
Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, 2023-Present
Class of 2026
Research Topic: Bacterial carbon metabolism.
Maggie Schneider
Biological Science, Northwestern University, 2024-Present
Class of 2026
Research Topic: Mechanisms of nutrient-cycling enzymes
Will Boyle
Chemical Engineering and Environmental Science, Northwestern University, 2025-Present
Class of 2027
Research Topic: Mechanisms of organic phosphorus recylcing
ALUMNI
Postdoctoral Researchers and Visiting Scholars
Nasrin Naderi Beni, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher, 2023 – 2025. Next Position: To be determined.
Nanqing Zhou, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher, 2022 – 2025. Next Position: To be determined.
Pandeeswari Jeeva, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher, 2022 – 2024. Next Position: Postdoc, Tyo Lab at Northwestern University.
Hayley Gadol, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher, 2021 – 2022. Next Position: Environmental Chemist, Gradient.
Rebecca Wilkes, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher, 2021 – 2022. Next Position: Postdoctoral Researcher, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (Greg Beckham’s group).
Bahareh Hassanpour Guilvaiee, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher, 2019 – 2022. Next Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Plant and Earth Science, University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
Wiriya Thongsomboon, Postdoctoral Researcher, 2019 – 2021. Next Position: Faculty at Mahasarakham University, Thailand.
Annaleise Klein, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher, 2016 – 2020. Next Position: Scientist at the Australian Synchotron
Eleanor Bakker Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher, 2018 – 2019. Next Position: Postdoc at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany)
Krista Barzen-Hanson Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher, 2017. Next position: Assistant Professor, Elmira College, Elmira, NY
Cloelle Danforth, Ph.D., Visiting Scholar, 2016 – 2017. Current Position: Fellow at Environmental Defense Fund
Hua Wei, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher, 2012 – 2014. Next position: Research Chemist at 3M, St Paul, Minnesota
Baoquan Xie, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher, 2012 – 2013. Next position: postdoc at KAUST-CU Center for Energy and Sustainability, Cornell University
Ph.D. Graduate Student Researchers
Jiaxing Wang, Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2020-2025. (Northwestern University)
Jade Basinski, Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2019-2024. (Northwestern University)
Caroll Mendonca, Ph.D. in Biological and Environmental Engineering, 2022. (Cornell University) Current position: Biotech Engineer, Ginkgo Bioworks, Inc
Mina Solhtalab, Ph.D. in Biological and Biological Engineering, 2022, Cornell University). Current Position: Associate Scientist, Illumina.
Rebecca Wilkes, Ph.D. in Biological and Biological Engineering, 2021, Cornell University. Current Position: Postdoctoral Research Associate, National Renewable Energy Lab.
Sabrina Kelch, Ph.D. in Soil and Crop Sciences, 2021, Cornell University. Next Position: Lab Operations Coordinator at the Mars Wrigley One Science & Technology Lab.
PhD. Rotation Students
Stefan Pate, IBIS Rotation Student, Spring 2023. (Northwestern University)
Arushi Kapoor, Graduate student, 2022-2023. (Northwestern University)
Tyler Pozan, Graduate student, 2020-2021. (Northwestern University)
Taojunfeng Su, IBIS Rotation Student, Winter 2020. (Northwestern University)
Trevor Cross, Microbiology Rotation Student, 2017-2018.(Cornell University)
Sean Murphy, Microbiology Rotation Student, August-November 2017.(Cornell University)
M.S. Graduate Student Researchers
Ojaswi Aryal, M.S. in Environmental Engineering, 2022. (Northwestern University)
Wenting Li, M.S. in Chemical and Biological Engineering, 2021. (Northwestern University)
Michael Glazer, M.S. in Civil and Biological Engineering, 2021. (Cornell University)
Yeonsoo Park, M.S. in Biological and Biological Engineering, 2021. (Cornell University) Next Position: Research Technician at Northwestern University.
Caroll Mendonca, M.Eng. in Biological and Environmental Engineering, 2017. (Cornell University) Next position: Research Technician, Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University
Tracy Youngster, M.S. in Soil and Crop Sciences, 2017. (Cornell University) Next position: Ph.D. student in Soil Ecology at Rutgers University
Julie Wushensky, M.Eng. in Biological and Environmental Engineering, 2017.(Cornell University) Next position: Research Associate at Beyond Meat.
Matthew Kukurugya, M.S. in Biological and Environmental Engineering, 2017.(Cornell University) Next position: Bioanalytical Research Associate at Calico Labs.
Fanny Okaikue-Woodi, M.Eng. in Biological and Environmental Engineering, 2016. (Cornell University) Current position: Ph.D. Student in Environmental Engineering at the University of Washington.
David Flannelly, M.S. in Environmental Toxicology, 2015. (Cornell University) Next position: Teaching Certificate Program at Ithaca College.
Johnny Huynh, M.Eng. in Environmental Engineering, 2015. (Cornell University) Next position: Chemist at Aerojet Rocketdyne.
Ed Park, Research Trainee/Student Spring 2014-Winter 2015
Samantha Sasnow, M.S. in Biological and Environmental Engineering, 2014. (Cornell University) Next position: Engineer at CRA (Conestoga-Rovers & Associates)
Amy Pochodylo M.S. in Environmental Toxicology, 2014. (Cornell University) Current position: Teaching license candidate in Integrative Science at Otterbein University
Research Technicians
Kelly Teitel, Research technician: 2024.
Eva Durance, Research technician: 2023-2024. Next position: Microbiology Technician, Nature’s Fynd
Yeonsoo Park, Research technician: 2021-2022. Next position: Ph.D.student, California Institute of Technology
Sarah Madarshahian, 2017-2018
Paloma Spina, Research technician: May 2017. Undergraduate Researcher: 2014-2016. Next position: Engineering Intern at Anchor QEA Engineering Firm
Michael Reed, Research technician: 2017. Undergraduate Researcher: 2015-2016. Next position: Graduate student in Biotechnology at Northwestern University
Fanny Okaikue-Woodi, Research technician: August 2016-April 2017. Undergraduate Researcher: 2014.
Sabrina Kelch, Research technician: 2016. Next position: joined the group as a graduate student in Soil and Crop Sciences, Cornell University
Stephen Galdi, Research technician: 2016. Undergraduate Researcher: 2014-2016. Next position: Ph.D. student in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University
Thalia Aoki, Research technician: 2015. Undergraduate Researcher: 2013-2015.
Undergraduate Researchers
Kelly Teitel, 2022-2025.
Marcos Sanchez, 2023-2024.
Cynthia Cheng, 2021-2023. Honors Thesis
Rebecca Wilson, 2022-2023
Edgar Castaneda, 2023 REU Summer Intern (University of Illinois at Chicago)
Allison Spring, 2020-2022. Honors Thesis
Bridget Childs, 2018-2019
Shreya Vaidya, 2018-2019
Irene Sarri, 2017-2019
Anne Werner, 2017-2019
Reid Balkind, 2016-May 2018
Zoe Maisel, 2016-May 2017
Valerie Katz, 2016-May 2017
Michael Reed, 2015-2016
Paloma Spina, 2014-2016
Juan Guzman, 2015-2016
Stephen Galdi, 2014-2016
Clayton Sasaki, 2016
Thalia Aoki, 2013-2015
Sho Yoshitake, 2013-2015. Honors Thesis
Fanny Okaikue, 2014
Kate Duffy, 2014
Meryl Kruskopf, 2014
Theresa Chu, 2014
Michelle Bowen, 2014
Ed Sharood, 2014
Suzy Struckman, 2014
Rachel Whiteheart, 2013
Micaella Zubkov, 2014
Carolyn Strock, 2013
Michelle Walther, 2013
High-School Student Interns
Tyler Alexander, 2022-2023.
Rohan Sharma, 2023-2024.
