Rob Nerenberg
Principal Investigator
Rob is a professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Notre Dame. His research addresses biofilms in a range of environments, from wastewater treatment systems, potable water systems, and clinical infections.
Graduate Students
Yanina Nahum
Yanina is a doctoral student investigating the use of low-frequency ultrasound to enhance antibiotic efficiency in biofilm infections. She has a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Buenos Aires.
Contact: ynahum@nd.edu
Saúl García Perez
Saul’s research focuses on algal biofilms as photoreactors as well as characterization of fungal biofilms.
Contact: jgarciap@nd.edu
Alejandro Martin Linares
Alejandro is a doctoral student studying fungal biofilm in environmental and clinical systems. He has a degree on Mechanical Engineering from the European University of Madrid, and Masters degrees from Imperial College London and European University of Valencia.
Contact: amarti77@nd.edu
Isaiah Murrel-Thomas
Isaiah is a Masters student studying biofilms and opportunistic pathogens in premise plumbing systems, with a special focus on biofilms in shower hoses. Isaiah earned a degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Notre Dame.
Contact: imurrell@nd.edu
Francisca Schiaffino Pereira
Fran is a doctoral student studying the effect of low-frequency ultrasound on the inactivation of biofilms. Francisca has a degree in Biological Engineering from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
Contact: fschiaff@nd.edu
Cason Wilburn
Cason is a masters student studying the effect of hydrocyclones on the physical characteristics and microbial community structures of flocs in the activated sludge process. Cason has a degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Notre Dame.
Contact: cwilburn@nd.edu
Undergraduate Researchers
Visiting Scholars
Yan Yang
PhD student
Chongqing University, China
Bruno Garcia Silva
PhD student
University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
Eduardo Leiva
Assistant professor
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile
Claudia Sanchez Huerta
PhD student
KAUST, Saudi Arabia
Minmin Jiang
PhD student
Guiling University of Technology, China
Erika Espinosa Ortiz
Assistant Research Professor
Montana State University, USA
Francisca Schiaffino
Undergraduate student
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile
Alumni
Postdocs
Patricia Perez Calleja
Current position: Manager of R&D at Cimico, Spain
Aura Ontiveros Valencia
Current position: Assistant professor at IPICIT, San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Doctoral Students
Emily Clements (2023)
Current position: Post-doctoral researcher, Southern Nevada Water Authority
Bumkyu Kim (2022)
Current position: Post-doctoral researcher, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Mengfei Li (2021)
Current position: Wastewater Engineer, Jacobs Engineering, Detroit, MI
Marcela Vega Muñoz (2019)
Current position: Post-doctoral researcher, UIUC
Fabrizio Sabba (2016)
Current position: Process Engineer, Black & Veatch, New York, NY
Marcelo Aybar (2016)
Current position: Associate Professor, Universidad San Sebastian, Santiago, Chile
Yue Wang (2015)
Current position: The IFCE, China
Juan Pablo Pavissich (2014)
Current position: Associate Professor, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Chile
Kelly Gordon (2013)
Current position: Process Engineer, Black & Veatch, Leawood, KS
Brenda Read-Daily (2011)
Current position: Associate Professor, Elizabethtown college, Elizabethtown, PA
Caitlyn Shea Butler (2009)
Current Position: Associate Professor, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
Leon Downing (2008)
Current Position: Global Practice & Technology Leader for Nutrient Removal and Recovery, Black & Veatch
Masters Students
Sarajane Roenke (2022)
Meenu Garg (2019)
Current position: Jacobs, Hampton Roads, VA
Lara Sisman Grotz (2018)
Current position: HDR, Charlotte, NC
Andrew DeVries (2015)
Current position: Stantec, Ventura, CA
Samuel Bruce (2015)
Current position: HDR, Columbia, SC
Brenda Read-Daily (2011)
Current position: Associate Professor, Elizabethtown college, Elizabethtown, PA
Margaret Dudley (2007)
Current position: unknown
Anna Salamone (2006)
Current position: unknown