People
Principal Investigator
Leslie M. Shor, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education
University of Connecticut, School of Engineering, Storrs CT.
Google Scholar: LM Shor
ORCID iD: 
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3077-427X
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-shor-5287a8a/
Postdoctoral Research Associates
Jessica Furrer, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Associate, 2010-2011.
Current: Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering at Benedict College, Columbia, SC.
https://linkedin.com/in/jessica-furrer/
Adam Schröfel, Ph.D.
Fulbright Scholar, 2011-2012.
Current: Staff Scientist, Faculty of Science, at Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
https://linkedin.com/in/adamschroefel/
Graduate Research Assistants
Christopher J. Hawxhurst
PhD in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering in progress.
https://linkedin.com/in/christopher-hawxhurst-074
Grant M. Bouchillon
PhD in Environmental Engineering in progress.
https://linkedin.com/in/grantbouchillon
Yi-Syuan Guo, Ph.D.
Doctorate in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, 2020.
Dissertation: “Mechanisms of Pore-scale Moisture Retention: Effects of Physical Structure, Surface Chemistry and Pore Fluid Composition.”
Current: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Oak Ridge National Lab, Oak Ridge, TN.
https://linkedin.com/in/yisyuanguo
Brian C. Cruz
MS in Environmental Engineering, 2017
Current: Senior Project Engineer at Loureiro, Hartford, CT
https://linkedin.com/in/engr-brian-cruz
Alycia J. Fulton
MS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, 2017
Current: Senior Scientist at TG Therapeutics, Inc., Boston, MA.
https://linkedin.com/in/alyciafulton
Andrea M. Kadilak, Ph.D.
Doctorate in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, 2016.
Dissertation: “Advanced Manufacturing and Microenvironment Control for Bioengineering Complex Microbial Communities.”
Current: Scientist II, Downstream Process Development at Alexion Hartford, CT.
https://linkedin.com/in/andreakadilak
Rebecca L. Rubinstein
MS in Environmental Engineering, 2014.
Thesis: “Protist Facilitated Transport in an Artificial Soil Micromodel.”
Current: Research Scientist at Subsurface Insights, Chichester, NH.
https://linkedin.com/in/rlrubinstein
Jinzi Deng, Ph.D.
Doctorate in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, 2014.
Dissertation: “Biofilm Microenvironment Analysis Systems for Medicine and Agriculture.”
Current: Clinical Assistant Professor at Yeshiva University, New York, NY.
https://linkedin.com/in/jinzideng
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Richa Balamurugan
BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering in progress.
https://linkedin.com/in/richabalamurugan
Christine Sharabun
BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering in progress.
https://linkedin.com/in/christine-sharabun
Heather Boucher
2018-2021, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Honors Thesis: “Development of Sustainable Agriculture Biotechnology: Calculating Protist Velocity Distributions in Model Soil Transport Systems.”
Current: Associate Chemical Engineer at Unilever, Trumbull, CT.
https://linkedin.com/in/heather-boucher
Fernanda Pena-Sulantay Vargas
2017-2020, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering 2021 NSF GRF Recipient.
Honors Thesis: “Theoretical Foundation of Solution Dehydration in Porous Media: Effect of Microstructure and Solute Interactions.”
Current: PhD student (Chemical Engineering) at Yale University, New Haven, CT.
Wallace (Will) Boyd
2016-2020, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Honors Thesis: “Development of Protist-Facilitated Transport for Sustainable Agriculture Biotechnology.”
Current: PhD student (Chemical Engineering) at Columbia University, New York, NY.
Daniel Zeigher
2017-2019, BS in Environmental Engineering
Honors Thesis: “Silver Nanoparticle Toxicity and the Effect on Soil Protists.”
Current: Project Engineer at HRP Assoc., New York, NY.
https://linkedin.com/in/daniel-zeigher-2b8368156
James McLellan
2017-2019, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Current: Graduate Research Assistant at Penn State University, State College, PA.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-mclellan-68472313a/
Alyssa Pierne
2015-2018, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Honors Thesis: “Development of Technology for Investigating the Role of Gradient Microenvironments in Supporting the Termite Gut Microbiome.”
Current: Specialist, Global Engineering Solutions at Merck, Philadelphia, PA.
https://linkedin.com/in/alyssapierne
Paige Orlofsky
2013-2018, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Honors Thesis: “Coordinated Motility of Protists in Micro-Structured Habitats: Evidence for Protist-Protist Communication and Implications for Sustainable Agriculture.”
Current: MD Candidate at the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University, North Haven, CT.
https://linkedin.com/in/paige-orlofsky
Avery Brune
2017-2018, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Cameron A. Harrington
2015-2017, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Honors Thesis: “Optimization of 3D Printer Resin Biocompatibility.”
Current: Senior Associate Scientist at Pfizer, Boston, MA.
https://linkedin.com/in/cameronharrington
Francesca Holland
2016-2017, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Current: General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, CT.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesca-holland-a7a968118/
Sophie MacDonald
2016-2017, BS in Mechanical Engineering
Current: MPR Assoc. Inc., Alexandria, VA.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-macdonald-/
Daniel Dougherty
2015-2017, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Current: BASF, Greenville, SC.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danpdougherty/
Nur Hamideh
2014-2017, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Genesis Quiles-Galarza
2015-2016, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Honors Thesis: “Optimization of Humidity Control Systems in Synthetic Microenvironments.”
Current: PhD Candidate (Chemical Engineering) at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
https://linkedin.com/in/genesisquilesgalarza
Victoria Drake
2014-2016, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Honors Thesis: “Respiratory response of Staphylococcus aureus biofilm to daptomycin exposure.”
Current: Upstream Process Development Associate at Alexion, Hartford, CT.
https://linkedin.com/in/victoria-drake-b4801590
Elise Gilcher
2014-2016, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, 2016.
Honors Thesis: “Respiratory response of Staphylococcus aureus biofilm to daptomycin exposure.”
Current: PhD Candidate (Chemical Engineering) at University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.
https://linkedin.com/in/elisegilcher
Jessica C. Rehaag
2013-2016, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Honors Thesis: “Iterative design of a 3D printed microdevice for diffusive delivery through hydrogel barriers in progress.”
Current: Development Engineer at Precision Combustion, Inc., New Haven, CT
https://linkedin.com/in/jessicarehaag
Frederick Bretherton
2014-2016, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Current: Mondelēz Int’l, Washington DC.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/frederickmbretherton/
Mitchell Cyr
2014-2016, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Alyson Tacchi
2014-2016, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Current: Pfizer, Lebanon, CT.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyson-tacchi-825b2065/
Jake Lewis
2013-2016, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Current: Eversource Energy, New York, NY.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-lewis-81b461a5/
Jacob I. Deneff, Ph.D.
2011-2014, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Honors Thesis: “Linking membrane performance with biofilm formation.”
Current: Postdoctoral Fellow at Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM. (Prior: PhD, ChE, GaTech)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-deneff-880b3189/
Virginia (Ginny) Cousens
2013-2014, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Honors Thesis: “Protist-facilitated Transport of Bacteria in a Biofilm.”
Current: Graduate Research Assistant (Oceanography) at the University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI.
https://linkedin.com/in/ginnycousens
Megan Greiner
2014, iREU with BASF (BS in Chemical Engineering, UMass)
Current: AbbVie, Worcester, MA
https://www.linkedin.com/in/megangreiner/
Joshua Giambra
2013-2014, BS in Environmental Engineering
Guleid Awale
2013-2014, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Current: Ph.D. Candidate (Chemical Engineering) at University of Connecticut
https://www.linkedin.com/in/guleidawale/
Erika P. Orner, Ph.D.
2011-2013, BS in Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology
Honors Thesis: “Pore-Scale Effects of Microbial EPS Production on Water Retention in Soil Micromodels.”
Current: Clinical Microbiology Fellow at Montefiore Health System, Assistant Professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY.
https://linkedin.com/in/erika-p-orner
Ryan Carpenter, Ph.D.
2013, iREU with BASF (BS in Chemical Eng., U. Buffalo)
Current: Postdoctoral Research Scholar, UMass, Amherst, MA.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rcarpenter13/
Emily Anderson
2010-2012, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Honors Thesis: “Pore Scale Effects of Bacterial Interactions and Soil Structure on Water Retention in Porous Media.”
Current: Product Manager at GVD Corporation, Somerville, MA.
https://linkedin.com/in/emily-anderson-02505946
Annie Aindow
2012, REU (BS in Chemistry, UC Berkeley)
Current: Doctoral Candidate, Harvard University, Boston, MA.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-aindow-02715881/
Amanda E. (Card) Stewart
2011-2012, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Current: MPR Assoc Inc., Alexandria, VA
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandaecard/
Thomas Kelly
2011-2012, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Current: Carus LLC, Monroe, CT.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-kelly-32b93b64/
Leonela Villegas, M.D.
2009-2012, BS in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Current: Children's Hospital Philadelphia, PA.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonela-villegas-35311228/