Current Doctoral Students
Lydia Abebe - Lydia has dual citizenship in the US and Ethiopia, but she was born in the Sudan. She is working on becoming a Triple Hoo. That means three degrees from the University of Virginia (the Wahoos, or Hoos for short, get it?). She already has BS and ME degrees in Systems Engineering and Civil and Environmental Engineering, respectively, from UVA and is nearing the end of her doctoral studies. She has been the linchpin in much of our work in South Africa, including PureMadi. Ask her about filter factories, silver nanoparticles, Cryptosporidium, and mice. Beeta calls Lydia the diva of our research group.
Beeta Ehdaie - Beeta is also working on the Triple-Hoo thing. She has BS and ME degrees from UVA in Biomedical Engineering. Beeta was a Rodman Scholar as an undergraduate student which means she is really smart. She is working on developing a brand new point-of-use water treatment technology which may end up being called the MadiDrop. Her facebook page suggests she really likes food. Lydia claims Beeta is the diva.
Derek Henderson - Derek hails from Oklahoma State, where he earned both BS and MS degrees in Civil Engineering with an emphasis on environmental and water resources engineering. Derek is studying low-impact development (LID) strategies as applied to linear transportation systems. He's also a husband and father. So, he can run an atomic absorption spectrometer and change a diaper, although not at the same time.
Carly Krause - Okay, so Carly is the third potential Triple Hoo in this research group. She has a BA in Environmental Sciences and an ME in Civil and Environmental Engineering, both from UVA. She is several years into her PhD. She a great photographer, but she is really an expert in silver and copper nanoparticles and how they function to disinfect waterborne pathogens. And she can even take pictures of the nanoparticlees using transmission electron microscopy, so she is putting her photography skills to good use. She also knows something about miniature potbelly pigs.
Jonathan Mellor - Jon has been around the block, and it's been a very interesting block. He has an undergraduate degree in Physics (you can take from that whatever you like). He also has an MS degree from Michigan Tech's program in Environmental Enginering that is linked to the Peace Corps, so he also has two years of Peace Corps service in Uganda. He is an expert in water and sanitation in the developing world, and he also likes to talk about agent-based models of early childhood diarrhea. There, I've said it.
Dianjun Ren - Dianjun hails from China, where he received BS and MS degrees in Environmental Engineering. He's another silver nanoparticle expert, but mainly in regard to nanoparticle transport through porous media, including aquifer material, ceramics, and geosynthetic clay liners. He also has done work on the leaching of plasticizers from pipe-repair liners. Dianjun has completed the experimental work for his dissertation and he is just working on journal papers and his dissertation. Oh, and he already has a job.
Han Yu - Han is also from China, and she came to UVA after completing BS and MS degrees. She has been studying silver-impregnated ceramic water filters for point-of-use water treatment, with particular attention to virus removal by the filters. She is the smallest member of our research group (and has the smallest name), so I guess it makes sense that she is studying the smallest microorganism. Han is the only current group member who has worked at our filter factory in San Mateo Ixtatan, Guatemala.
Former Graduate Students and Post-Doctoral Researchers
Matthew B. Arnold
B.A. Economics, Duke University 1991
M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 1996
Thesis topic: Desorption of carbon tetrachloride from organobentonites
Associate Professor
Anne Arundel Community College
Arnold, MD
B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Maryland
M.S. Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University, 2002
Ph.D. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 2006
Dissertation topic: Mechanistic considerations in the role of plant lipids in the uptake and volatilization of organic pollutants in soil and shallow ground water
Associate Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Nebraska
B.S. Civil Engineering, Northwestern University, 1998
M.S. Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, 2000
Thesis topic: Effects of moisture content and porous-media heterogeneities on the diffusion of volatile organic pollutants in unsaturated-zone soil
Ph.D. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 2004
Dissertation topic: Optimal design of earthen landfill liners containing sorptive amendments
Jennifer L. Buckels
Environmental Engineer
Malcolm Pirnie, Baltimore, MD
B.S. Chemistry, Mary Washington College, 2001
M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 2003
Thesis topic: Phytoremediation of 1,2-dichlorobenzene in ground water
Dr. Jee-Won Choi
Research Associate
Korea Institute of Science and Technology
B.S. Animal Science and Tech., Seoul National University, 1994
M.S. Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, 1999
Thesis topic: Surfactant-enhanced desorption and biodegradation of trichloroethene in soil-water systems
Ph.D. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 2004
Dissertation topic: Simulation of organic vapor transport in the unsaturated zone under natural conditions
Assistant Professor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of Rhode Island
Research topic: Heavy metal removal by organoclays; utilization of a reverse osmosis process for the treatment of runoff storm-water from VDOT salt storage facilities.
B.S. Biochemical Engineering, Catholic University of Valparaiso, Chile, 1998
M.S. Biochemical Engineering, Catholic University of Valparaiso, Chile, 2001
M.S. thesis: Nitrification in circulating bed reactors
Ph.D. Environmental Engineering, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 2002
Dissertation topic: Development of high capacity biological hybrid reactors for wastewater treatment.
Research Associate, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 2004-2007.
Dr. James J. Deitsch
GeoSynec Consultants
B.S. Civil Engineering, University of Notre Dame, 1992
M.S. Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, 1994
Thesis topic: Effect of surfactants on the desorption of carbon tetrachloride from soil to water
Ph.D. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 1998
Dissertation topic: Analysis of rate-limited sorption and desorption of nonionic organic compounds in both aqueous and surfactant solutions: Mechanistic considerations
Andrea F. Durso
Environmental Engineer
U.S. Air Force
B.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 1999
M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 1999
Thesis topic: Transport of colloidal activated carbon through porous media
Associate Principal Research Scientist
Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research
B.S. Biology, James Madison University, 1987
M.S. Environmental Science, University of Virginia, 1991
Ph.D. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 2012
Dissertation topic: Management of storm-water runoff from road-salt storage facilities
Dr. Megan Fuller (co-advised with S. Burns, Georgia Tech)
Assistant Professor
Community College of Philadelphia
B.S. Geological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 2001
M.S. Geological Sciences, Brown University, 2003
Research topic: Compound-specific stable isotope characterization of extraterrestrial organic compounds found on carbonaceous chondrites, specifically hydrogen-deuterium fractionation in dicarboxylic acids.
Ph.D. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 2008.
Dissertation Topic: Sorption behavior of various nonionic organic contaminants to organo-bentonites that contain small-chain alkyl ammonium cations.
Adina Galan
Department of Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese
University of Virginia
B.S. Geological and Geophysical Engineering, University of Bucharest, 1989
M.S., Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 1994
Thesis topic: Organic solute sorption to dual-cation organo-bentonites from water
Shuang Huang
B.S. Chemical Enginnering, Nanjing Forest University (P.R.China), 1995
M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 1998.
Thesis topic: Analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban runoff.
Erin Kallman
Environmental Engineer, ERM
B.S. Chemistry, University of Virginia, 2006
M.E. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 2009
Whitney Katchmark
Engineer
Naval Engineering Command, Norfolk, VA
B.S. Engineering and Environmental Science, University of Notre Dame, 1995
M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 1997
Thesis topic: Effect of atmospheric pressure fluctuations on trichloroethylene vapor transport in the unsaturated zone
Dr. Jun Li
Environmental Engineer
Los Alamos Technical Associates, Inc.
Los Alamos, NM
B.S. Environmental Engineering, Tianjin University, China, 1993
M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 1995
Thesis topic: Organobentonites as components of landfill liners to reduce the transport of non-aqueous phase organic liquids
M.S. Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, Vanderbilt University, 1997
Thesis topic: Probability Assessment of Contaminated Sediment Transport
Ph.D. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2002
R. Jason Lorenzetti
Environmental Engineer
Malcolm Pirnie, Newport News, VA
B.S. Civil Engineering, Lehigh University, 2001
M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 2003
Thesis topic: Testing and evaluation of geosynthetic clay liners containing organobentonites
Dr. Karthik Narayanaswamy (co-advised with R. Ford and E. Fernandez)
URS Corporation
Morrisville, North Carolina
B.Tech., Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, 1998
M.S. Civil Engineering, Arizona State University, 2003
Thesis topic: Investigation of soluble microbial product formation using fluorescence spectroscopy
Ph.D. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 2008.
Dissertation Topic: Bacterial transport by chemotaxis and motility in porous media
Suzanne Moore Nguyen
B.S. Environmental Geology, College of William and Mary, 2000
M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 2007
Thesis topic: Mechanisms of heavy metal uptake by plants
Assistant Professor
Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering
Drexel University
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Rice University, 1998
B.A. Environmental Engineering, Rice University, 1998
M.E. Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, 2000.
Research topic: Effects of moisture content and porous-media heterogeneities on the air permeability of unsaturated-zone soil.
Ph.D. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 2004.
Dissertation Topic: Transport of chemotactic bacteria through porous media.
Dr. Karl J. Ottmar (co-advised with Lisa Colosi)
Civil Engineer, U.S. Army
B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, 1998
M.S. Engineering, University of Alaska -- Anchorage, 2002
M.S. Environmental Engineering, University of Missouri -- Rolla, 2003
Ph.D. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 2011
Dissertation topic: Occurrence, fate, and transport of pharmaceuticals in water and wastewater
Assistant Professor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Waterloo
Ph.D. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 2011 (W. Lung & L. Colosi, advisors)
Postdoctoral Research Topic: An agent-based model of early childhood diarrhea in Limpopo Province, South Africa
Robin Patton
B.S. Geography, Marshall University, 1982
M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 1997
Thesis topic: Sorption and transport of gasoline hydrocarbons in organobentonite porous media
Kunal Poorey
B.Tech. Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, 2004
M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 2007
Thesis topic: The study of natural coagulants for low-cost-water treatment
Dr. Dipak Sahoo
B.T. Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, 1985
M.S. Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa, 1986
Thesis topic: A mathematical model for heavy metal waste load allocation
Engineer's Degree, Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1990
Thesis topic: Hydraulic model studies of saltwater purging in tunneled outfalls
Ph.D., Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, 1997
Dissertation topic: Effect of surfactant and pH changes on desorption of trichloroethene from a contaminated aquifer soil
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, 1997
Research topic: Development and testing of SUTRA-KS: A two-dimensional ground-water flow and solute transport model that accounts for rate-limited (kinetic) sorption.
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Dept. of Geology, University of Illinois, 1997-99.
Dr. Juli L. Sherwood
B.S. Chemical Engineering, Washington State University, 1991
Process Engineer, CH2M Hill, Inc., 1991-1993
M.S. Chemical Engineering, Washington State University, 1995
Thesis topic: Effects of nitrate and acetate availability on chloroform production during carbon tetrachloride transformation
Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, Washington State University, 1998
Dissertation topic: Biodegradation of 1,1,1-trichloroethane by a carbon tetrachloride-degrading denitrifying consortium
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Center for Multiphase Environmental Research, Washington State University, 1998
Research topic: Remobilization rates of lead and uranium precipitated onto mineral sediments by sulfate reducing bacteria
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Program for Interdisciplinary Research in Contaminant Hydrogeology, University of Virginia, 1999-2001
Research topic: MRI analysis of bacterial random motility (with Roseanne Ford and Erik Fernandez)
Heather M. (McLellan) Swartz
Exxon Mobil
B.S. Systems Engineering, University of Virginia, 1994
M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 1996
Thesis topic: Transport of a Nonionic Surfactant in a Sand-and-Gravel Aquifer, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ
Research Hydrologist
U.S. Geological Survey
Tucson, Arizona
B.S. Electrical Engineering, Florida State University, 1990
M.E. Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, 1998
Ph.D. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 2003.
Dissertation topic: Design and testing of a vertical flux chamber to quantify organic vapor transport from the unsaturated zone to the atmosphere.
Research Associate, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Athens, GA, 2003-2005
Amy Tisdale
Co-owner, Red Wagon Organic Farm, Longmont, CO
B.A. Environmental Science, University of Virginia, 1993
M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 1995
Thesis topic: Quantification of Vapor Phase Fluxes of Trichloroethene in the Unsaturated Zone at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey
Timothy Wenk
Environmental Engineer
CH2MHill, Fairfax, VA
B.S. Civil Engineering, Unvirsity of Virginia, 2001
M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia, 2003
Thesis topic: Phytoremediation of MTBE in ground water