Group Members

Lisa Alvarez-Cohen

Prof. Alvarez-Cohen is the Vice Provost for Academic Planning, Fred and Claire Sauer Professor, and past-Chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and of the Faculty Senate at UC Berkeley.  She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering and Applied Science from Harvard University and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering and Science from Stanford University. Her research areas include biotransformation and fate of environmental water contaminants, environmental microbiology and ecology, bioremediation, biological wastewater nutrient removal, and application of molecular and isotopic techniques for studying environmental microbial communities.  She has taught both undergraduate and graduate courses in environmental microbiology, environmental engineering, and biological process engineering, and has co-authored the textbook Environmental Engineering Science.  She is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology and the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors.  She has won a number of awards including the China 1,000 Talents National Award, the ASCE Simon W. Freese Environmental Engineering Award, the W. M. Keck Foundation Award for Engineering Teaching Excellence, and the National Science Foundation Young Investigator Award.

lisaac@berkeley.edu

Anna-Ricarda Schittich

Ricarda’s research explores the biotransformation mechanisms of natural and xenobiotic organic compounds by combining lab scale experiments with structure-based pathway prediction tools. Ricarda holds a PhD from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), where she focused on the characterization of dissolved organic matter (DOM) with fluorescence spectroscopy and investigated the impact of structurally different DOM constituents on the biodegradation of organic micropollutants. In her current research, she explores the capabilities of enzymatic systems to transform halogenated micropollutants, such as PFAS, and investigates their fate in sediments and groundwater.

rschittich@berkeley.edu

Hyun Yoon

Hyun’s research interests revolve around the effective approaches in bioremediation of environmental pollutants including PFAS and other co-contaminants. His doctoral studies at Cornell University primarily focused on the effects of water chemistries, especially dissolved organic matter, on arsenic biotransformation. Additionally, he investigated the cometabolic processes between methanogenesis and arsenic demethylation. During this period, he utilized E. coli biosensors and soil microcosms alongside employing various analytical chemistry techniques. In his current research, he is deeply interested in exploring how surrounding aquatic chemistries affect the behaviors of PFAS and also the physiology of microbes capable of PFAS bioremediation. Outside of his research commitments, he finds enjoyment in watching Major League Baseball with some tasty snacks. Moreover, he takes pleasure in participating in physical activities such as swimming and ice-skating.

h_yoon@berkeley.edu

Nicole Garrido

Nicole is a third-year PhD student in Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at UC Berkeley and Lab Safety Coordinator for the Alvarez-Cohen Lab. She obtained her B.S. in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and her M.S. from CEE at UC Berkeley. Driven by her background in molecular biology and microbial ecology, she is interested in the microbial biotransformation of persistent, toxic environmental contaminants in soil and water and the effects of biotransformation on contaminant fate and transport in natural and engineered environments. In the Alvarez-Cohen lab, she explores the use of biological radical-producing systems, such as laccase mediator systems (LMS), for the bioremediation of halogenated contaminants, specifically PFAS. In addition to studying enzyme-based transformation, she is also investigating the relationship between sorption and biotransformation for PFAS precursors in the environment by analyzing differences in transformability between varying environmental matrices.

Fostered by her identities as a first-generation college student and a proud Latina woman, Nicole is also passionate about building equity within and through science and education. She believes that biology can be utilized to engineer a more equitable and sustainable future for all (including microbes).

nicolegarrido@berkeley.edu

Leyan Peng

Leyan attained her BS degree in Environmental and Ecological Engineering from Purdue University. She is motivated to make this planet a better place by investigating intricate pathways that underpin the remediation of contaminants.

leyan_peng@berkeley.edu

Ananya Visweswaran

Ananya is a second-year PhD student in Environmental Engineering at UC Berkeley. She graduated from UCLA with a B.S. degree in Environmental Science and a minor in Environmental Engineering. At UCLA, she researched the impacts of wildfire residues on green infrastructure and water quality. Ananya is interested in mitigating environmental impacts of pollution through varied remediation methods, and especially passionate about improving water quality in the Global South. Outside of research and academics, Ananya enjoys reading, hiking, Wushu, and supporting Arsenal F.C.

ananyav@berkeley.edu

Olivia Wang

Olivia is a second-year student from Seattle, Washington, pursuing Environmental Engineering Science. She is interested in the intersection of environmental protection, engineering, and biology. This includes research on sustainability, pollution, algae, and bioremediation. Outside of the lab, she enjoys piano/music theory, rock climbing, badminton, and cooking.

Peter Reyes

Peter is a third-year student studying Chemical Engineering. His research interests lie in water and wastewater treatment processes, and creating environmentally friendly alternatives to current materials and technologies. In his free time he likes to play water polo, do arts and crafts, and listen to music.

Diego Canela

Diego is an undergraduate junior studying Environmental Engineering Science at UC Berkeley. He is very interested in learning about chemicals of concern and the remediation techniques that can be applied to mitigate their ecosystem and human impacts. His research emphasizes bioremediation of PFAS compounds and learning more about emerging precursors. Outside of the lab, he loves spending time outdoors camping and hiking, cooking, and playing soccer with friends. 

Anandita Devata

Anandita is a sophomore studying Chemical Engineering. Her academic interests include biomolecular engineering and environmental sustainability, particularly in microbial and enzyme research. In her free time, she enjoys baking, going on walks, and reading.

Samuel Wilson

Samuel is a junior studying Materials Science and Engineering, with a minor in Bioengineering. He is interested in the intersection of chemistry with human life, understanding how chemical pollutants transform under different conditions and can be broken down for environmental remediation. His current research focuses on biotransformations of PFAS and PFAS precursors, and strategies for breakdown and removal. In his free time, he enjoys cooking (especially trying new dishes), traveling, photography, and reading.

Emily Cook (Graduate Student)

Currently: Environmental engineer, EKI

Emily Gonthier (Graduate Student)

Currently: Production Coordinator, PLOS

Ray Keren (Postdoc)

Currently: Senior Scientist, Tezza

Mason King (Lab Manager)

Currently: Engineer, Geosyntec Consultants

Zhihao Niu (Visiting Graduate Student)

Chris Olivares (Postdoc)

Currently: Assistant Professor, UC Irvine

Mohan Sun (Graduate Student)

Currently: Senior Scientist, Illumina

Eric Troyer (Graduate Student)

Sara Gushgari-Doyle (Graduate Student)

Currently: Scientist, ZymoChem

Shan Yi (Assistant Project Scientist)

Currently: Senior Lecturer, University of Auckland

Wei-Qin Zhuang (Postdoc)

Currently: Senior Lecturer, University of Auckland

Jennifer Lawrence (Graduate Student)

Currently: Environmental Engineer, CDM Smith

Yilu Sun (Visiting Graduate Student)

Xuening Zhang (Visiting Graduate Student)

Siang Chen Wu (Postdoc)

Katie Harding Marjanovic (Graduate Student)

Xinwei Mao (Graduate Student)

Currently: Assistant Professor, Stony Brook University

Jae Ho Bae (Junior Specialist)

Currently: Senior Software Engineer, Uber

Renato Montagnolli (Visiting Scholar)

Currently: Postdoctoral Researcher, Sao Paulo State University

Ben Stenuit (Postdoc)

Kimberlee West (Graduate Student)

Currently: Engineer, San Francisco Bay Water Quality Control Board

Helene Feil (Associate Specialist)

Georgia Green (Undergraduate researcher)

Ariel Grostern (Postdoc)

Currently: Senior Policy Analyst, Health Canada

David R. Johnson (Graduate Student)

Patrick K.H. Lee (Postdoc)

Currently: Associate Professor, City University of Hong Kong

Tiffany Louie (Lab Tech/Manager)

Peerapong Pornwongthong (Graduate Student)

Currently: Assistant Professor, King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok

Kristin Robrock (Graduate Student)

Currently: Managing engineer, Exponent Inc.

Christopher Sales (Graduate Student)

Currently: Associate Professor, Drexel University

Zhang Ying (Visiting Scholar)

Yin Yu (Visiting Scholar)