Current and past PhD Graduate Students
Benjamin Swaringen
Ph.D. Candidate
Research topic: Transdisciplinary Research into Detecting and Controlling Lead in Drinking Water
The objective of this research is to further the science of risk assessment and mitigation for lead (Pb) exposure, and to translate this into practices that limit or even eliminate Pb exposure for drinking water consumers, especially children and pregnant women.
Qasem Alhadidi
Ph.D. (graduated Fall 2020) – Senior Project Engineer & Environmental Assessment Specialist at KEO International Consultants
Research topic: Recovery of Soil and Metal Resources Using a Sustainable Remediation Approach by Combining Zero Valent Iron and Magnetic Separation Technologies.
The objective of this study is to demonstrate that “the phyto-toxicity of metals in contaminated soils can be eliminated by taking advantage of the affinities of different metals for corroded metallic iron particles as a function of formed chemical and physical bonds, and the magnetic characteristics of metallic iron for metal resource recovery via magnetic separation”.
Lang Zhou
Ph.D. (graduated Fall 2021) – Now at Amazon
Research topic: Drinking Water Treatment Residuals (DWTRs) as Cost-effective Substrates for the in-situ remediation of Metal-Contaminated Sediments using a Capping Approach.
This research revolves around the notion of value-added to a readily available waste material, the DTWRs. The study will not only shed light on the mechanisms by which different metal types can be immobilized on a highly heterogeneous sorbent as a function of changing key water/sediment parameters; but also investigate the potential shortcomings associated with the use of DWTRs as capping material for metal-contaminated sediments. In addition to lab studies, field pilot studies will lay the groundwork for the use of DWTRs as substrates for in-situ remediation of contaminated sediments.
Akua Oppong Anane, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Akua is now an Assistant Professor in the Freshman Engineering Program at Montana Tech. She is responsible for developing curriculum and teaching freshman engineering classes, advising Freshman Engineering students in collaboration with the Academic Advisor, conducting pedagogical research in engineering education and providing Freshman Engineering Program budget requests and recommendations to the Dean of the School of Mines and Engineering. She also works closely with all the engineering departments at Montana Tech as well as the Enrollment and Recruitment Services to recruit and retain outstanding students for Montana Tech’s School of Mines and Engineering.
Veronica Llaneza, Ph.D.
Process Engineer
Veronica is a Regional Process Engineer at JACOBS Process Engineer at NMB Water/CH2M (Miami/Fort Lauderdale)
Justin G. Clar, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Justin is now an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Elon University. His research focuses on environmental chemistry with emphasis on the environmental implications and beneficial uses of nanotechnology. For updated information please visit Justin’s webpage at: https://www.elon.edu/u/directory/profile/?user=jclar
Q. Kathy Deliz, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Kathy is a Lecturer at the University of Florida. Her academic assignment includes teaching and research. For more information, visit her webpage at: .https://www.essie.ufl.edu/people/name/katherine-deliz-quinones/
Julianne Mclaughlin, Ph.D.
Ph.D.
JULIE was at the US-EPA, Office of Water in Washington, DC and has since moved to a new job opportunity.
P. Anthony Indeglia, Ph.D.
CEO
Paul is the CEO of Indeglia Environ. Science & Engineering, PLLC. At UF, he worked in collaboration with Drs. Koopman and Moudgil. He is an expert in environmental toxicology, sustainable water resources engineering, and public health policy.
Sejin Youn, Ph.D.
Senior Engineer
SEJIN is currently a Senior EHS Engineer at Philip Morris Korea Inc. He works with industries, government agencies, financial institutions, real estate developers, and insurance & infrastructure companies on a wide range of EHS projects. In charge of >100 EHS regulatory and compliance and ESA audit programs in the general manufacturing, food and beverage, fabrics, automotive, semiconductor, waste treatment and recycling, pharmaceutical, power plant, oil and gas, electric appliance, chemical and commercial real estate sectors. Conducts sampling of contaminated soil and groundwater sites in support of remediation work. Work experience extends to international benchmark performance standards (e.g., IFC/World Bank), environmental and social compliance reviews and development of risk prediction/analysis toolkits.
Julianne D Vernon, Ph.D.
Associate Dean
Julie is now the Assistant Dean for Academic Programs & Research, and a Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, at Vanderbilt, Nashville, TN.
Julie’s interests are in STEM education research; some areas of focus include student retention and implementation of innovative pedagogy and technology. She is currently the executive director of an NSF INCLUDES grant, SCI-STEPS. The mission is to increase the retention of underrepresented groups in the physical sciences and engineering from college to Ph.D. and ultimately the workforce. She is also working on international initiatives, which include student recruitment and research collaborations in Latin America for the School of Engineering, Vanderbilt.
Anna Hovsepyan, Ph.D.
Ph.D.
Senior Environmental Engineer – URS Corporation- an AECOM Company, USA
Jie Gao, Ph.D. and J.D.
Patent Agent
Worked for years as R&D and Patent Agent for Corning Inc., Corning NY – and she is now “Associate” at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, after completing a JD from Columbia in 2020
A. K. Donkor, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Dr. Donkor was an Associate Professor in the Chemistry Dept at the University of Ghana-Legon. He passed away in August 2022. We miss him!
Current & Past Master Students
Jingru WEI
MS (Master’s Student)
JINGRU is working on the remediation of metal-contaminated sediments. Her ongoing labwork assesses the potential of drinking water treatment residuals (DWTRs) to be used as capping material for in situ remediations of metal-contaminated sediments.
- Jenny Olmsted
M.E.
Graduated - Yufei Sui
M.S.
Graduated - Zichen Zhou
M.S.
Graduated and went back to China - Meiting Song
M.S.
Graduated and went back to China - Pei-Hsuan Chen
M.S.
Graduated and now back to Taiwan - Ran Xin
M.S.
No information available - Luye Li
M.S.
No information available - Chiao-Yun Ma
M.S.
Taiwan - Manasi K. Parekh
M.S.
No information available - Jay R. Patel
M.S.
Jacksonville, FL - Disha K. Thakkar
M.S.
Atlanta, GA - Furkan Yilmaz
M.S.
Turkey - Shashank D. Patel
M.S.
No information available - Hanyu Mo
M.S.
No information available - Chenchen Wang
M.S.
No information available - Sylvia Deputy
M.E.
Senior Environmental Specialist at Bechtel Corporation, Waynesboro, GA - Veronica L. Llaneza
M.E.
Graduated with a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering, UF - Justin G. Clar
M.S.
Graduated with a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering, UF - Jie Gao
M.S.
Graduated with a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering, UF - Sejin Youn
M.S.
Graduated with a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering, UF - Bassel W. Nemer
M.E.
Graduated with a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, UF - Deepak Sivaraman
M.E.
Graduated with a Ph.D. in Sustainability, University of Michigan - Suzanne Stempel
M.S.
No information available - J. Gomez-Moreno
M.S.
No information available - Kyle Rezek
MS
Graduated