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Ecosystems

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Natural Ecosystems

Biophysical processes in the fate of organic carbons in a watershed. (Credit: Blair Lab)

Research Topics

River corridor carbon & material cycles • fate & speciation of metals • microbial ecology of soils & waters • hydrology-microbial ecological interactions • wetlands • metal-microbe interactions • aquatic system connectivity • Great Lakes • coral reefs • arid ecosystems

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Engineered Ecosystems

Degradation mechanisms of plastics to nanoplastics and bioavailable carbons by wastewater bacteria. (Credit: Aristilde Lab)Research Topics

Contaminated sediments (metal, organic, pathogens) • environmental biotechnology for treatment & resource recovery • wetland restoration • green infrastructure • urban waterways • microbial electrochemical systems • microbial ecology at the food-energy-water nexus • microbial systems for a circular bioeconomy

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Microbial Processes

Recycling of phosphorus from biopolymers by enzymes secreted by plants and fungi. (Credit: Aristilde Lab)Research Topics

Agricultural carbon cycle • biogeochemical cycling of C, N, P • aquatic foodweb structure & function • periphyton structure & function • metabolomics of carbon cycle • phosphorus recycling • microbial metabolism of engineered processes • carbon and nutrient recovery

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Biofilms & Biological Interfaces

Nitrogen dynamics in a partial nitration-anammox biofilm. (Credit: G. Wells)

Research Topics

Biofilm reactors • anti-biofilm agents • biofilm structure-mechanical property • flow-biofilm interactions • bioinspired & bio-sourced materials for structural use -function relationships • antibiotic/antimicrobial resistance • biofilm reactors

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Microbiome in Living and Built Systems

Vegetative state of a bacillus species from a microbial community exposed to painted drywall. (Credit: Hartmann Lab)


Research Topics

Built environment microbiome • gut & lung microbiome • soil microbiome • microbiome bacteriophage therapy • ocean microbiome • wastewater microbiome

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Ecological Health

Healthy but endangered staghorn coral, <i>Acropora cervicornis</i>, in Belize. (Credit: Marcelino Lab)

Research Topics

Biotransformation of contaminants • fate & impact of persistent organic chemicals • bioaccumulation & biomagnification of contaminants • water security • river system management • urban biodiversity • climate change impacts • health of coral reefs

Faculty