People

Faculty

Director

Affiliated Faculty

Current Students

Yaritza Acosta Caraballo’s research interests lie in environmental biology, aquatic ecology and conservation. She is interested in quality assessment of aquatic systems as a means of biological and chemical monitoring as well as investigating the impacts of land use types in these systems.

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Arif’s research interests involve the consequences of agrochemical residues on freshwater ecosystems.

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My previous research was regarding the effectiveness of culverts for amphibian crossing. I am interested in continuing to look at the effectiveness of culverts and the impact of roads on amphibian migration.

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My research interests are in marine geology and for my PhD I will be conducting a study to critically explore, identify and forecast prevailing and future changes of the coastal morphology and sediment dynamics in the Barrier Islands of New Jersey.

 

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Gita Bhushal Adhikary’s research interests lie in current environmental issues, including flood resilience, human-wildlife conflict, ecological stressors, and conservation of biodiversity. She is interested in community institutions such as community forest user groups and their involvement in flood resilience. She hopes to devote her life towards achieving a sustainable future and healthy environment for the generations to come.

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Mike Ayers’ research interests center around the characterization of groundwater flow and translation of data into more efficient water management practices.

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Hermann is interested in time intervals of abrupt environmental changes, specially the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary (66 Ma) and its relationship with the current Climate Change. Prior to starting the PhD program, I funded Paleoexplorer, a research group interested in the geology and Paleontology of Colombia. I´m member of the Scientific Committee of the Gorgona National Park (2015-), Editorial Board, Boletín de la Sociedad Geológica Mexicana (2015-2017), International editor, Paleontología Mexicana (2015-), Referee for the Journal of South American Earth Sciences (2015-), Colombian Geological Survey, and Ministry of Sciences, Colombia (Minciencias)

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Rae’s thesis explored the beliefs and perceptions of climate change and sustainability amongst millennials who were non-environmental science majors. Given that climate change and topics surrounding it has been increasingly popular in the public discourse, her research interests pertain to bridging the gap between the scientific community and the public in relation to the dissemination of scientific information.

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Shih-Chieh Chien’s research interests mainly focus on plant diversity, nutrient cycling, and climate change. He is interested in how climate change influences soil carbon sequestration, aboveground carbon pools, and gymnosperm diversity. He is also interested in sustainability science and the education for sustainable development.

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Isamar is studying the effects of climate conditions on mangrove ecosystems, using remote sensing and numerical modeling. Her work explores how average net evaporation affects Caribbean mangrove islands; new research will investigate how seasonal variations affect mangrove ecosystems through zonation and die off, using Landsat imagery to study changes in mangrove islands across the Caribbean. The work will focus on: the role of average net evaporation on the spatial distribution of mangrove ecosystems; trends in the seasonal effects of net evaporation; and the combined effects of tides as sea level rises.

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My previous research experience covers the benefits and limitations of ecosystem services in urban areas using green infrastructure. I am currently working with Dr. Yang Deng. We are trying to figure out how to manufacture the Fe(VI) by electrochemical method in aqueous solution.

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Shane’s research is aimed at better understanding of coastal processes, in order to better manage anthropogenic influences on marine environments. His research seeks to understand how planning and management practices can limit the negative effects that result from increased development in coastal areas, including evaluation of the roles of federal, state and local government and organization in drafting policy.

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My research interests are in transforming future environmental problems such as climate change, water (for land and human purposes) and energy shortages into more sustainable concepts. My current research aim is to study the effects of temperature change on the vegetation in Alaska using remote sensing and modelling.

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My research focuses on investigating the behavior of metal contaminants in urban soils and developing novel remediation techniques for contaminated soil.

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My research interest involves climate studies. I will be conducting paleoclimatological research using geological archives.

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Mike’s research focuses on technoeconomic and life cycle analyses of bioenergy production through switchgrass and sugarcane bagasse in U.S.

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Md Shahnul’s research interests include monitoring toxic metal contamination of surface water, soil, and sediment, as well as their environmental risk assessment.

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Victoria’s research is focused on polar paleoclimatology and paleoceanography using sedimentological methods. It has involved working with samples from the Arctic Ocean and tools such as bulk powder and clay x-ray diffraction, grain size analysis, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscope analysis of grain textures.

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I am interested in Hydrological and climate modeling.

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Lisa Johnson’s research interests center around smart city growth, sustainable urban planning and business development, and environmental policy. Her current research focuses on how the built and natural environment cohere into a livable system and how green practices can help to implement the best solutions for creating integrated systems of urban infrastructure.

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Kadir’s research project involves the extension/modification of a numerical model for the evolution of fluvial deltas under sea-level cycles to describe the development of estuaries under different scenarios of sea-level rise, water discharge, and tidal influence. The key novelty is the coupling between hydrodynamics and estuarine geometry over decadal to centennial time scales. This work will help constrain the role of estuarine geomorphic changes on flood risk along the Delaware estuary.

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Charles’ research focuses on urban sustainable development and its impact on disadvantaged communities. More specifically, Charles is interested in using GIS and statistical analysis to identify the socioeconomic impacts sustainable development projects have on traditionally underserved communities.

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Nicolina Lentine’s research interests are in Environmental Science and Chemistry. She specifically wishes to focus on soil pollution and how it impacts soil composition and plant growth. She hopes to build off her previous work at Villanova University and expand it into something wonderful at MSU.

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Trang’s research focuses on the effects of economic activities, notably the tourism industry, on the environment of Vietnam, and how sustainable development may mitigate the adverse effects of tourism. This work will contribute to the body of knowledge and play a role in Vietnam’s economic development while protecting its environment.

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Erik Works in invasive species modeling focused on the spread and economic/environmental impact of invasive forest pests. Current research is focused on the local and regional spread of the Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus plannipennis).

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Olga is interested in paleo-ice sheet dynamics and currently works with marine sediment cores from the Scotia Sea region. She uses rock magnetic properties of the sediments to reconstruct past interactions between the Antarctic ice sheet, ocean, and atmosphere during Pleistocene warm pulses and superinterglacials.

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Qiufeng’s research interest is innovative water treatment and water reuse technologies for tackling water pollution challenges and enhancing water supply. Her PhD study will be mechanistic and performance studies of the combined use of constructed wetlands and ferrate(VI) for addressing multiple contaminants in municipal wastewater, which will enable a new wastewater reuse system for agricultural irrigation.

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Martha Mahady’s research interest is ecology of invasive plants.

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Sana’s research interests include environmentally significant behaviors that impact transboundary water resource management.

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Schenine Mitchell works at the EPA, where she serves as Brownfields Project Officer for several Brownfields Assessment and Environmental Workforce and Job Development Training grants. She is interested in dissertation research on Brownfields Gentrification and Environmental Justice.

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As a doctoral student, I aspire to conduct my research on the impacts of dredging activities on the Delaware River in the context of climate change. My research will focus on sediment and water management and aim to understand better how dredging affects the estuary’s morphological equilibrium and the associated short-term and long-term consequences. I plan to investigate how sea level rise, storm surge frequency and magnitude, and other anthropogenic factors influence the flood hazard and ecosystem of the river. Additionally, I intend to explore the impact of dredging on the water level and its potential effects on floods and other related water resources. Overall, my research will contribute to developing sustainable sediment and water management practices in the Delaware River.

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Gia Nguyen has been using hydrologic and economic models to evaluate human activities in aquatic environments including hydropower dam construction, agricultural activities. He has also been performing environmental and socio-economic studies of Mekong River discharge depletion impacts on the Lower Mekong Basin in Vietnam.

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Jing Nie’s research has centered on the causes, assessment and treatment of nutrient (N and P) pollution. This pollution is present in rivers, estuaries, and coastal waters. This research includes the characterization and assessment of spatiotemporal variations in nutrient concentrations and fluxes in an urban watershed. A case study focusing on New Jersey’s Passaic River Basin was published in 2018’s International Journal of Environment and Pollution.

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Mayala is a PhD student working on carbon emission and sequestration rate after a large CO2 pulse from the Siberian Traps volcanism. In his Master’s, he studied foraminiferal biostratigraphy and depositional environment of the Drilled Early Cretaceous Succession in Durban Basin, East Coast, South Africa using well cuttings, conventional cores, seismic data and well logs. In his BS (Honours), he did facies analysis of clastic sediment of well Jc-B1 Durban Basin, East Coast of South Africa using well logs and conventional cores in addition to Interactive Petrophysics (IP) to investigate facies variations within the well Jc-B1 of the Offshore Durban Basin.

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Cailin is an avid birder, wild bird rehabilitator, and bird bander with an interest in avian conservation. Cailin utilizes technology such as Nexrad and Motus to track passerine migration with a focus on mitigating window strike mortality during seasonal migration through better building design and “lights out” legislation.

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Research interests center around climate and hydrological modeling. Currently looking at impacts of mid-21st century climate change on water resource availability for the Passaic River Basin.

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Toritseju’s research concerns groundwater contamination in Nigeria, a serious problem. The research uses soil and water sampling and evaluation using a variety of methods including modeling and analytical tools. It will enable a better understanding of the dynamisms of water table fluctuations and groundwater flow patterns of a given geological formation and how they affect groundwater recharge rate and quality; the roles of various biotic and abiotic parameters and how they enhance the enrichment of redox sensitive compounds in groundwater; and the authigenic nature of heavy metals, redox sensitive compounds and other groundwater contaminants.

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Archana’s research focuses on the roles of climate change and land use change on vegetation dynamics. She is interested in assessing how ecosystem services might be affected by these developments. Archana’s work will also focus on understanding how these factors might impact future energy demand.

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Nicole’s research focuses on the energy-water nexus and anticipates using life cycle analyses and deep learning to evaluate climate change susceptibility. She is investigating the economics of the implementation of sustainable urban infrastructure and its impacts on the quantity and quality of fresh water resources, in order to mitigate environmental justice issues, promote healthier ecosystems, and manage important water security concerns.

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In my previous role as Research Associate-Ecosystems at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Nepal, I worked on diverse topics such as Climate change, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Water Resource Management, Landslide Risk Assessments and Watershed Management Planning. Continuing my work and following my interest, I will be conducting my research focused on Nature-based solutions for DRR synergizing it with sustainable energy. As a Graduate Research Assistant, I will be working in Clean Energy and Sustainability Analytics Center (CESAC) on offshore wind energy and its impact on recreational fisheries.

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Sarahana’s MS thesis research focused on the role of gender in the use of natural resources with an aim to improve the efficacy of both conservation and gender equity through tailored policy suggestions which consider the complex interactions between identity and natural resource use. Her current doctoral research is on energy equity, to address the gaps that exist in the field of energy equity and access to clean energy using machine learning techniques by studying the socioeconomic and regional differences in and within communities.

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Research interests focus on sustainable food systems management practices, covering sustainable precision and urban agriculture, as well as food waste management. Currently exploring the intersection of Public Health and Sustainability to address regional food insecurity via optimizations in food systems, by preventing waste generation and reclaiming non-waste products.

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Oluwafemi’s research interests include Water Quality, Algae and Bioenergy. He is also a Doctoral Research Assistant at the New Jersey Center for Water Science and Technology

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Zainab’s research focuses on assessing climate change impacts and net emission benefits of renewable energy sources by applying life cycle assessment

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Odera is interested in Environmental Quality, Modeling and Remediation. Hence, my doctoral research focuses on the environmental effects of coal-tar coated pipelines.

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During my master’s, I worked on applying X-let transforms (such as wavelet, curvelet, contourlet, and shearlet transform) to detect damages. Now, I will work to better understand the extinction of species in food webs and the susceptibility of the food web to invasive species. This research will utilize topics from applied mathematics, dynamical systems, environmental science, and structural health monitoring.

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My previous research was focused on solvent extraction and separation of rare earth elements from ores using organophosphinic acids. My current research interests involve restoration of low functioning, contaminated soils using bioremediation techniques.

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Michael Viteritto’s primary area of interest is sediment tracking and transport in river systems, and more generally in marine geochemistry. He is also interested in environmental health and management projects involving near-coastal waterways.

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Anvy’s research is aimed at achieving a sustainable occupational environment for developing communities. This is an issue that requires attention to many environmental management perspectives and adopting an interdisciplinary approach. Natural science, business, and social science perspectives work in unison to solve these complex problems. Her research fosters understanding of how pollutants affect human populations and the natural environment. This work consists of the identification and quantification of immediate and long-term patterns. She utilizes geospatial technology (GIS) and related geostatistical methods, and the stratification of disturbance levels in unhealthy environments.

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Justin is studying the dynamic nature of transcription factors and how these depend on genotype. This information can directly be applied to future use in gene therapy and immunotherapy as actionable mutations have predicted epigenetic effects related to cancer by the tumor suppressor protein ICER. Knowledge of critical transcription factor effects on the cell will be valuable knowledge in oncology and – more broadly – identification of treatment options for a disease that is predicted to increase due to multiple environment stressors.

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Qingting (Tina) Wu’s previous research explored the productivity patterns during the Quaternary in the eastern equatorial Pacific using foraminifera. Her current research focuses on the dynamic climate and biogeochemistry of the P-Tr extinction event and Cenozoic using Earth system modeling, as well as the tropical ocean lithium and boron isotopes. She aims to enhance the understanding of paleoclimatology, especially the effect of massive carbon dioxide emission and sequestration on the ecosystem.

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My previous research interests are concentrated on environmental remediation with an emphasis on water pollution control using the fundamentals of aquatic chemistry. Now I expect to be working with Dr. Deng on water treatment and reuse using innovative and green technologies such as ferrate (VI)-based treatment processes.

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Research interests: Reclamation of metal contaminated soil using phytoremediation techniques.

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Kelly has worked in the fields of shore and grassland bird conservation, arthropod sensory ecology, and mosquito population genetics. She is currently working on Aedes mosquito population genetics and their invasion ecology.

Alumni

Year	Name	Dissertation Title	Current Position
2014	Marcia L. Anderson	The Effectiveness of Venue Strategies for Environmental Communication in Non-Agricultural, School Integrated Pest Management Campaigns	Environmental Specialist US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 2
2020	Anthony J. Bevacqua	The Spatial Economics of Clean Energy in New Jersey	Research Scientist New Jersey Board of Public Utilities
2017	Alejandra Maria Bozzolasco	Using a Mixed-Methods Approach to Understand Urban Children’s Nature Conceptions, Ecological Worldviews and Environmental Perceptions and Preferences Before and After Attending an Environmental Education Program	Adjunct Instructor Rampo College
2018	Pralhad Burli	Economic and Environmental Assessment of Advanced Biofuels : Adoption Under Uncertainty, Farmer Willingness, and Land Use Implications	Agricultural Economist The Energy, Environment, Science, & Technology Division Idaho National Laboratory
2009	Jennifer Rose Callanan	Long-Term Impacts of Forest Fires on Soil Chemical Properties as a Result of Mineral Alterations and Its Implications for Forest Management Practices	Assistant Professor & Chairperson Department of Environmental Science William Patterson University
2019	Daniel James Ciarletta	Reconstructing Barrier Island Behavior from Overstepped Deposits and Relict Onshore Morphology : Modeling and Field Approaches	Mendenhall Postdoc Fellow United States Geological Survey
2014	Padmini Das	Chemically Catalyzed Phytoremediation of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT) Contaminated Soil by Vetiver Grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides L.)	Postdoctoral Research Associate Montclair State University
2015	Joseph J. Di Gianni	Exploration of the Current State and Directions of Dynamic Ridesharing	Adjunct Instructor Montclair State University
2015	Luke J. Diglio	An Assessment of New Jersey Trout Production Systems : a Movement Towards Sustainability	AP & General Environmental Science Teacher Pequannock Township High School
2014	Paola Dolcemascolo	Anthropogenic Disturbance of the Herpetofauna in the Northeast US : Wildlife Disease and Habitat Modification	Full Stack Software Engineer Self-Employed
2015	Rocio Raquel Duchesne-Onoro	Changes in Tall Shrub Abundance on the North Slope of Alaska, 2000-2010	Assistant Professor Department of Geography & Geology University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
2021	Xu Du	Mining Social Media and Structured Data in Urban Environmental Management to Develop Smart Cities
2016	Melissa A. Hansen	An Assessment of Antarctic Ice Sheet Dynamics from a Pliocene Polar Paleoclimate Archive	Adjunct Instructor Montclair State University & Kean University
2018	Pricila Iranah	Bridging Gaps Between Conservation Action and Policy on Small Island Developing States – Case Analog of The Republic of Mauritius	Postdoctoral Research Associate University of Nebraska at Kearney
2021	Arye Max Janoff	Community-Scale Beach Nourishment and Groin Construction Decisions Along Human-Modified Coasts : The Interplay Between Socioeconomics, Coordination, Tourism, and Shoreline Change	Knauss Marine Policy Fellow U.S. House of Representatives
2014	Amy V. Johnson-Ferdinand	Spatial Decision Support Systems for Sustainable Urban Redevelopment	Director, Environmental Safety and Sustainability Montclair State University
2016	Melissa Ann Koberle-Harclerode	Evaluating Sustainable Aspects of Hazardous Waste Remediation	Project Manager & Environmental Scientist CDM Smith
2009	Naushad Kollikkathara	Integrated System Dynamic Study and Prognosis on Municipal Solid Waste Management for Northern New Jersey Urban Area	Assistant Professor Data Analytics School of Business at Mercy College
2013	Shevon Jean Letang	Citizens’ Perspectives of Access to the Decision Making Process and Community Improvement as Determinants of Brownfields Redevelopment Success	Sustainability and Environmental Coordinator Montclair State University
2017	Nanzhu Li	Ferrate as a New Treatment Chemical for Removal of Effluent Organic Matter (EfOM) and Emerging Micro-Pollutants in Treated Municipal Wastewater for Water Reuse	Environmental Scientist BEM Systems Inc.
2015	Faith Karegi Muriithi	An Integrated Approach to Assessing Spread of Commercial Horticulture and Related Environmental Impacts on Watersheds : Cases in Central Highlands of Kenya	Data Analyst Citi
2018	Garrett T. Nieddu	Outbreak and Extinction Dynamics in Stochastic Populations	Postdoctoral Research Associate Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Los Alamos National Labs
2017	Rosita G. Nunez	Antecedents and Consequences of CSR Reporting by Corporations : The Role of Management Strategy and Organization Characteristics	Adjunct Faculty Rampo College & Stevens Institute of Technology
2010	Michael Amamechi Nwachukwu	Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in Soil and Management of Occupational Wastes in Automobile Mechanic Villages, Imo River Basin, Nigeria	Professor Department of Environmental Management Federal University of Technology Owerri
2020	Robert B. Oleksy	Assessing the Capabilities and Limitations of Privatizing State Environmental Remediation Programs
2014	Kevin Olsen	Organic Geochemical Investigations of Urban Sediments by Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography / Mass Spectroscopy	Research Tech Specialist Department of Chemistry Montclair State University
2020	Sydney Oluoch	Socioeconomic Analyses of Renewable Energy Options for Sub-Saharan Africa : A Regional and National Approach	Research Fellow Clean Energy and Sustainability Analytics Center
2014	Naz Onel	Antecedents of Environmentally Sensitive Consumer Behaviors : an Investigation of Goal Framing Theory	Assistant Professor of Business Studies – Marketing Richard Stockton College of New Jersey
2008	Victor Udoka Onwueme	Characterization and Assessment of Contaminated Sediments in Lower Passaic River, New Jersey	Civil Engineer Department of Watershed Management, City of Atlanta
2014	Michael Joseph Pawlish	Modeling A Green Decision Support System for Data Center Sustainability	Assistant Professor School of Business & Digital Media Georgian Court University
2014	Pravin Anraj Punamiya	Green Remediation of Veterinary Antibiotics in Soil-Water Systems	Environmental Project Engineer / DuPont Site Representative (DSR) Parsons Corporation
2015	Yu Qian	Biogeochemical Studies of Metal Uptake and Transportation in Plants on an Urban Brownfield	Lecturer Yunnan University, China
2018	Dena J. Restaino	Molecular Ecology and Management of Nuisance and Invasive Marine Species : Chrysaora chesapeakei, Moerisia sp., and Gonionemus vertens	Adjunct Professor II County College of Morris
2020	Alessandra Rossi	Water Quality and Management Challenges in Urban New Jersey	Postdoctoral Researcher New Jersey Center for Water Science and Technology
2016	Abhishek Roy-Chowdhury	Green Remediation of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD)-Impacted Soil and Water	Assistant Professor Navajo Technical University
2014	Sagarika Roy	Hydrologic Modeling in Semi-Arid Agricultural Region : An Integrated Approach to Study Water Resources in Southern San Joaquin Valley, California	AVP Swiss Re
	Aimann Sadik	Corporate Social Responsibility and the Gold Mining Industry : The Ghana Experience	Senior Environmental Assessment Administrator Ministry of Environment, Government of Saskatchewan, Canada
2018	Rebecca Shell	Benthic Invertebrate Communities of Barnegat Bay New Jersey : Effects of Hard-Clam (Mercenaria Mercenaria L.) Aquaculture Grow-Outs on Benthic Communities
2017	Natalie R. Sherwood	Risks Associated with Harvesting and Human Consumption of Two Turtle Species in New Jersey
2016	Virinder Pal Singh Sidhu	Establishing a Vegetative Cap for Sustainable Stabilization of Copper Contaminated Soils in Torch Lake, Michigan	Postdoctoral Fellow Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering University of Toronto
2019	Jay Prakash Singh	Microbial Community, Functioning, and Its Relationship with Heavy Metals in an Urban Brownfield	Postdoctoral Research Fellow Thompson River University
2015	Sushant Kumar Singh	Assessing and Mapping Vulnerability and Risk Perceptions to Groundwater Arsenic Contamination : Towards Developing Sustainable Arsenic Mitigation Models	Data Scientist VirtusaPolaris
2021	Meghann N. Smith	Sustainability of Hard Apple Cider : An Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment
2018	Hanieh Soleimanifar	Water Treatment Residual Coated Wood Mulch for Mitigation of Toxic Metals and Phosphate from Polluted Urban Stormwater Runoff	Postdoctoral Researcher Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Texas at San Antonio
2014	Benjamin Barnett Witherell	Watershed-Based Water Quality Management	Chief Economist NJ Board of Public Utilities
2016	Bernabas T. Wolde	Socioeconomic and Environmental Assessment of Woody Biofuels in Southern United States	CESAC Program Manager Montclair State University
2010	Seth Kwaku Xeflide	An Assessment of the Surface Water Resource Potential of New Jersey, USA	Independent Consultant DS Evex Group Limited
2008	Sandow Mark Yidana	Management of Groundwater for Productive Uses in the Afram Plains Area, Ghana	Professor Department of Earth Science University of Ghana, Legon
2020	Lei Zheng	Ferrate(VI) for Wastewater Treatment : Phosphorus Removal
2021	Diane Hagman	Effect of Abiotic Factors on Enzyme Activity in Brownfield Soils
2021	Jesse Kolodin	A Geo-Economic Framework for Dune Construction and Long-Term Coastal Resiliency in New Jersey
2021	Taylor Wieczerak	Understanding Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) and Green Infrastructure Interaction in New Jersey : An Economic Analysis
2022	Nadia Jamil	Arsenic : Risk, Exposure, Policy and Management