Kent Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

CONTACT INFORMATION
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences
1102 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL
Telephone: 217-333-4216
Fax: 217-244-3219
E-mail: akent@uiuc.edu

Graduate Students

Diana N. Flanagan

M.S. Student (Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences)
August 2006 - present

B.S., Biology and Chemistry, May 2004
Eastern Illinois University

PROJECT:
Illinois Wetland Restoration

Research Interests:
My interests are in water quality issues. I am currently trying to determine what physical, chemical, and biological factors affect the microbial community composition in restored and created wetlands. I am also trying to relate the microbial community composition and the factors listed above to the denitrification activity of these wetlands. This research is important for understanding the wetland function of removing nitrate from the waterways and preventing nitrate pollution of downstream waterways such as the Gulf of Mexico. My goals are to carry out research that will help to improve our natural waterways and to get middle/high school students involved with science and research.

Ariane L. Peralta

Ph.D. Student (Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology)
August 2007 - present

M.S., Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, August 2006
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

B.S., Honors Biology and Chemistry, May 2003
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

PROJECTS:
Organic Agriculture
Illinois Wetland Restoration

Research Interests:
My current research interests specifically focus on soil microbial ecology, environmental quality and geostatistics. I plan to investigate the link between microbial community composition and ecosystem functions through evaluating the role of microbes in maintaining sustainable nutrient conditions for above and belowground communities. In addition, I am interested in assessing current soil sampling protocols and modifying them to be more relevant for microbial analyses. Through proper sampling efforts and application of geospatial statistical design, the appropriate amount of spatial variability can be captured in the soil environment. The importance of appropriate field sampling will lead to results that more accurately reflect environmental conditions.

Sara Paver

M.S. Student (Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences)
August 2007 - present

B.S. (with honors), Biology, May 2007
University of Illinois at Springfield

PROJECT:
Aquatic Microbial Ecology

Yu-rui Chang

M.S. Student (Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences)
August 2007 - present

B.S. (with honors), Marine Biotechnology and Resources, May 2006
National Sun Yat-Sen University, Taiwan

PROJECT:
Aquatic Microbial Ecology

Undergraduate Students

Neil Gottel

B.S., Honors Integrative Biology
August 2005 - present

PROJECT:
Biofuels and Sustainability

Research Interests:
In my research, I investigate the contribution of nitrogen-fixing endophytic bacteria to bioenergy crops. I have isolated and characterized a number of diazotrophs that live within Miscanthus and switchgrass roots, rhizomes, and stems. I will use molecular microbial ecology methods to evaluate the ecological factors that influence the colonization and activity of these bacterial populations in bioenergy crops. This work will contribute to efforts toward sustainable production of bioenergy crops here at the University of Illinois by improving our understanding of the ecology of microbial communities that may positively contribute to plant nutrition.

Omar Sinno

B.S., Honors Integrative Biology
August 2005 - present

PROJECTS:
Microbial Aspects of a Healthy Environment
Aquatic Food Webs

Research Interests:
I am interested in studying microbial communities in aquatic ecosystems, and how they interact with other aquatic organisms. I am using DNA "fingerprinting" approaches to examine changes in microbial assemblages in response to manipulations of fish diversity. In collaboration with the Shedd Aquarium and Vancouver Aquarium, I am also examining microbial communities in artificial marine habitats with the hope of relating microbial community composition and diversity to marine mammal health. This work will contribute to a better understanding of a "healthy environment".

Zach Bayne

B.A., Speech and Communication
Environmental Fellow
August 2004 - present

PROJECT:
Microbial Ecology of the Chattooga River

Research Interests:
I am a whitewater rafting guide on the Chattooga River. I am concerned about water quality issues in the lower reaches of this river, and the impacts of water quality for human health, particularly for the recreation workers who guide on this river. For my Environmental Fellows Capstone Project, I am combining molecular microbial ecology methods with sociological research methods. I will examine changes in the microbial community along the length of the Chattooga River, particularly where polluted runoff degrades water quality. I have also surveyed my fellow whitewater rafting guides to determine if exposure to the polluted reaches of the river is correlated with incidences of skin infection. I hope that the results of this work will contribute to grass-roots environmental efforts to improve water quality along the Chattooga River.

Carolyn Cronin

B.S., Integrative Biology
January 2008 - present

PROJECTS:
Microbial Aspects of a Healthy Environment

Research Interests:
I am studying microbial communities that inhabit the air-water interface. The air-water interface is a critical environment for marine mammals, and environmental quality of this zone may have significant impacts for marine mammal health. Sara Paver and I are examining the microbial populations that inhabit the air and water surface, and comparing those to subsurface microbial populations in marine mammal habitats at the Shedd Aquarium. We will determine if marine mammals are encountering different, and potentially harmful organisms at the air-water interface.