ALUMNI
Previous Post-docs
SURENDRA K.C.
Surendra worked as a Post-doc in our lab from 2017-2019. His research focus includes AD, biochar and black soldier flies (BSF). He is now a senior Researcher at our lab.
BALENDU SHEKHAR GIRI
Balendu worked as Post-doc in our lab from Mar 2015 to Feb 2016 with research in biochar and H2S removal. He later worked as Post-doc at Indian Institute of Technology IIT-Guwahati, India. He is currently a Faculty member at University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), Dehradun, India
DEVIN TAKARA
Devin joined Khanal Lab in 2008 and completed his Ph.D. in 2012 with dissertation titled "Green processing of Napier grass for generation of biofuel and biobased product". He later worked as Junior Researcher/Post-doc from 2012-2014 in our lab. He is currently Senior Engineer, US Navy, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu
PRADEEP MUNASINGHE
Pradeep joined our Lab in 2008 and completed his Ph.D. in 2012 with research in mass transfer in composite hollow fiber membrane for syngas fermentation to biofuel. Afterward, he worked as post-doc in our lab from 2012-2013. He is currently Research Engineer at WhiteDogLabs Inc., New Castle, DE
DEVAPPA RAKSHIT
Rakshit worked as Post-doc in our lab from Aug 2011 to Jan 2013. He is currently Senior Scientist, Biorefining Research Institute, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada
Previous Ph.D. Students
DEVIN TAKARA
Devin joined Khanal Lab in 2008 and completed his Ph.D. in 2012 with dissertation titled "Green processing of Napier grass for generation of biofuel and biobased product". He later worked as Junior Researcher from 2012-2014 in our lab. He is currently Senior Engineer, US Navy, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu
PRADEEP MUNASINGHE
Pradeep joined our Lab in 2008 and completed his Ph.D. in 2012 with research in mass transfer in composite hollow fiber membrane for syngas fermentation to biofuel. Afterward, he worked as post-doc in our lab from 2012-2013. He is currently Research Engineer at WhiteDogLabs Inc., New Castle, DE
FERNANDA OLIVEIRA
Fernanda joined our lab in 2016 and completed her doctoral degree in 2019. Her research focused on the removal of hydrogen sulfide using biochar. She is working as a Research Engineer at Anheuser-Busch Inbev, USA.
Previous Master's students
EDWARD DRIELAK
Ed joined Khanal Lab in 2010 and completed his Master's degree in 2015 with research thesis on dilute acid pretreatment of Napier grass. He worked as junior researcher with Dr. Khanal afterward. Currently he is an Environmental Compliance Engineer at US Navy, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
SHILVA SHRESTHA
Shilva joined our Lab in 2012 and completed her Master's degree in 2015 with thesis on anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic biomass using rumen contents for enhanced biogas production. She earned her PhD at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI .
MISHEEL BATSAIKHAN
Misheel completed her Master's degree in 2017. Her research focused on cultivation of protein-rich fungal biomass using agro-industrial residues. She is currently a Consulting Engineer at AECOM, Honolulu, HI.
ELIJAH CROW
US
Eli joined our lab from 2014 to 2019 as a Master's Plan-B student. He worked on a fungal-algal symbiosis system for biofuel and bio-products generation. He has started his own company.
MAJDOULINE LEROY
Majdouline completed her Master's degree with thesis on “Ultrastructural changes associated with different pretreatments on Napier grass” in 2012. She is now Engineer, US Navy, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, HI.
NORA ROBERTSON
Nora completed her Master's plan B in 2013 with topic Life cycle analysis of Napier grass for biofuel production. She is now Engineer at Tissue Genesis, Honolulu, HI
MATTHEW WONG
Matt joined our lab in 2010 and completed his Master's degree with thesis on mass transfer evaluation of fungal fermentation in 2013. He is now a biological engineer Healthcare Information Technology, Wuhan, China
ERNEST J. WILLIAMS
Ernest graduated from Master's plan B degree in 2016 with topic “Sewage sludge generation and treatment in Hawaii.” He is now environmental engineer in Washington, D.C.
AARON KING
Aaron graduated Master's plan B in 2014 with topic “Oleaginousfungiasasourceoftriacylglycerides for biodiesel production.” He is now R & D Engineer, Pacific Biodiesel, LLC, HI
SUMIL THAPA
Sumil graduated from Master's plan B in 2013 with topic "Anaerobic digestion of food waste". He is now Process Engineer, Oceanit Laboratories, Honolulu, HI
Previous Visiting Scholars
BAIHANG ZHAO
Jul 2019 to Aug 2020
Beijing University of Technology
Beijing, China
HUA THAI NHAN
July 2019 to Oct 2019
Borlaug Norman Fellow
Lecturer, College of Aquaculture and Fisheries
Can Tho University, Vietnam
During his stay, his research area was specialized on system and microbial analysis of aquaponics.
YIPING GUO
2018 to 2019
Associate Professor, Research Director,
School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering,
North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, China
CHETTAPHONG PHUTTARO
Sep 2016 - Jul 2017
Royal Golden Jubilee Scholar, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand.
SARUDA SITTHIKITPUNYA
May 2016 to Oct 2016
Royal Golden Jubilee Scholar, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand).
JARUPAT KANJANARONG
Aug 2014 to May 2015
Royal Golden Jubilee Scholar, Prince of Songhkla University, Songkhla, Thailand
JUAN CAMILO ACEVEDO
Sep 2014 to Dec 2014
Current address: Ph.D. student, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medelin Columbia
UNDERGRADUATE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
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Lisa Lowe(Senior in Biological Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa) (Spring 2023)
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Sarah Hamada (Senior in Biological Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa) (Spring 2023)
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Bikal Kunwar (Undergraduate student majoring in Environmental Engineering, Kathmandu University, Nepal) (Spring 2023)
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Alandra DeAndrea (Senior in Biological Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa) (Spring 2020). (Recipient of Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) Grant, $5,000).
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Kacie Niimoto (Senior in Biological Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa) (Summer 2017 to present) Grant, $5,000.
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Kacie Niimoto, Marissa Kuwabara, Sara Lin and Gowoon Jung (Seniors in Biological Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa), Mentor of Senior Design Project, “Design of Small-Scale Water Treatment Systems for the Ala Wai Canal” (Fall 2017 to Spring 2018). (Recipient of Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) Grant, $10,000).
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Sreelakshmi Kutty(SophomoreinCivilandEnvironmental Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa) (Fall 2016 to present). (Recipient of Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) Grant, $5,000). Honors student.
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Nutnicha Jarasjanyawat and Araya Schroder(High school students),Wells International School, Bangkok, Thailand (Jun 12 to Jul 21, 2017).
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Brent Wakuzawa (Senior in Biological Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa) (Spring 2016 to Spring 2017) (Recipient of Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) Grant, $5,000). Honors student.
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Charlene Leodones and Aliyah Abanes (High School student, St. Andrew’s Priory, Honolulu, HI) (Sep 2016- present).
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Anavat Siamwala and Thoranin Hlowjitsieng (High school students),Wells International School, Bangkok, Thailand (Jun 13 to Jul 22, 2016).
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Noeloikeau Charlot and Zackery Morrison (Senior in Biological Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa), Mentor of Senior Design Project; “Design of modular hydroponic system” (Fall 2015 to Spring 2016).
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Sean Reseigh (Senior in Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences (TPSS), University of Hawaii at Manoa) (Spring 2016) (Recipient of Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) Grant, $5,000). Co-supervised with Prof. Jonathan Deenik of TPSS.
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Addy Oppegaard (Middle School student, Mid Pacific Institute, Honolulu, HI (Nov 2015- May 2016).
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Noeloikeau Charlot (Junior in Biological Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa) (Spring 2015).
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Sreelakshmi Kutty and Ariana Kim (High School student, St. Andrew’s Priory, Honolulu, HI) (Nov 2011- Jan 2012; Dec 2012-Feb 2013 and Aug 2013 – May 2016).
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Kimberly Tatsuyama (Junior in Biological Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa) (Spring 2015).
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Sheldon Arakawa (Junior in Biological Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa) (Summer 2014 to Spring 2015).
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Samira Fatemi (Senior in Biological Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa (Summer 2014 to summer 2015; Current address: Ph.D. student, Purdue University).
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Laura Martinez (Junior in Biological Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa) (Aug - Dec 2013; Current address: Engineer with local construction Co.).
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Raquel Auwae (Senior in Biological Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa) (Aug - Dec 2013; Current address: Thermocouple Engineer at Sumitomo Rubber USA).
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Joyce Lin (Senior in Biological Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa) (Oct 2012 - May 2013: Current address: Unknown).
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Victoria Lansdown (High School student, St. Andrew’s Priory, Honolulu, HI) (Jan 2011- Sep 2012; Current address: Unknown).
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Nora Robertson (Senior in Biological Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa) (Jun - Aug 2011 Current address: Tissue Genesis, HI).
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Edward Drielak (Senior in Biological Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa) (Jun - Aug 2011; Current address: Environment Compliance Engineer, Pearl Harbor, HI).
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Jessica Schmidt (Senior in Biological Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY) (Jun – Aug 2010; Current address: Unknown).
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Travis Nakagawa (Senior in Biological Engineering, University of Hawaii) (May – Aug 2009; St. Jude Medical, Inc.).
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Christopher N. Vassallo (Senior in Dept. of Biology, University of Hawai'i) (Jan – May 2009; Current address: Unknown).
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Sarah Tamashiro and Lindsay Fujimoto (High School students, St. Andrew’s Priory High School, Honolulu, HI) (2009 and 2010; Current address: Senior, Occidental College (Sarah); Senior, Grinnell College (Lindsay)).
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Elise Minkin (High School student, Punahou School, Honolulu, HI) (May, 2009-Aug 2010: Senior University of Pennsylvania).
PREVIOUS STUDENTS AT IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Mary Rasmussen (Ph.D.), “Fungal treatment of thin stillage from dry corn milling ethanol plant and recovery of protein as animal feed.” (Fall 2009; Current address: Unknown).
Micky Vincent (Ph.D.), “Sequential saccharification and fermentation of corn stover for the production of fuel ethanol using wood-rot fungi, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli K011.” (Summer 2010; Current address: Lecturer, Dept of Biotechnology, University of Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS)).
Bishnu Karki (Ph.D.), “Ultrasonic application in soy processing to enhance protein yield and sugar release.” (Spring 2009; Current address: Assistant Professor, South Dakota State University, Brooking, SD).
Melissa Montalbo (Ph.D.), “Ultrasonic pretreatment of corn to enhance ethanol yield.” (Fall 2008; Current address: Assistant Professor, Rowan University).
Prachand Shrestha (Ph.D.), “Fungal conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into ethanol.” (Fall 2008; Current address: Senior Scientist, Novozymes, Franklinton, NC).
Yashodhara Kambam (M.S.), “Bioenergy production from fungal treated stillage.” (Summer 2008; Current address: Moved to India).
Nagapadma Jasti (Ph.D.), “Attached growth fungal process for protein recovery from corn processing residues.” (Fall 2006; Current address: self-employed, Houston, TX).
Karen Bodach (M.S.) “Biological pretreatment of industrial wastewater for volatile fatty acids removal.” (Spring 2006; Consulting engineer in Chicago).
Sindhuja Sankaran (M.S.), “Ozone as a selective disinfectant for nonaseptic fungal cultivation on corn-processing wastewater.” (Spring 2006; Current address: Assoc. Prof., Washington State University, WA, USA).
Bin Xie (M.S.), “Adsorptive removal of naturally occurring trace toxins from water: Case studies of arsenic (V) and estrogens.” (Summer 2006; Current address: Project Engineer, Oceaneeing, Houston, TX).
Mary Rasmussen (M.S.), “Sequential saccharification of corn fiber by the brown rot fungus, Gloeophyllum trabeum, and ethanol production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae.” (Summer 2006; Current address: Unknown).
Prachand Shrestha (M.S.), “Saccharification of corn fiber by Phanerochaete chrysosporium in solid-state fermentation and subsequent fermentation of hydrolysate into ethanol.” (Summer 2006; Current address: Senior Scientist, Novozymes, Franklinton, NC).
Yongie Miao (M.S.), “Selective disinfection for nonaseptic fungal treatment of food processing wastewater.” (Spring 2005; Current address: Engineer at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH).