Former Graduate Students
 

Rachel Wagner PhD 2012 Rachel's research focus was on the microbial ecology of MFC biofilms.
Bin Wei M.S. 2012 Bin's research focus was on cathodes in microbial fuel cells.
Zehra Zaybak M.S. 2012 Zehra's research focus was on biocathodes in microbial fuel cells.
Sarah Hayes M.S. 2011 Sarah's research focus was the use of activated carbon cathodes in microbial fuel cells while considering the treatment of different industrial wastewaters
Adam Hutchinson M.S. 2011 Adam's research focus was electrode conductivity and geometry in microbial fuel cells.
Geoffrey Rader M.S. 2010 Geoff's research was in microbial fuel cells and microbial electrolysis cells.
Priscilla Selembo Ph.D. 2009 Priscilla obtained a PhD in Chemical Engineering (co-advisor Prof. Perez) but worked mostly with our group from 2006 to 2009. Her work was mainly on using glycerol from biodiesel production, and the advancement of microbial electrolysis cells through the development of new cathodes and catalysts.
Valerie Watson M.S. 2009 Valerie is working on microbial fuel cells.
Elodie Lalaurette MS 2008 Elodie came to Penn State from France to work on hydrogen production using fermentation end products and cellulose based on using microbial electrolysis cells.
Farzaneh Rezaei Ph.D. 2008 Farzaneh obtained her PhD Agricultural Engineering (advisor: Tom Richard) while working with the Logan group on microbial fuel cells. She looked at using particulate substrates such as cellulose and chitin.
Douglas Call M.S. 2008 Doug obtained his MS working on microbial electrolysis (MECs), and developed the first successfu single-chamber MEC that had high hydrogen production rates. He is now continuing on for his PhD at Penn State.
Yi Zuo Ph.D. 2008 Yi Zuo worked on bioenergy production using microbial fuel cells, focusing on the development of cathode materials.
Jung Rae Kim Ph.D. 2006 Jung Rae worked on electricity production from animal wastewaters and other aspects of electricity production using microbial fuel cells. He is now a researcher at the University of Glamorgan, UK
Jenna Heilmann M.S. 2006 Jenna obtained her MS working on bioenergy production, looking at hydrogen production from wastewater using the BEAMR process, and electricity generation from proteinaceous substrates. Jenna is currently working for Case.
Mike Salerno Ph.D. 2005 Mike worked on bacterial bioadhesion using column tests and modification of surfaces. He obtained his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, co-advised by Darrell Velegol and Bruce Logan. Mike is currently a post doc at Arizona State University.
Ekaterina Paramonova M.S. 2005 www.personal.psu.edu/euw103 Katya worked on bioadhesion to granular activated carbon. She was in a combined undergraduate/graduate degree program in Civil and Environmental Engineering, and received both degrees in the spring of 2005.
Steven van Ginkel Ph.D. 2005 Steven.W.VanGinkel@us.mwhglobal.com Steven worked on biological hydrogen gas production, and was supported through the NSF BRIE program and an NSF grant on sustainable technologies. He is currently with Montgomery, Watson and Harza located in Iowa.
Joseph McIntyre Ph.D. Student (2004-2005) Joe was a BRIE student working on iron reducing bacteria and microbial fuel cells.
Booki Min Ph.D. 2005 Booki has worked on a number of projects, including the AWWARF Phase 2 project on perchlorate degradation demonstrating perchlorate removal in a pilot-scale reactor, and on microbial fuel cells.
Husen Zhang Ph.D. 2005 Husen worked on both perchlorate bioremediation and hydrogen reactors, with an emphasis on using molecular based techniques to identify microbial populations in these reactor systems. He was supported through the BRIE program and other projects, with Dr. Mary Ann Bruns as his BRIE co-advisor.
Jill Pouliot M.S. 2004 Jill is worked on using AFM to study microbial adhesion to different metal oxide surfaces.
Yanguang Song Ph.D. 2004 "Analysis of the respiratory pathways used by perchlorate and chlorate-respiring microorganisms" Yanguang worked on respiratory pathways used by perchlorate and chlorate respiring bacteria. In 2004, she began a post doctoral assignment with the US EPA in Ohio.
Yunchul Cho M.S. 2004 Yunchul worked on the CRAEMS bioadhesion project, using atomic force microscopy to study dextran adsorption to surfaces.
Lisa Steinberg M.S. 2003 Lisa worked on biological reduction of perchlorate.
Xu Li M.S. 2003 Investigation of bacterial adhesion using an atomic force microscope.
Shaun Pardi M.S. 2002 "Investigation of bacterial extracellular polymeric substances utilizing an atomic force microscope with newly developed deflection curve acquisition and analysis protocol"   Shaun was supported by the BRIE program.
Dina Lapoint M.S. 2000 "Factors affecting perchlorate removal rates in autotrohic packed bed reactors"
Husen Zhang M.S. 2000 "Pure culture kinetics and cell yields of (per)chlorate reducing bacteria" Husen is shown here by the ion chromatograph used to analyze perchlorate concentrations in colutures using perchlorate-degrading isolates.
Booki Min M.S. 2001 "Comparison of the BOD test with the HBOD test conducted with an HBOD probe". Booki is shown here using the fiber optical HBOD probe for conducting HBOD tests.
Jun Wu M.S. 2000, Penn State University "The abundance and growth of (per)chlorate reducing bacteria using different substrates." Jun working in the anaerobic glove box during her thesis work (1999).
Karl Shellenberger M.S. 2000, Penn State University "Effect of surface roughness and heterogeneity on bacterial transport" Karl, shown working on the AFM, worked on showing that molecular-scale surface roughness affected bacterial transport (Fall 1999)
Terri Camesano Ph.D. 1999, Penn State Uniiversity "An investigation of bacterial interaction forces and adhesion to porous media ". Terri is shown enjoying some time in New Orleans (circa 1999). She is currently an Assistant Professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Joel Miller M.S. 1999, Penn State University "Bioreduction of perchlorate under hydrogen oxidizing conditions." Joel in the lab, when he was working on the lab-scale reactor he developed to examine biological degradation of perchlorate under hydrogen-oxidizing conditions (1999)
Amanda DeSantis M.S. 1999, Penn State University "An Investigation of the effect of motility and cell concentration on the migration of bacteria through porous media" Amanda is shown working in the Kappe labs on a bacterial transport experiment (spring 1999).
Peter Mulvaney M.S. 1999, Penn State University "Perchlorate and chlorate reduction by axenic cultures" Peter is shown here tending microbes in the anaerobic glove box (better known as the "Magic Kingdom") Spring 1999
Kijung Kim M.S. 1999, Penn State University "Microbial treatment of perchlorate-contaminated water" Kijung is shown in the lab working on the ion chromatograph used to analyze perchlorate (Fall 1998).