Current Researchers and Students
Amanda Karam (PhD student) – Photosynthetic Bioreactors
From: Raleigh, NC
BS Env. Science, UNC Chapel Hill
MS Env. Engineering, NC State University
Yi-Chun Lai (PhD student) – Microalgae Harvesting
From: Taoyuan, China
BS Env. Science, National Tsing Hua University
Fun fact: I was on my college badminton team in undergrad.
Savanna Smith (PhD student) – Microbial Community Assembly of Anaerobic Systems
From: Kealakekua, HI and Rockport, TX
BS Civil Engineering, Univ. of Texas at Austin
Fun fact: My family used to have a herd of woollies sheep to keep the pasture vegetation in control.
Jenny Ding (PhD student, Main Adviser: Dr. Doug Call) – Volatile Fatty Acids from Anaerobic Degradation
From: Chengdu, China
BS Env. Engineering, Jiangnan University
MS Env. Engineering, University of Arizona
Fun fact: I have synesthesia so I see colors and textures for numbers and words.
Sivaranjani Palani (PhD student) – Thermodynamic Modeling of Anaerobic Systems
From: Chennai, India
BE Civil Engineering, Anna University
MCE Environmental Engineering, University of Delaware
Fun fact: I am a painting artist and I have been collecting unique keychains for the past 10 years.
Emma Guertin (MS student) – Anaerobic Food Waste Degradation
From: Hubbardston, MA
BS Civil Engineering, University of Massachussetts, Amherst
Fun fact: I love to run, hike, and recently started Krav Maga lessons.
Seraphim Falterman (MS student) – Thermal Hydrolysis and Anaerobic Co-Digestion
From: Richmond, VA
BS Integrated Science and Technology, James Madison University
Fun fact: I love to ride my bike and used to love taking long trips.
Monica Matekenye (MS student) – Biomass Conversion in Malawi
From: Lilongwe, Malawi
BS Civil Engineering, University of Malawi
Fun fact: I speak three languages yet I can’t speak my tribal language.
Alvin Mutongi (UG student) – Techno-Economic Analysis of Anaerobic Co-Digestion
From: Charlotte, NC
BS Civil Engineering (Junior) NC State University
Abel Getachew (HS Researcher, NC School of Science and Mathematics) – Greywater Treatment
Walt Beckham (Research Technician) – Hygienic and Effective Pit Emptying
Jocelyn Tsai (MS) Project Coordinator, Hygienic and Pit Emptying, Global WaSH Cluster Support
From: St. Louis, MO
BA Biology, Washington University in St. Louis
MEM Water Resources Management, Duke University
Fun fact: I play very large drums.
Recent graduates:
Amanda Mattingly (MS Env. Engineering) – Efficacy of Bioaugmentation of Full-Scale Aerated Stabilization Lagoons
Currently, Research Engineer at NCASI
From: Boston, MA
BS Environmental Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)
Fun fact: I used to be really into swing dancing.
Anthony Young (MS Environmental Engineering) – Tertiary Partial Denitrification-Annamox (PdNA) Filters for Sustainable Nitrogen Removal
Currently, Engineer at Hazen and Sawyer
From: Raleigh, NC
BS Environmental Engineering, NC State University
Fun fact: I used to be a cheerleader at NC State.
Alumni
Postdocs and Visiting Professors
Ling Wang (Postdoc, University of Chicago) – Microbial community analysis
Xia He (Prof., Guilin Univ., China) – Processes in Sewer Systems
Nathan Alcantara (MS, visiting student) – Microbial communities in pitcher plants
Abdul Haq (MS, visiting student) – Microbial communities in anaerobic digestion of Jatropha
Peihong Shen (Prof., Guanxi Univ., China) – Startup of Anaerobic Reactors
Pascal Saikaly (currently Asst. Professor, King Abdullah Univ. of Science and Technology)
Kristin Hicks (currently with Central Carolina Colleges)
Shaohui Zhang (currently Assoc. Professor, Wuhan University of Technology)
PhD students
In Chio Lou (Ph.D. 2006, currently Assistant Professor, University of Macau) – Analysis of the Factors in the Competition between Filaments and Floc-formers in Activated Sludge
Cesar Mota (Ph.D. 2006, currently Professor Adjunto, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais) – Microbial Ecology of Intermittently Aerated Reactors Treating Swine Wastewater: Molecular Approaches for Identifying Key Nitrogen-Removing Bacteria
Bryan Staley (Ph.D. 2009, currently President of Environmental Research and Education Foundation) – Evaluation of Factors Affecting the Initiation of Methanogenesis in Solid Waste
Xia He (Ph.D. 2012, currently Assistant Professor, Guilin University, China) –Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) Deposit Formation: Characterization of Grease Interceptors and Elucidation of Formation Mechanisms
Ling Wang (Ph.D. 2018, currently Postdoc, University of Chicago) – Influencing the anaerobic microbiome through substrate selection and overloading stresses to achieve high-performance co-digestion of grease interceptor waste
Joe Weaver (Ph.D. 2021, currently NSF Postdoc Fellow, Newcastle University, UK) – From Floc to Reactor Scales: A Multi-Faceted Investigation Integrating Microbial Ecological Experiments and Computational Modeling to Understand Aerobic Wastewater Systems
MS Students
Julia E. Keith (Dec. 2002) – Molecular Characterization of Microbial Populations in Full-Scale Activated Sludge Plants and Bioaugmentation Sites
Jiangying Liao (May 2003) –Quantifying Activated Sludge Bulking-Causing Filaments using Molecular Methods
Jon C. Williams (Dec. 2004) – Initial Investigations of Aerobic Granulation in an Annular Gap Bioreactor
Gamze Gulez (May 2005) – Effects of Carbon and Inoculum Sources on the Growth of Filamentous Bacteria in Activated Sludge
Matthew B. Skidmore (Dec. 2005) – Predicting and Improving the Dewaterability of Waste Activated Sludge Through Moisture Distribution Analysis
Vivi L. Nguyen (Aug. 2007) – Quantifying In Situ Growth Rates of Filaments and Floc-formers using Real-time PCR
Lauren Wellborn (May 2009) – Assessment of Water and Sanitation in Philippine Villages
Mariann Z. Vazques-Pineiro (Aug. 2010) – Performance of an Onsite Wastewater Treatment System and Analysis of the Microbial Populations in the Wastewater
Rossana Prevost (Dec. 2010) – Aerosolization and Quantification of Surrogate Biological Warfare Agents under Simulated Landfill Conditions
Bahareh Karami (May 2012) – Effect of Shear Variability on Formation of Aerobic Granules
Ling Wang (July 2012) – Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Thickened Waste Activated Sludge with Grease Interceptor Waste
Kara N. Kopf (December 2012) – Quantification of Denitrification nosZ Genes in Activated Sludge
F. Jim Hurley (January 2013) – Effects of Kenaf on Activated Sludge Performance and Microbiology
M. Jason Ho (January 2013) – Linking Community Structure and Function Using Novel Sequential mRNA Fluorescence Hybridization and Flow Cytometry
Jory Wahlen (May 2013) – Using Molecular Microbial Data for Microbial Risk Assessment of Graywater Reuse
Elvin Hossein (August 2013) – Resilience of Bioreactors for Anaerobic Energy Production
Dominic Libera (December 2013) – Simulation of Vomiting as a Mechanism for Spread of Norovirus
Amanda Karam (December 2016) – Development of Microspheres for Assessing Light Exposure in PSBRs
Jacqueline Yeh (May 2018) – Effect of varying hydrodynamic shear and extracellular polymeric substances on aerobic granulation
Giovanna Portiolli (August 2019) – Collection of Fecal Sludge and Anaerobic Treatment of Household Wastes
Eric Polli (August 2019) – Mainstream Deammonification of Municipal Wastewater
Anthony Young (May 2021) -Tertiary Partial Denitrification-Anammox (PdNA) Filters for Sustainable Nitrogen Removal: Pilot Scale Filter Results
Amanda Mattingly (June 2021) – The Efficacy of Continuous Bioaugmentation in Full-Scale Pulp and Paper Industry Aerated Stabilization Basins
MCE/MENE Reports Directed
Walt Fletcher (Dec. 2002) – Modeling the Competition between Filaments and Floc Formers in Activated Sludge
JuChun Hsieh (Dec. 2005) – Floc Development in Couette Bioreactors
Laurissa Hoyle (May 2006) – Investigating Steam Application for Reducing Foaming in Activated Sludge Systems
Hyunsuk Hong (May 2009) – Aerobic Granulation using Couette-Taylor Bioreactors for Simultaneous Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Removal
Tracey Sisco (May 2015) – Testing Pit Emptying Mixers
Aditi Murthy (May 2015) – Microbiological Analysis of Full-Scale WWTP Startup
Qian Wang (post MS) – Aerobic Granulation
Catherine MacMillan (May 2016) – Photosynthetic Bioreactors
Brita Mjos (May 2017) – Fertilizer from Urine
Eunyoung Lee (Dec. 2017) – Anaerobic Degradation of Food Waste
Samiron Dutta (August 2019) – Modeling of Anammox Filters
Pradnya Latkar (December 2020) – Fuzzy set QCA of Community Toilet Blocks in Mumbai, India
Undergraduates (last 5 years)
Zach Bennett (BS ENE, Fall 2020 -)
Project: WWTP COVID19 Surveillance Sample Collection
Laura Gomez (BS BE, Fall 2020)
Project: WWTP COVID19 Surveillance Sample Collection
Daniel Cockson (BS IE, Fall 2020 – )
Project: WWTP COVID19 Surveillance Sample Collection
Jeremy Lowe (BS ENE, Fall 2020 – )
Project: WWTP COVID19 Surveillance Sample Collection
Victoria Ponthier (BS ENE, Fall 2020 – )
Project: WWTP COVID19 Surveillance Sample Collection
Emma Bolden (BS ENE, Fall 2020)
Project: WWTP COVID19 Surveillance Sample Collection
Alvin Mutongi (BS Civil Engineering, Summer 2020)
Project: RISE – Techno-economic analysis of anaerobic co-digestion of FOG wastes
Robert Mones (HS Senior, NC School of Science and Math, Summer 2019 – Fall 2019)
Project: Drone for Water Quality Sampling
Annelise Gummere (B.S. Environmental Eng., Summer-Fall 2019)
Project: Filaments in activated sludge
Yashira Valentin Feliciano (Summer 2019, RISE Program)
Project: DNA analysis of Malawi pit samples
*Haley Zamorano (B.S. Environmental Eng., Spring-Fall 2019 – )
Project: Design of composting toilet
Sydney Allen (B.S. Environmental Eng., Fall 2018- Summer 2019)
Project: Support for anaerobic experiments
Luke Solari (B.S. Civil Engineering, Fall 2018- Summer 2019)
Project: Hydrodynamic cavitation for dewatering sludge
Hannah Cruz (HS Student, NC School of Science and Mathematics, Summer 2018-Fall 2018)
Project: Modeling transport of fecal sludge
Maggie Thompson (B.S. Civil Engineering, Summer 2018)
Project: Hydrodynamic cavitation for fecal sludge
Maddy Hanton (B.S. Environmental Eng., Michigan State Univ., Summer 2018, RISE Program)
Project: DNA extraction from PPE and activated sludge
Sandra Un-Jan (B.S. Environmental Eng., Florida Gulf Coast Univ., Summer 2018, RISE Program)
Project: Anaerobic respirometry of various waste feedstocks
Maren Deal (B.S. Environmental Engineering, Spring 2018-Summer 2018)
Project: Support of mainstream deammonification project at Neuse River WRF
Samantha Pace (B. S. Industrial Design, Spring 2018- 2018
Elizabeth Wallner (B.S. Environmental Engineering, Spring 2018- 2019
Syond Chand (B.S. Environmental Engineering, Spring 2018)
Lauren Tuttle (B.S. Environmental Engineering, Fall 2016- 2017)
Adrianna Dacres (B.S. Environmental Science, Claflin Univ, Summer 2017, RISE Program) Project: DNA extraction from textiles
Austin Burke (B.S. Environmental Engineering, Spring 2017- Fall 2017 ) Project: Support for Granulation Experiment
Naile Segule (B.S. Biomedical Engineering, Park Scholar, Fall 2016- Spring 2017) Project: DNA extraction from textiles
Sophia Holmes (HS Student, NCSSM, Summer 2016-Feb. 2017) Project: Effect of bioaugmentation on anaerobic lipid degradation
Garrett Early (B.S. Physics, Summer 2016 – Fall 2016) Project: CFD of low-flush toilets
Jiawen Liu (B.S. ENE, Summer 2016- Summer 2017) Project: Microsphere experiments for assessing light in PSBRs; Modeling of pit emptying in Malawi
Jing Wu (B. S. ENE, Summer 2016- Spring 2017) Project: Operation of Algal Photobioreactors
Mathew Jacob (HS Student, RTHS, Summer 2016) Project: Effect of bicarbonate on algal growth media
Shannon Hurtado-Reyes (B. S. Environmental Engineering, Belmont College, SC, Summer 2016, under RISE Program) Project: Set up of anaerobic respirometer
*Sierra Schupp (B. S. ENE, Spring 2016- Fall 2016) Project: Operation of anaerobic reactors
*Jackie Yeh (B. S. ENE, Spring 2015 –Spring 2016) Project: Optimizing start-up of anaerobic reactors
Risa Sayre (B.S. Env. Science, Fall 2014-Summer 2016) Project: Treatment of Ascaris eggs in onsite sanitation systems
*Andrew Norris (B.S. CE, Fall 2015) Project: Aerobic and anaerobic reactors
*Melissa Hyland (B.S. CE, Fall 2015- Spring 2016) Project: Aerobic granulation reactors
Andrew Klappenbach (HS student, Research Triangle HS, Summer 2015) Project: Growth kinetics of Dunaliella sp.
Yash Sedani (HS Student, Enloe High School, Summer 2015) Project: DNA extraction from clothing
Dyon Vega (B.S. ENE, Fall 2014- Spring 2015) Project: Fate and transport of Ebola virus in human waste
Mackenzie Blum (B.S. ENE, Fall 2014- Spring 2015) Project: Quantitative microbial risk assessment of onsite sanitation systems
Shreyan Sen (PBS, Fall 2014- Spring 2015) Project: Microbial analysis of Illumina sequencing results for pit latrines