Principal Investigator
Natasha Wright | Richard and Barbara Nelson Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2018, Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M.S. 2014, Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
B.S. 2012, Mechanical Engineering, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN
Research Interests: Membrane-Based Separation Processes, Desalination, Engineering Global Development, Water and Sanitation in Emerging Markets, Design Ethnography and Product Design
Teaching Subjects: ME5312 Solar Thermal Technologies, ME4054 Design Projects
E-mail: [email protected]
Researchers
Beatriz de Souza | Postdoctoral Researcher
Ph.D. 2023, Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
M.S. 2018, Mechanical Engineering, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD
B.S. 2016, Mechanical Engineering, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD
Research Interests: Biomedical Engineering, Translational Medicine, Engineering Global Development, Medical Devices, Biomaterial, Bioencapsulation
Research Topic: On-Demand Peritoneal Dialysis Fluid Compounding
E-mail: [email protected]
Ibrahim Yekinni | Senior Research Scientist
MBBS 2015, Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
Research Interests: Biomedical Engineering, Translational Medicine, Global Health, Product Design
Research Topic: On-Demand Peritoneal Dialysis Fluid Compounding
E-mail: [email protected]
Graduate Students
Ian Song | Ph.D. Candidate
M.Sc.Eng 2021, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
B.S. 2017, Engineering, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA
Research Interests: Modelling and Simulation, Optimization, Membrane Separation Processes
Research Topic: Gas Extraction in Anaerobic Wastewater Treatment
E-mail: [email protected]
Carolyn Bernemann | Ph.D. Student
B.S. 2021, Mechanical Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Research Interests: Engineering Global Development, Medical Devices, Product Design
Research Topic: On-Demand Peritoneal Dialysis Fluid Compounding
E-mail: [email protected]
Ali Abdelkawi | Ph.D. Student
M.Sc. 2021, Mechanical Engineering, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
B.S. 2017, Mechanical Engineering, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
Research Interests: Salt Recovery, Crystallization, Kinetics, Brine Treatment
Research Topic: Resource Recovery from Desalination Brine
E-mail: [email protected]
Jenn Hoody | Ph.D. Student
M.S. 2022, Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley
BME 2020, Mechanical Engineering, University of Dayton
Research Interests: Global Development Engineering, Clean & Renewable Energy, Food-Energy-Water Nexus, WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene), Interdisciplinary Research, Circularity, Heat Transfer
Research Topic: Food Loss Reduction through Evaporative Cooling and Dehydration
E-mail: [email protected]
Ian Manning | Ph.D. Student
B.S. 2022, Physics and Environmental Science & Sustainability, Allegheny College, Meadville, PA
Research Interests: Circularity Systems, Global Sustainable Development, Clean & Renewable Energy, Food Production, Aquatic Systems, Ecosystem Protection
Research Topic: Brine Management
E-mail: [email protected]
Adithya Ganapathiraju | M.S. Student
B.Tech 2020, Mechanical Engineering, Amrita Vishwavidyapeetham, Amritapuri, Kerala, India.
Research Interests: Modeling and Simulation using CFD, Species Transport through Membranes, Optimization
Research Topic: Gas Extraction in Anaerobic Wastewater Treatment
E-mail: [email protected]
Pauly Soulia | M.S. Student
BSME 2023, Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Research Interests: Clean and Renewable Energy, Thermodynamics & Heat Transfer, Interdisciplinary Research
Research Topic: Electrodialysis Desalination
E-mail: [email protected]
Undergraduate Students
Ken Uy | Undergraduate Researcher
BSME 2024, Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
BS 2015, Biochemistry, Winona State University, Winona, MN
Research Interests: Biomedical Engineering, Medical Devices, Product Design
Research Topic: On-Demand Peritoneal Dialysis Fluid Compounding
E-mail: [email protected]
Shivangi Pandey | Undergraduate Researcher
Research Topic: On-Demand Peritoneal Dialysis Fluid Compounding
E-mail: [email protected]
Alexander Griffith | Undergraduate Researcher
BSME 2025, Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Research Interests: Sustainability, Renewable Energy, Fluid Dynamics, Mechanisms
Research Topic: Brine Management
E-mail: [email protected]
Ghassan Al Tobi | Undergraduate Researcher
BSME 2023, Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Research Interests: Computer Aided Design, Fluid Power Control, Structural FEA
Research Topic: Brine Management
E-mail: [email protected]
Lab Alumni
Trenton Brown | M.S. Graduate (2023)
M.S. 2023, Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
B.S. 2020, Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Duluth
2015, Aerospace Engineering, Iowa State University
Thesis: Experimental Validation of Convection-Enhanced Brine Evaporation: Trials at Bench-Scale and Pilot-Scale
Nallely Guillén Rodriguez | M.S. Graduate (2023)
M.S. 2023, Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
B.S. 2018, Energy Engineering, Polytechnic University of Aguascalientes, Mexico
Thesis: Modeling of a Solar Thermal Energy Input for an Optimized Convection-Enhanced Evaporation System
Mustafa Kaddoura | Ph.D. Graduate (2022)
Ph.D. 2022, Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
M.E. 2018, Mechanical Engineering, American University of Beirut, Lebanon
B.E. 2016, Mechanical Engineering, Beirut Arab University
Thesis: Convection-Enhanced Evaporation: Modeling and Optimal Control for Modular Cost-Effective Brine Management
Matthew Chosa | M.S. Graduate (2022)
MSME 2022, Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Research Topic: Brine Management
Benjamin Szot | M.S. Graduate (2022)
MSME 2022, Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
B.S. 2019, Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Thesis: Using Low-cost Sensors to Verify a Fully Mixed Peritoneal Dialysis Solution for On-site Production in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Asma Ahmed | Graduate Student
BME 2019, Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Research Topic: Electrodialysis Desalination
Claire Bareilles | REU Student (Summer 2021)
B.S. 2022, Environmental Resources Engineering, Humboldt State University
Research Topic: Brine Desalination