Robert Jinkerson

Assistant Professor, Principle Investigator
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering
Department of Botany and Plant Sciences
University of California, Riverside

Simons Fellow of the Life Sciences Research Foundation, Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford University (Jonikas Lab)
Ph.D Applied Chemistry, Colorado School of Mines (Posewitz Lab)
B.S. Biological Engineering, University of Missouri (Forgacs Lab)

Elizabeth Hann

Ph.D. Graduate
Department of Botany and Plant Sciences
Current: Harvard University, Wyss Institute

Project: Lipid Accumulation in Chlamydomonas and
Endosymbiotic Gene Transfer

Ph.D. Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside
B.S. Environmental Systems, University of California, San Diego

While at UCSD, I worked at the Salk Institute in the lab of Joe Ecker. I also had the opportunity to work in the lab of Bianca Brahamsha at Scripps Institute of Oceanography. Before starting graduate school at UCR, I worked at Synthetic Genomics on the algal biofuels program funded by ExxonMobil.

Joseph Russo

Graduate Student
Department of Microbiology
University of California, Riverside
Project: Coral Symbiosis

B.S. Molecular Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara

Former UCSB molecular biology major turned to UCR microbiologist. I am investigating the genetic circuitry responsible for the initiation, regulation/maintenence, and degradation of coral symbiosis using the model cnidarian host Aiptasia and the microalgae Symbiodinium minitum.

Marcus Harland-Dunaway

Graduate Student
Department of Botany and Plant Sciences
University of California, Riverside
Project: Space Plants

B.S.  Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of Washington

As a graduate student at UCR, I study engineering plants for growth in confined environments such as vertical farms or the International Space Station.

Claire Mauss

Graduate Student
Department of Botany and Plant Sciences
University of California, Riverside
Project: Engineering plants for vertical agriculture

B.S.  Environmental Science and Health, University of Southern California

Justin Hoover

Graduate Student
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering
University of California, Riverside
Project: Plant cell cultures

B.S.  Chemical Engineering, University of California, Riverside

Andrés Narvaez

Junior Specialist
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering
University of California, Riverside
Project: SPACE tomatoes

Senior Software Applications Engineer  Yahoo!
B.S.  Entrepreneurship, Washington State University

Mark Szenteczki

Postdoctoral Associate
University of California, Riverside
Project: Enhancing the pollination efficiency of greenhouse tomatoes, SPACE tomatoes

Ph.D. Université de Neuchâtel
M.Sc. University of Lausanne (Switzerland)
BScH, Biology, Queen’s University

Dang Le

Graduate Student
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering
University of California, Riverside
Project: Algal Biofuels, Heterotrophic growth of algae

B.S.  Chemical Engineering, University of California, Riverside

Haley Larsen

Graduate Student
Department of Botany and Plant Sciences
University of California, Riverside
Project: Plant Acetate Utilization

B.S. Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside

Other members:

Phung Quan (UCR CEE graduate student, co-advised with Dr. Liu)
Greg Newkirk (UCR Microbiology graduate student, co-advised with Dr. Giraldo)

Andre Young (Arcadia High School, current: Stanford University)
Beatriz Velazquez Benitez (UCR CEE undergraduate)
Katie Garwood (UCR Bioengineering undergraduate)
Annie Shelton (UCR Neuroscience undergraduate)
Malia Freese (Moreno Valley College High School Student)
William Hsu (UCR Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology undergraduate)
Ameerah Karim (UCR Biology undergraduate)
Rutva Doshi (UCR Bioengineering undergraduate)
Kayla Tran (UCR biochemistry undergraduate)
Connor Nieh (UCR Bioengineering undergraduate)
Ann Leon (UCR CEE undergraduate)
Isabelle Fisher (UCR CEE undergraduate)
Jennifer Zheng (UCR Biology undergraduate)
Arman Saadatkhah (UCR Botany and Plant Sciences undergraduate)

Alumni