Faculty
Director

- Phone
- 973-655-7384
- choppingm@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Environmental & Life Sciences, 312
Affiliated Faculty

Assistant Professor, Biology
- Phone
- 973-655-3584
- aardemam@montclair.edu
- Location
- Science Hall, 129

Chairperson, Earth and Environmental Studies
- Phone
- 973-655-7579
- aloc@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Environmental & Life Sciences, 220C

Dean, College of Science and Mathematics
- Phone
- 973-655-5108
- billingsl@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Environmental & Life Sciences, 206B


Associate Professor, Nutrition and Food Studies
- Phone
- 973-655-3428
- blumbergr@montclair.edu
- Location
- University Hall, 4012



Acting Vice Provost for Research, Office of Research
- Phone
- 973-655-5129
- brachfelds@montclair.edu
- Location
- The School of Nursing and The Graduate School, 487B

Assistant Professor, Earth and Environmental Studies
- Phone
- 973-655-7273
- cuiy@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Environmental & Life Sciences, 418

Professor, Earth and Environmental Studies
- Phone
- 973-655-6678
- dengy@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Environmental & Life Sciences, 424

Associate Professor, College of Science and Mathematics
- Phone
- 973-655-4093
- dongb@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Computing and Information Science, 227E

Associate Professor, Economics
- Phone
- 973-655-7778
- dubeyr@montclair.edu
- Location
- School of Business, 538

Assistant Professor, Biology
- Phone
- 973-655-4248
- feehanc@montclair.edu
- Location
- Science Hall, 132

Professor, Earth and Environmental Studies
- Phone
- 973-655-7549
- fengh@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Environmental & Life Sciences, 422

Chairperson, College of Science and Mathematics
- Phone
- 973-655-7242
- forgostone@montclair.edu
- Location
- Conrad J. Schmitt Hall, 332

Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Phone
- 973-655-5136
- gaoj@montclair.edu
- Location
- Richardson Hall, 344

Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Phone
- 973-655-3410
- goodeyn@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Environmental & Life Sciences, 406A

Associate Professor, College of Science and Mathematics
- Phone
- 973-655-5398
- herbertk@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Computing and Information Science, 227H

Professor, Information Management and Business Analytics
- Phone
- 973-655-7847
- jainra@montclair.edu
- Location
- School of Business

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Instruction, College of Science and Mathematics
- Phone
- 973-655-5426
- kights@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Environmental & Life Sciences, 206C


Professor, Earth and Environmental Studies
- Phone
- 973-655-3137
- lalp@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Environmental & Life Sciences, 426
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Associate Professor, Earth and Environmental Studies
- Phone
- 973-655-5320
- lorenzotruej@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Environmental & Life Sciences, 302

Professor, Biology
- Phone
- 973-655-3302
- molinac@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Environmental & Life Sciences, 400

Associate Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Phone
- 973-655-3791
- oneilg@montclair.edu
- Location
- Richardson Hall, 376

Professor, Earth and Environmental Studies
- Phone
- 973-655-7558
- ophorid@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Environmental & Life Sciences, 310

Professor, Earth and Environmental Studies
- Phone
- 973-655-3185
- passchiers@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Environmental & Life Sciences, 324

Professor, Earth and Environmental Studies
- Phone
- 973-655-7569
- popeg@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Environmental & Life Sciences, 420

Professor, College of Science and Mathematics
- Phone
- 973-655-4230
- robilas@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Computing and Information Science, 327K

Assistant Professor, Biology
- Phone
- 973-655-7191
- schulerm@montclair.edu
- Location
- Science Hall, 113

Professor, Earth and Environmental Studies
- Phone
- 973-655-4129
- taylorr@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Environmental & Life Sciences, 414

Director, PSEG Institute for Sustainability Studies, College of Science and Mathematics
- Phone
- 973-655-3667
- tuiningaa@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Environmental & Life Sciences, 100G

Chairperson, Biology
- Phone
- 973-655-5265
- vanderkleid@montclair.edu
- Location
- Science Hall, 107A

Associate Professor, College of Science and Mathematics
- Phone
- 973-655-4292
- vardea@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Computing and Information Science, 227A

Associate Professor, Hospitality and Tourism
- Phone
- 973-655-4099
- wangya@montclair.edu
- Location
- School of Business

Assistant Professor, College of Science and Mathematics
- Phone
- 973-655-5269
- wangw@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Computing and Information Science, 227C

Professor, Biology
- Phone
- 973-655-7117
- wum@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Environmental & Life Sciences, 100D

Professor, Earth and Environmental Studies
- Phone
- 973-655-4313
- yud@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Environmental & Life Sciences, 314

Professor, College of Science and Mathematics
- Phone
- 973-655-4289
- zhumi@montclair.edu
- Location
- Center for Computing and Information Science, 327B
Current Students

Acosta, Yaritza
- Advisor
- Wu
- Office
- CELS 230A
- Ext
- x7117
- Degrees
- BA in Biology

Ahmed, Arif
- Advisor
- Schuler
- Office
- TBD
- Ext
- TBD
- Degrees
- BSc in Agriculture
- MS in Agroforestry and Environmental Science

Bergen, Nicole
- Advisor
- Wu
- Degrees
- BA in Biology/Teacher of Students with Disabilities
- MS in Biology (Concentration in Ecology and Evolution)

Balasuriya, Divomi
- Advisor
- Passchier
- Degrees
- BSc. Mineral Resources and Technology (Specialization : Mineral Processing technology)
- Office
- CELS 230A

Adhikary, Gita Bhushal
- Advisor
- Lal
- Office
- CELS 230A
- Degrees
- MS in Sustainability Science
- Affiliations
- CESAC, Environmental Economics & Policy Lab (EEPL)
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.

Ayers, Michael
- Advisor
- Alo
- Office
- CELS 306
- Ext
- x3456
- Degrees
- BS and MS in Geology

Bermudez, Hermann
- Advisor
- Cui
- Office
- CELS 306
- Ext
- x3456
- Degrees
- BS in Geology, National University of Colombia
- PhD candidate (Geosciences) National University of Colombia

Cade, Rae
- Advisor
- Borgerson
- Office
- CELS 230A
- Extension
- x3456
- Degrees
- BA in Anthropology and Earth Science
- MS in Sustainability Science
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.

Chien, Shih-Chieh
- Advisor
- Krumins
- Degrees
- BS in Biological Sciences
- MS in Environmental Education
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.

Cortes, Isamar
- Advisor
- Lorenzo-Trueba
- Office
- CELS Computational Suite
- Degrees
- MS Earth and Environmental Science, BS Sustainability Science, BA Geography
- Affiliations
- Lorenzo-Trueba Lab, CIRES, MSU Remote Sensing Lab
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.

Cui, Junkui
- Advisor
- Deng
- Office
- CELS 230A
- Degrees
- BS/MS in Environmental Science
- MS in Engineering

Daiek, Shane
- Advisor
- Lorenzo-Trueba
- Degrees
- MS Earth & Environmental Science, BS Marine Affairs.
- Affiliations
- Lorenzo-Trueba Lab, West Orange High School
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.

Darko, Radakovic
- Advisor
- Chopping
- Degrees
- MS Earth Science
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.

Ghimire, Monika
- Advisor
- Passchier
- Office
- TBD
- Ext
- TBD
- Degrees
- B.Sc and M.Sc in Environmental Science

Fowler, Michael
- Advisor
- Lal
- Office
- CELS -306
- Ext
- x3456
- Degrees
- BA in Environmental Studies with a Geography minor and concentration in Geographic Information Systems & Cartography
- MS in Sustainability Science

Hojnacki, Victoria
- Advisor
- Passchier
- Degrees
- BS Geology
- Affiliations
- Passchier Lab
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.

Johnson, Lisa
- Advisor
- Taylor
- Office
- CELS 306
- Ext
- x3456
- Degrees
- BA in Human Ecology with a minor in Philosophy
- MS in Sustainability Science

Knoble, Charles
- Advisor
- Yu
- Office
- CELS 230A
- Degrees
- BA International Relations

Lentine, Nicolina
- Advisor
- Goodey
- Office
- CELS 306
- Degrees
- BA in Environmental Studies and Sustainability, minor in Chemistry
- MS in Environmental Science

Luong, Trang
- Advisor
- Lal
- Degrees
- BS Sustainability Science
- Affiliations
- CESAC, Environmental Economics & Policy Lab (EEPL), PSEG Institute for Sustainability Studies
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.

Lyttek, Erik
- Advisor
- Lal
- Office
- CELS 230A
- Ext
- x3456
- Degrees
- BA in Biology

Libman-Roshal, Olga
- Advisor
- Brachfeld
- Degrees
- BS Geology, MS Geophysics
Olga is interested in reconstructing paleodepositional environments of sediments in the polar regions. She is particularly intrigued by the behavior of the Antarctic Ice Sheet during the Pliocene Climatic Optimum and its implications for future AIS behavior as we move toward a warmer climate.

Lin, Qiufeng
- Advisor
- Deng
- Office
- CELS 230A
- Degrees
- B.E. in Water Supply and Drainage Engineering
- M.S. in Architecture and Civil Engineering

Mahady, Martha
- Advisor
- Vanderklein
- Office
- CELS 230A
- Degrees
- AA in Anthropology
- AAS in Landscape Management and Design
- AS in Biology, and Environmental Studies
- BA in Psychology
- BS in Biology

Mirza, Sana
- Advisor
- Feng
- Degrees
- AS in General Science
- BS in Environmental Science
- MA in Environmental Management

Mitchell, Schenine
- Advisor
- Taylor
- Degrees
- BS in International Environmental Studies with a Minor in Political Science
- MA in Environmental Management

Nguyen, Gia
- Advisor
- Lal
- Office
- CELS 230A

Nie, Jing
- Advisor
- Feng
- Office
- CELS 230A
- Ext
- x5423
Jing Nie’s research has centered on the causes, assessment, and treatment of nutrient (N and P) pollution in rivers, estuaries, and coastal waters, including characterization and assessment of spatiotemporal variations in nutrient concentrations and fluxes in an urban watershed, with a case study focusing on New Jersey’s Passaic River Basin (published in 2018 in the International Journal of Environment and Pollution).

Nsingi, Joseph Mayala
- Advisor
- Cui
- Degrees
- BS in Applied Geology at the University of the Western Cape
- MS in Applied Geology (Petroleum Geoscience) at the University of the Western Cape
- Office
- CELS 306
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.

O’Connor, Cailin
- Advisor
- Kight
- Degrees
- BS, MS in Biology (conc. Ecology and Evolution)
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.

Oteng, Felix
- Advisor
- Alo
- Office
- CELS 230A
- Degrees
- BS in Geology
- MS in Geoscience

Oyen, Toritseju
- Advisor
- Ophori
- Degrees
- MS Geoenvironmental Engineering, BS Microbiology
- Affiliations
- Ophori Groundwater Modeling Lab
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.
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.

Provost, Nicole
- Advisor
- Lal
- Degrees
- BS Sustainability Science
- BS Marine Biology & Coastal Sciences
- MS Sustainability Science
- Affiliations
- CESAC
- Environmental Economics & Policy Lab (EEPL)
- PSEG Institute for Sustainability Studies
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.

Shrestha, Sarahana
- Advisor
- Varde
- Office
- CELS 306
- Degrees
- BS Environmental Science and BA Environmental Planning & Management from State University of New York at Plattsburgh
- MS Sustainability Science from Montclair State University
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.

Snyder, Chris
- Advisor
- Tuininga
- Office
- CELS 230A
- Degrees
- BA in Anthropology
- MPH in Public Health (Concentration in Community Health Education)
- Affiliations
- PSEG Institute for Sustainability Studies
- Montclair State University Campus Community Garden
- Hunger-Free Campus Task Force
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.

Soetan, Oluwafemi
- Advisor
- Feng
- Office
- CELS 306
- Degrees
- B.Tech in Biochemistry
- MSc in Water & Waste-Water Engineering

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

Vafaie, Sepideh
- Advisor
- Forgoston
- Office
- CELS 230A
- Degrees
- MSc in civil- structural Engineering
- Ext
- x3456
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.

Vaidya, Bhagyashree
- Advisor
- Goodey
- Office
- CELS
- Ext
- x3456

Viteritto, Michael
- Advisor
- Feng
- Degrees:
- BA English
- MA Environmental Studies
- JD, Certificate in International Law
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.

Vu, Anvy
- Advisor
- Lal
- Degrees:
- Master of Public Health, Specialization: Epidemiology
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Environmental Science
Anvy’s research is aimed at achieving a sustainable occupational environment for developing communities, an issue that requires attention to many environmental management perspectives and adopting an interdisciplinary approach that includes natural science, business, and social science perspectives as the best way to solve these complex problems. Her research fosters understanding of how pollutants affect human populations and the natural environment, the identification and quantification of immediate and long-term patterns using geospatial technology (GIS) and related geostatistical methods, and the stratification of disturbance levels in unhealthy environments.

Wheelan, Justin
- Advisor
- Molina
- Degrees
- MA Molecular Biology
- BS Biology
- Affiliations
- Molina Lab
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.

Wu, Tina
- Advisor
- Cui
- Office
- CELS 230A
- Degrees
- BS & MS in Geology

Yang, Lisitai
- Advisor
- Deng
- Office
- CELS
- Ext
- x3456

Zaheer, Naima
- Advisor
- Goodey

Zimmerman, Kelly
- Advisor
- Aardema
- Office
- CELS 230A
- Phone
- x3456
- Degrees
- B.S. Marine and Environmental Biology and Policy
- M.S. Biology: Ecology and Evolution