Lab Members

Current Lab Members and Research Projects

CEVE Staff NEWT & RWI Staff
Erika Harris x4704 Liz Scroggins x6398
Caroline Leggett x4656 Jorge Loyo x8116
Olga Trejo x2353 Eric Willman x3866
Alvarez Lab 2025
Alvarez Lab 2024
Alvarez Lab 2022
Alvarez Lab 2022
Alvarez Lab May 2018

 

Research Scientist

Jacques Mathieu
Email
Research Scientist
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Ph.D., 2011, Environmental Engineering, Rice University

My research interests include developing methods and technologies for microbiome engineering, bioremediation, and mitigation of antibiotic resistance.

Postdoctoral Research Fellows

Cory Schwarz
Email
Post Doc
Civil and Environmental Engineering
B.S., 2014, Cell & Molecular Biology, Tulane University

My work primarily involves monitoring and characterizing 1,4 dioxane-degrading bacteria for bio-remediation through benchtop scale experiments and genetic analysis of microbial communities. A secondary area of work is in polyvalent phage isolation, in addition to assisting and training students in lab techniques and on lab equipment.

Visiting Scholars

Jenny Laverde Gomez
Email
Visiting Scholar
Sentinel Environmental
Ph.D, 2011, University of Braunschweig, Germany. 2006, Post-graduate degree in Process Engineering and Quality Management. 2004 , Professional degree in Industrial Microbiologist.

I work with bacteriophages that can be used for agricultural and environmental solutions. I spend most of my time looking for bacteriophages that can be applied to the cattle industry to replace or eliminate the use of certain antibiotics.

Adoph Muleja
Email
PhD, 2016, Chemical Engineering, Wits University, Johannesburg, South Africa

 

 

 

Development and application of advanced technologies/hybrid systems for water treatment.

Li Yan
Email

Visiting Scholar
Ph.D, 2017, Environmental Science, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

My research interests including environmental micro-interface processes, developing nanotechnology for water treatment, biogeochemistry of heavy metals and bioremediation.

Graduate Students

Chuncheng Wu
Email
Doctoral Student
Civil and Environmental Engineering
M.S.,2021, Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University

My research focuses on the application of bioremediation by bio-phage, including control of problematic bacteria.
Johanna Bangala
Email
Doctoral Student
Civil and Environmental Engineering
B.S., 2024, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University
My research focuses on characterizing de-risking value-added carbon products (C0) made from natural gas pyrolysis as agricultural soil amendments. Specifically, I study their impact on nitrogen-cycling microbial communities and the consequent implications on nitrous oxide emissions, food security, and nitrate pollution of water bodies.

Brandon Hardiman
Email
Doctoral Student

B.S., 2022, Environmental Geoscience, Texas A&M University

M.S., 2024, Water Management and Hydrological Science, Texas A&M University

My prior research includes environmental microbiology, horizontal gene transfer and antibiotic resistance. For my doctorate in civil and environmental engineering, I’m particularly interested in the application of microbiome engineering to reduce antibiotic resistance development and the spread of emerging contaminants from wastewater reuse and reclamation.

Sara Denison
Email
Doctoral Student
Civil and Environmental Engineering
B.S., 2020, Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at Austin
M.S., 2022, Environmental Engineering, Rice University

My research focuses on using natural and ion-exchanged clay catalysts to enhance the pyrolytic treatment of PAH contaminated soils.

Sarah Glass
Email
Doctoral Student
Civil and Environmental Engineering
B.S., Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University

My research focuses on destructive degradation techniques for PFAS remediation.

Madelyn Whitaker
Doctoral Student
Email
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
B.S. 2024,  Biological Engineering – Cellular and Biomolecular, Purdue University
My research will look into the intersections between microbial network mapping and microbiome engineering. I hope to leverage phage and neural networks to predict and optimize microbiome performance and mitigate human health risks.

Undergraduates

Astrid Allen
Email
Biosciences
My most recent research has involved investigating the ability of beta-cyclodextrin to remove PFOA from blood via host-guest encapsulation and dissociation of the PFOA-albumin complex.

Jordi De Long
Email
Civil and Environmental Engineering
My research is focused on using earthworm avoidance tests to assess ecosystem restoration after pyrolytic treatment of PFAS-contaminated soils.