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Szczuka Lab: 2024
Szczuka Lab: 2024
Szczuka Lab: 2023
Szczuka Lab: 2023

Principal Investigator

Aleksandra (Alex) Szczuka

Dr. Szczuka is an Assistant Professor in the department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Michigan. She completed her B.S.E. in Chemical and Biological Engineering at Princeton University, where she worked in the Trace Metals group in the Geosciences department. Dr. Szczuka earned her M.S. and Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University, where she investigated how we can use emerging technologies to improve water reuse treatment in the Organic Chemistry at the Nexus (Mitch) lab. Prior to starting as a principal investigator, Dr. Szczuka completed a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Wigginton lab at U-M. Szczuka’s CV is available here.

Postdoc

  • Yiding Wang is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Michigan. His research interests include environmental virology and advanced water treatment strategies for pathogen control. He received his PhD in Environmental Engineering from McGill University, his master’s degree in Environmental Health and Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, and his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Missouri–Columbia. Outside of research, Yiding enjoys swimming and hiking.

Graduate Students

  • Tess is a first year PhD pre-candidate in Environmental Engineering. She earned B.S. in Chemical & Soft Material Engineering from the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago, where she worked on a protein-inspired filter to capture phosphate from wastewater. She then worked on new sorbent synthesis and treatment train development for PFAS filtration and destruction in the private sector. She is excited to study disinfection byproducts, a different class of contaminants emerging concern disinfection byproducts, in the Szczuka group. Outside of the lab, you can find her exploring art museums & galleries, out swing dancing, or with her nose in a book

  • Zhenyu is a PhD candidate in Environmental Engineering. He earned his B.S.E in Environmental Sciences in 2021 from East China Normal University, Shanghai, China, where he researched inorganic chemistry in surface water. He earned an M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, where he became interested in the formation and degradation of organic contaminants in water. His current research interest is in biomolecules in drinking water systems and their halogenation. In daily life, Zhenyu enjoys hiking, soccer and cooking, and he’s also a fan of Pokemon.

  • Marta is a PhD student in Environmental Engineering. She earned her B.Eng. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, where they became interested in environmental chemistry and water treatment. She is currently learning about viral inactivation through water disinfection processes. In their free time, they can be found skateboarding around campus, camped out at a cafe, or watching cartoons.

  • Alexandra is a first-year master's student in Environmental Engineering. She earned her B.S. in Environmental Engineering Science from the University of California, Berkeley, where she worked on PFAS breakthrough in horizontal levees and nutrient removal pathways in wetland ecosystems. At the University of Michigan, Alexandra is a member of both the Szczuka and the Wigginton labs. She is excited to learn about contaminant fate and transformation to inform water treatment standards better. Outside of the lab, she enjoys cooking, playing board games, and going to concerts!

  • Muskaan Sethi is a second-year master's student in Environmental Engineering at the University of Michigan. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology, where she worked on fermentation and biofuel technology. She is currently working on a collaborative project between the Alex Group and the Raskin Group with Sarah Potgieter, focusing on drinking water quality and researching microbial communities in drinking water systems. Her interests include drinking water quality and treatment, environmental microbiology, and EHS. Outside of research, she enjoys spending time in nature, photography, and exploring new places.

  • Lila is a first year PhD pre-candidate in Environmental Engineering. She graduated with a BS in Chemistry from the University of Minnesota in 2025, where she worked on the formation of ROS via dark fenton reaction to better understand carbon cycling in the Prairie Pothole Region. Currently she is working to understand how variations in effluent natural organic matter impact its photolysis downstream and how these transformations impact disinfection by product formation and toxicity in drinking water treatment plants. Outside of the lab she enjoys baking, reading and taking care of her plants.

  • Olutimilehin (Timi) Sobanjo is a 2nd year Master Student pursuing an Environmental Engineering degree with a focus in Process Engineering. She is currently working under Sarah Potgieter and researching the behavior of nitrifiers and other microbial communities in drinking water systems. Outside of research, Timi likes to practice yoga, read books, and cook!

Undergraduate Students

  • Olivia Osborne is a Junior Undergraduate studying Chemical Engineering. She is working with Tess to study disinfection byproducts, with a focus on amino acid quantification via protein acid digestion. Outside of the lab, she is playing volleyball, hiking, or reading.

  • Claire Scofield is a senior undergraduate studying Environmental Engineering. She is working under Tess Teodoro studying established and emerging disinfection byproducts. She is looking forward to learning how this can inform chlorine dosages in drinking water treatment. Outside of lab, she enjoys running, reading, and hanging out with friends.

  • Alexander is an undergraduate Chemical Engineering student. He is excited to be working on the removal of PFAS from water by adsorption. He also enjoys playing recreational ice hockey and going for hikes.

Alumni

  • Dr. Yuhao Xian

    PhD ‘26

  • Nazmiye Cemre Biden

    Postdoc '26

  • Dr. Soojung Lee

    PhD ‘26

  • Gauri Jere

    BSE ‘25, MSE ‘26

  • Xiaojun Tang

    MSE ‘26

  • Abigail Atwood

    BSE ‘24 MSE ‘25

  • Brian Yeung

    BSE ‘24, MSE ‘25

  • Kyle Schaff

    BSE TBD

  • Hunter Richards

    MSE ‘24

  • Arnulfo Pelayo

    MSE '24

  • Ilan Reichbart

    BSE TBD

  • Seth Sandoval-Skeet

    MSE '24

  • Tyler Carslgaard

    MSE ‘25

  • Katelyn Brodsky

    BSE TBD

  • Ziheng Liang

    MSE ‘23

  • Natalia Alejo-Garza

    BSE ‘25

  • Jordon Horton

    BSE ‘23