On April 16, 2025, over 300 undergraduate students shared their research and achievements through oral presentations, poster presentations, artistic exhibits, performances, films, interactive games, and more in the University Center.

Congratulations to all CBEE students who participated in the event!

Oral Presentations

Evalynn Ellison | Ultrasound-Responsive Phospholipid-Coated Microbubbles for Controlled Drug Delivery Across Mucosa | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Canan Dagdeviren

Poster Presentations

Shashane Anderson | Formal Verification of Thermodynamic Models With Lean 4 | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Tyler Josephson

Alvin Bett | Detecting PFAS in Baltimore Harbor Using Novel Passive Samplers | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Lee Blaney

Jacob Craft | Measuring the Selectivity Coefficients of 19 PFAS With Four Anion-Exchange Membranes | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Lee Blaney

Joshua Dayie | Engineering CRBN for Improved Assay and Structural Enablement Using DeNovo Protein Scaffolds | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Nicole LaRonde

Trevor Gibson | Hybrid Anion-Exchange Resins Improve the Uptake and Selectivity for (Ultra)Short-Chain PFAS in Drinking Water | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Lee Blaney

Elias Gilotte | Uncovering The Relationship Between Oxygen Availability and Energy Sources in Cell-free Protein Synthesis | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Govind Rao

Alexander Haibel | GraphARC: An AI Benchmark for Chemical Reasoning | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Tyler Josephson

Sydney Hofstetter | Sucrose Density Gradient Centrifugation Versus Anion Exchange for Exosome Sample Purification | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Jorge Almodovar

Jasmine Ives | Polychlorinated Biphenyl Monitoring in Maryland Fish | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Upal Ghosh

Tonderai Kodzwa | Effect Of Temperature On Aqueous Zinc Ion Batteries | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Ozgur Capraz

Peter Lombardo | Percent Viability Screens To Confirm Integral Cell Wall Signaling Kinases In Aspergillus Nidulans | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Mark Marten

Terra Miley | Optimization Of Cell-Free Protein Synthesis Bioreactors With the Use of a Fluorescent Magnesium Biosensor | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Govind Rao

Meredith Morse | Characterizing The Aspergillus Nidulans Kinase Deletion Library | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Mark Marten

Tithi Prajapati | Noninvasive Wearable Device For Transcutaneous CO2 Based Early Detection Of Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Venkatesh Srinivasan

Matthew Quintanilla | Characterization Of Transmembrane Transporters Linked To Cell Wall Stress Response | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Mark Marten

Jessica Slaughter | Suite Of Bioinformatic-Analysis Apps For Better Understanding Dynamic Omics Data | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Mark Marten

Maaike Swaters | Measuring Ion-exchange Membrane Properties That Control Nutrient Recovery By Donnan Dialysis | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Lee Blaney

Greeshma Tarimala | Using Gene Editing And Fluorescent Microscopy To Characterize The PrkA Kinase In Aspergillus Nidulans | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Mark Marten

Julia Van Der Marel | Monitoring Of NADH Concentrations In Cell-Free Systems | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Govind Rao

Benjamin Welling | Fabrications Of An Autonomous Chemically Powered Vehicle: (AIChE Chem-E Car) | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Neha Raikar

Zorah Williams | Utilizing Manganese-Oxide As An Electrode Material For Aqueous Zn-ion Batteries. | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Ozgur Capraz

Ariel Wilson-Gray | Production Of Extracellular Vesicles From Mammalian Cells Modulated By A Biomimetic Surface | Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering | Jorge Almodovar

Students from McDonogh High School’s Chemical Engineering class visited the Department of Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering (CBEE) on February 27th. They toured lab spaces, heard from faculty and students about their innovative research, and learned about CBEE’s academic program. They were accompanied by Dr. Melanie Batarseh, an Upper School Science Teacher, and Jennifer Little, an Academic Dean.

The visit began with Dr. Marten, the Chair of CBEE, sharing insights about the department’s academic offerings and research projects. McDonogh students shared about the chemical engineering projects they were working on and asked questions about CBEE. COEIT Advisor, Hailey Turney, joined to give an overview of the application process for the CBEE program. Students enjoyed breakfast and won UMBC swag by answering questions about CBEE.

Then, students toured the laboratories of Dr. Josephson, Dr. Almodovar, and Dr. Hennigan. During the tours, ongoing research projects were discussed, equipment demonstrations were given, and lab samples were passed around to inspire curiosity amongst students.

This visit was a great opportunity for high school students to connect with CBEE faculty and students, explore potential engineering career paths, and better understand the real-world impact of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering.

Authors: 

Title: 

Fifteen CBEE students attended the 2024 AIChE Annual Student Conference in San Diego, CA from October 25, 2024 to October 28, 2024. 

ChemE Jeopardy - 3rd place, National Competition

Authors: 

Title: 

Students from Mt. St. Joseph High School had an engaging day at the Department of Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering (CBEE) today, where they toured cutting-edge labs and learned about innovative research and CBEE’s academic excellence from leading faculty members. They were accompanied by Jason Ader, Mt. St. Joe’s Director of Sustainability, STEM, and Innovation, and Dr. Rebecca Obniski, a STEM coordinator.

The visit kicked off with a tour of the laboratories of Drs. Josephson, Blaney, and Marten, where students got a firsthand look at ongoing projects in the field. Each lab showcased unique research efforts, sparking curiosity and inspiring future engineers.

Following the lab tour, the students enjoyed a pizza lunch, where they had the opportunity to discuss their interests and ask questions about the engineering field. Dr. Marten, Chair of CBEE, shared insights into the department's research efforts and academic program.

Additionally, COEIT advisor Krista Wallace provided valuable information on the application process for the CBEE program, highlighting opportunities for prospective students to engage in research and hands-on learning.

The visit was a fantastic opportunity for high school students to connect with university faculty and explore potential career paths in engineering, fostering a deeper understanding of the impact of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering on society.

From UMBC News | By: Catherine Meyers | Published: Sep 16, 2024

Professor Lee Blaney, in the Department of Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering, formally assumed the role of president of the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP) at a board of directors meeting in early September.

AEESP is a nonprofit organization founded in 1963 to foster inclusive connections between environmental engineering and science researchers and educators. It provides programs for members to develop the academic networks and career skills needed for professional success, increase equitable societal impact of environmental engineering and science scholarship and creative expression, and reimagine the skills necessary for environmental engineers and scientists to provide solutions that benefit regional, national, and global communities. 

The association currently has more than 1000 members from universities around the world. AEESP assists its members in improving education and research programs, encourages graduate education, and provides information to government agencies and the public. The biennial AEESP Research and Education Conference brings the field together to share research, teaching, and outreach outcomes. Blaney’s term as president will include the next conference, which is scheduled to occur in May 2025 at Duke University. 

“We’re excited about Dr. Blaney’s new role as president of AEESP,” says Mark Marten, the chair of the Department of Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering. “His deep involvement with this organization not only makes a positive impact in our discipline, but also raises awareness of our department and UMBC in this influential community.” 

Blaney and his research group study environmental contaminants of emerging concern, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, which are sometimes called “forever chemicals” because of the way they persist in the environment. They also research how to recover vital resources, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, from waste streams to improve water quality and ensure sustainable development. Blaney was a winner of the 2021 James J. Morgan Early Career Award from the American Chemical Society, and has also been recognized for the quality of his teaching and mentorship.

Blaney joined AEESP in 2012 after starting as an assistant professor at UMBC. He quickly joined and became chair of the AEESP Membership & Demographics Committee, through which he led efforts to initiate a student video competition (check out this winning video from UMBC). He also led efforts to document the demographics of environmental engineering faculty and students in reports such as “Trends in Population and Demographics of U.S. Environmental Engineering Students and Faculty from 2005 to 2013” and “Another Grand Challenge: Diversity in Environmental Engineering.”

In 2021, Blaney was elected to the AEESP board of directors. Since that time, he has led a number of initiatives aimed at improving inclusion. During his one-year term as president, he will lead the board and executive committee, provide new charges to standing committees, correspond with members, represent AEESP at conferences and meetings, and drive new initiatives to grow the organization and support its members. 

In his first presidential address to AEESP, given in June, Blaney told members of how he found direction as an undergraduate student after attending a talk by environmental engineer Arup SenGupta, who spoke of efforts to remove arsenic from contaminated groundwater in rural villages in India.

“His passion and dedication to helping those without other resources inspired me, set me on the path to becoming an environmental engineer, and helped me to become a better person,” Blaney said. He hopes to bring these same values to AEESP and its members.

As president of AEESP, Blaney plans to develop an “AEESP Experts” program, which will connect environmental experts with reporters, and also an “AEESP Communities of Practice” initiative, which will gather small groups of AEESP members to develop new resources, such as new course material on climate change or best practices for graduate student recruitment, which can be shared with the whole community.

Read original post via UMBC NEWS: Lee Blaney assumes presidency of the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors

CBEE hosted the 2024 CBEE Graduate Student Awards on Friday, August 30, 2024 where graduate students were formally recognized for their research and leadership. During the awards ceremony, each awardee gave a 10-minute presentation on their current research. 

Congratulations to the award recipients. 

Excellence in Master's Research

Margaret Siao

’23, M.S. student, Environmental Engineering

Advisor: Dr. Lee Blaney

This award recognizes a CBEE Master’s Student for outstanding performance in research.

Excellence in Doctoral Research

Chad Sundberg

Ph.D. student, Environmental Engineering

Advisor: Dr. Govind Rao

This award recognizes a CBEE Doctoral Student for outstanding performance in research. 

Excellence in Leadership

Alex Doan

Ph.D. student, Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

This award recognizes a CBEE Graduate Student for outstanding leadership demonstrated in service to the department, college, or their fellow students.

Award recipients were nominated by CBEE faculty, staff, or students (graduate or undergraduate). The nominations were reviewed and selected by CBEE’s Graduate program Committee. 

The College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT) Research Day was held on April 19, 2024. Undergraduate and graduate students across the college presented their research covering a range of topics.

Congratulations to the CBEE students who received COEIT Research Day Poster Awards. Poster presenters are in bold. 

Bachelor Student Poster Awards

Authors: Tithi Prajapati, Mike Tolosa, Venkatesh Srinivasan, and Dr. Govind Rao
Department: Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering
Poster Title: Affordable Hand-held Portable Spectroscopy Technology for PAT applications

Authors: Mesha Shajahan, Preety Ahuja, and Dr. Govind Rao
Department: Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering
Poster Title: Polymer-Carbon Composite for Wearable Transcutaneous CO₂ Sensor

Doctoral Student Poster Awards

Authors: Revati Kadolkar, Vikash Kumar, Venkatesh Srinivasan, Sanjeev Kumar Ujjain, Dr. Douglas Frey, Dr. Govind Rao
Department: Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering
Poster Title: Development of a Novel Analytical Sensor Utilizing Ni-NTA and His-tag Affinity for At-Line Quantitative Analysis of Binding Proteins

Honorable Mention – Student Poster Awards

Authors: Alexander G. Doan, Matthew S. Quintanilla, Jessica E. Schafer, Casey M. Douglas, Meredith E. Morse, Dela-Joshua K. Dayie, Kay T. Latt, Julianna C. Wasiuta, Steven D. Harris, and Dr. Mark R. Marten
Department: Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering
Poster Title: Crosstalk Between Aspergillus nidulans CWIS and SIN Pathways Under Cell Wall Stress

Authors: Amir Babaei Gharehbagh, Rose Taylor, Joy Kiguru, Alyssa M. Burns, Ann Marie G. Carlton, and Dr. Christopher J. Hennigan
Department: Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering
Poster Title: Effects of Inorganic Salts and pH on the Gas-Aqueous Partitioning of Formic Acid and Acetic Acid

Authors: Elias Gilotte, Chad Sundberg, Hasib Hasan, and Dr. Govind Rao
Department: Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering
Poster Title: Developing an Online ATP Sensor for Cell-Free Protein Synthesis Monitoring

Judges

Thank you to the Research Day Poster Judges for all their help review of posters, specifically,
Jorge Almodovar (CBEE).