Lab Members

Research Assistant Professor:

Ph.D. Students:

Past Post-Doctoral Researchers:

• Dr. Agrawal :  Currently Head Geochemist at ADDIS Energy
• Dr. Akondi :  Currently Chemical Engineer at INTEL
• Dr. Warrier :  Currently Faculty at Penn State, Fayette
• Dr.  Zhang  Currently Engineer at Xiamen University

Past Graduates:

• Shailee Bhattacharya: PhD. thesis  “Geochemical  Phase Associations of Rare Earth Elements and Lithium in Black Shales of the USA: A study in the Appalachian and Haynesville basins” ( DOE-NETL, Corterra, and Foundation grants)
  

• Rachel Yesenchak : PhD. thesis  “Coal as a resource for rare earth elements in West Virginia"           ( DOE-NETL and Foundation grants)
• Shaun Donmoyer : MS thesis title  “Effect of oxidative breakers on organic matter degradation, contaminant mobility and critical mineral release during shale-fracturing fluid interactions in the Marcellus Shale” (DOE grants)
• Brennan Fergusson : MS thesis title  “Investigating effects of carbonate minerals on shale-hydrualic fracturing fluid interactions in Marcellus Shale” (DOE-NETL grant)
• Vikas Agrawal : PhD. thesis  “Molecular Evolution of Sedimentary Organic Matter in Marcellus Shale” (NSF and DOE grants)
• Rawlings Akondi : PhD. thesis “ Utilizing lipid biomarkers to understand the microbial community structure in deep subsurface black shale formations” (NSF and DOE grants)
• Rachel Yesenchak : MS thesis title  “Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Surface Water Quality in an Area of High Density Shale Gas Drilling” (EPA grant)
• John Pilewski : MS Thesis title  “Effect of Maturity and Mineralogy on Fluid-Rock Reactions in the Marcellus Shale” (NSF and DOE grants)
• Ruiqian Chen : PhD Thesis title  “Dominant controls on organic-rich shale deposition: geochemical evidences from the Marcellus Shale in the Appalachian Basin” (NSF and DOE grants)
• Stephen Henry : MS Thesis title   “Using Carbon and Oxygen Isotopes to Monitor Water-Rock Interaction Under Simulated Geothermal Conditions” (DOE-EERE grant)
• Isabella Cross-Najafi: MS Thesis title  “Effects of bentonite deposition and the Manson Impact on Marine palaeoredox and paleoproductivity : Geochemical evidence from the Cretaceous Pierre Shale” (DOE-NETL grant)
• Jared  Carte : BS Thesis title  “Assessment of Fate of Injected CO2 Using Carbon and Oxygen Isotopes at a CO2 Sequestration Test Site, East Seminole Oil Field, Texas” (DOE-NETL grant)
• Bethany Meier: MS Thesis title  “Using Stable Carbon Isotopes to Monitor for Potential Leakage of CO2 at an Enhanced CoalBed Methane Recovery Site in Marshall County, WV” (NSF and DOE-NETL grants)
• Lindsey Bowman: MS Thesis title “Stray Gas Occurrences in Groundwater in Randolph County, West Virginia, USA” (USGS and NSF grants)
• Adam  Pelak : MS Thesis title  “Geochemical and isotopic variations in surface waters of the Monongahela River Basin: An area of accelerating Marcellus Shale gas development in West Virginia” (USGS and NSF grants)
• Andrea  Sack : MS Thesis title  “Tracing Water and Carbon Sources in Complex Geochemical Settings of the Appalachians: An Isotopic Perspective” (DOE-NETL grant)
• Michon M.  Mulder : MS Thesis title  “Ambient Geochemical and Isotopic Variations in Groundwaters Across an Area of Accelerating Shale Gas Development” (USGS grant)
• Joshua  Baggett : MS Thesis title  ” A New Method for Tracing Seepage From Coalbed Natural Gas Holding Ponds,  Powder River basin, Wyoming” (USGS grant)