Scientific and R&D grant writing, business development, and research.

Research in black carbon accelerated biodegradation of insensitive munitions.

• Analyzed current research and development in the area of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) contamination and identified opportunities for business growth• Developed research projects related to PFAS identification, quantification, and treatment and led the writing and submission of proposals responding to various grant opportunities• Conducted independent research in combined chemical-biological remediation of PFAS• Interfaced with industry, government, and academic professionals to create network for dissemination of information and coordination of regional projects

• Managed six laboratory coordinators at three campus locations• Assisted in the planning of and oversaw the ordering and set-up for a new STEM facility• Monitored budget and investigated options to reduce departmental costs• Developed employees to function more efficiently and effectively and steered professional growth

• Assistant administrator for a DOE ARPA-E grant for biofuel production.• Prepare funding agency quarterly reports.• Prepare provisional patent applications to protect intellectual property.• Conduct research on novel bioreactor designs for biofuel production.• Metabolic engineering of microorganisms for enhanced biofuel production.

• Developed curricula for two courses in the Energy Management and Solar Energy Programs:1. Sustainability2. Alternative Energy Technologies• Taught hybrid class system utilizing Blackboard course management.

• Research project: Continued work on NASA grant to develop components for a closed ecological life support system for extended manned space exploration trips. • Tasks:1. Design, construction, inoculation, and trouble-shooting of small-scale, fixed-film, plug-flow anaerobic digesters.2. Sampling and preparation of extracted DNA for pyrosequencing; sequence processing, phylogenetic and multivariate statistical analysis of pyrosequences.3. Design of molecular methods to determine pathogen removal efficacy of an anaerobic digester.4. Wrote grants for continued extramural funding.

• Research project: Development of a closed ecological life-support system for long-term human space travel.• Tasks:1. Design, construction, and maintenance of a fixed-film, plug-flow anaerobic reactor.2. Isolation and characterization of a halotolerant and alkaliphilic microorganism with potential industrial biotechnology applications.3. Growth of methanotrophic consortium and analysis of biomass as an edible food source.4. Management of undergraduate researchers.

• Instructor for Hazardous and Solid Waste Management, a senior-level Environmental Engineering course.• Utilized ANGEL course management software.

• Taught "Humans in the Environment", an approved-interdisciplinary course describing the interaction of human society with the natural world from both a scientific and sociological perspective.• Utilized Desire2Learn course management software.• Integrated active learning techniques and hands-on learning demonstrations into the class.

Taught three courses:1. Big Ideas in Science--a general science survey course for all majors.2. Environmental Science Laboratory--an undergraduate, virtual environmental science laboratory course for Environmental Policy majors.3. Climate and Energy--a graduate course for Environmental Policy majors.

• Research project: Examined anaerobic digestion for waste-to-energy projects, especially for difficult wastestreams high in fermentable sugars. • Tasks:1. Assessed the use of an alternate, naturally acidotolerant microbial community for anaerobic digestion of acidic waste streams. 2. Developed quantitative molecular methods to assess methanogen communities in natural and constructed environments.3. Teaching assistant for Introduction to Environmental Engineering, and Water and Wastewater treatment.4. Mentored two undergraduate summer research fellows.• Participated in hands-on demonstrations and activities on STEM topics with K-12 students, and prepared and conducted teacher training workshops for K-12 science teachers.• Served for two years on the committee to design and run the Environmental Chemistry Student Symposium at Penn State.• Volunteered on the Sustainability Coalition, the Center for Sustainability, and Engineers for a Sustainable world, and served as president of the Environmental Engineering Society.

• Investigated the biological remediation of perchlorate-contaminated waters using Azospira oxyrae. • Tasks:1. Analyzed the expression patters of chlorate and perchlorate reductases from Azospira oxyrae and Pseudomonas sp. PDA. 2. Extracted and semi-purified chlorate and perchlorate reductases from these two organisms.3. Characterized and sequenced chlorate and perchlorate reductases.

• Research assistant on a project to genetically engineer Candida tropicalis to produce long-chain dicarboxylic acids for the polymer production. • Tasks:1. Used Southern blotting to detect alcohol oxidase genes in cDNA library. 2. Extracted cDNA fragments, cloned, and expressed in E. coli.3. Characterized expressed alcohol oxidase enzymes from E. coli.4. Prepared lab solutions and reagents.5. Managed hazardous waste.6. Ordered supplies and maintained laboratory inventory.

Developed dose-response toxicological models with animal model organisms to develop Total Maximum Daily Load standards for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permitting standards.

Performed antimicrobial efficacy testing of a produce rinse against BSL-2 organisms.

Phenotyping of microbial contaminants, and microbiological QA/QC product testing.