Principle Investigator:
250th Anniversary Professor of Engineering
link to bio: KurtPennell_bio
link to CV: KurtPennell_CV
Current Lab Members:

Matthew J. Woodcock, PhD, MBA
Sr. Research Engineer , 2020-Present matthew_woodcock@brown.edu B.S. Biochemistry, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 1999.
PhD, Analytical Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Lowell, 2009.
M.B.A. Business Administration, Babson College, 2011.

Uriel Garza-Rubalcava, PhD
Post-doctoral fellow, 2022-Present
B.S. Chemical Engineering, Universidad de Guadalajara, 2014.
M.S. Chemical Engineering, Universidad de Guadalajara, 2017.
PhD, Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University, 2022

Soon-Mi Kim, PhD
Post-doctoral fellow, 2024-Present soon-mi_kim@brown.edu
B.S. Biotechnology and Environmental Engineering, Catholic University of Korea, 2010
M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachussetts-Amherst, 2014
PhD, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachussetts-Amherst, 2023
Peng-Fei Yan, PhD
Post-doctoral fellow, 2024-Present
B.E. Civil Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, 2013. M.E. Water Quality and Wastewater Treatment Management, Hefei University of Technology, 2016 PhD, Environmental Engineering Technology, Auburn University, 2022
Jacopo Cogorno, PhD
Post-doctoral fellow, 2025-Present
B.S. Environmental Engineering, Universita di Trento, 2017.
M.S. Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Munich, 2020. PhD, Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2024

Craig Klevan
PhD student, 2021-Present
B.S. Environmental Engineering, University of Delaware, 2021.
M.S. Engineering, Brown University, 2023

Alexis Meservey
PhD student, 2021-Present alexis_meservey@brown.edu B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Connecticut, 2021. M.S. Engineering, Brown University, 2023

Alexandra Pagano
PhD student, 2022-Present alexandra_pagano@brown.edu B.S. Chemistry, Union College, 2018 M.S. Environmental Engineering, Brown University, 2024

Litzy Guevara
PhD student, 2022-Present litzy_guerva@brown.edu B.S. Chemistry, Texas Tech University, 2021

Seth Caines
PhD student, 2023-Present. seth_caines@brown.edu B.S. Environmental Engineering, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, 2023

Sonia Vohra
PhD student, 2023-Present. sonia_vohra@brown.edu B.S. Foreign Service, Science, Technology & International Affairs, Georgetown University, 2020. M.S. Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 2021

Andre Gomes
Laboratory Technician andre_gomes@brown.edu. B.S. Biology, Rhode Island College, 2023.

Oren Van Allen
Undergraduate (Senior) oren_van_allen@brown.edu

Shana Xia
Undergraduate (Senior) shana_xia@brown.edu

Maya Marquez-Sturm
Undergraduate (Senior) maya_marquez-sturm@brown.edu

Thatcher LeBlanc
Undergraduate (Junior) thatcher_leblanc@brown.edu
Akari Inami
Undergraduate (Junior) akari_inami@brown.edu
Hannah Menghis
Undergraduate (Junior) hannah_menghis@brown.edu
Previous Lab Members:
Caroline Rocchio, Graduate Research Assistant, Ph.D., 2025
Katelyn Anderson, Graduate Research Assistant, Ph.D., 2025
Katherine (Kate) Manz, Ph.D., Post-doctoral Fellow, 2018-2021, Assistant Research Professor, 2021-2023
Shuchi Liao, Graduate Research Assistant and Post-doctoral Fellow, Ph.D., 2021
Chen Lui, Graduate Research Assistant and Post-doctoral Fellow, Ph.D., 2021
Jed Costanza, Ph.D., Senior Research Engineer, 2018-2019
Kyle Yamada, Post-MS, 2018-2019
Kelly Mukai, Undergraduate Research Assistant, B.S. 2025
Allison Stein, Undergraduate Research Assistant, B.S. 2025
Chloe Gray, Undergraduate Research Assistant, B.S. 2024
Lukas Schiedl, Undergraduate Research Assistant, B.S. 2023
Caroline Greenley, Undergraduate Research Assistant, B.S. 2023
Fiona Dunn, Undergraduate Research Assistant, B.S. 2023
Jenna Chu, Undergraduate Research Assistant, B.S. 2022
Rachelle Shao, Undergraduate Research Assistant, B.S. 2022
Dorrie Pinchbeck, Undergraduate Research Assistant, B.S. 2022
Emma Kaufmann, Undergraduate Research Assistant, B.S. 2021
