Mladenov Water Innovation and Reuse Lab
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SEEKING STUDENT RESEARCHERS!!
WIRLab is always on the lookout for undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in volunteer work or paid research positions.
At WIRLab, we support all students, regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin, who are interested in research. ​Click here for more information.
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WIRLab Director

Dr. Natalie Mladenov

Professor of Environmental Engineering and William E. Leonhard Jr. Chair
Civil Construction and Environmental Engineering
San Diego State University

Research Interests
  • Water reuse and sustainability
  • Decentralized wastewater treatment
  • Marine debris and microplastics
  • Surface water and groundwater pollution
  • Natural organic matter
  • Fluorescence-based sensors

Postdoctoral Research Scholar

Dr. Kenisha Shipley
PhD. Environmental Science
Scripps Institute of Oceanography
UC San Diego


Research Interests
  • Water quality
  • Fluorescence-based sensors
  • Carbon exchange
  • Coastal ecosystems
   Student Research Opportunities:
  • The WIRLab provides both funded and volunteer opportunities for graduate (Joint Doctoral Program, MS thesis, and MS project) and undergraduate students.
  • At WIRLab, we support all students, regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin, who are interested in research.
  • There are a range of scholarships  available at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Visit SDSU's STEM website to find out more about these opportunities. Definitely consider applying!
  • If you are a US PhD graduate looking for a postdoc position, consider the NSF E-fellows program. If you are an international PhD graduate, consider the Fulbright Visiting Scholars Program. WIRLab would be happy to host.


Current Students

Lily Astete Vasquez
Joint doctoral program (JDP) student,
SDSU and UCSD, MAE, Environmental Engineering

Evaluation and optimization of un-sewered onsite sanitation.

Alex Grant
MS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering

Tracking the removal of sewage-derived organic matter through the Tijuana River Estuary using in-situ fluorescence.
Sarah Poletti
MS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering

Leaching and decay of fluorescence organic matter from cigarette filter-derived microplastics.

Jesse Hurtado
MS student, SDSU - Big Data Analytics

Uncovering trends in big data from the Alvarado Creek sensor platform.
Ari Merpour
MS student, SDSU - Civil Engineering

Evaluating the diffusion and surface area limitations on the leaching of chemicals from tire tread particles.
Kiara Gambuzza
MS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering

Effects of sunlight on toxic compounds derived from tire tread particles.

Glorya Escobar
MS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering

Longitudinal study of sewage pollution sources to track failing sewer infrastructure in urban streams.
Polina Popova
BS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering

Evaluating inhibition in anammox reactors and degradation of N-containing pharmaceuticals.
Giselle Lemus
BS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering

Evolution of anaerobic baffled reactors under simulated environmental conditions

Shiloh Bolden
BS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering

Anaerobic baffled reactor polishing with anammox PN/A systems.
Alexi Olney
BS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering

​Change in physical properties during marine debris weathering.
Trinity Magdalena
BS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering

1) Tijuana River pollution -ground truthing of portable fluorescence sensors and 2) electron microscopy analyses of weathered marine debris.

Mia Pollasky
BS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering

Sunlight degradation of wastewater surrogates in the Tijuana River.
Ryan Spaulding
BS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering

Tracking the photodegradation and persistence of trace organic contaminants using fluorescence spectroscopy.
Could this be you?
WIRLab volunteer

Gain lab experience, lead research projects, volunteer to improve water access and protect our region's surface waters.

Could this be you?
WIRLab volunteer

Gain lab experience, lead research projects, volunteer to improve water access and protect our region's surface waters.
.
Ethan Huang
High School student, WIRLab volunteer

Buoyancy and physical and chemical analyses of weathered marine debris.
Could this be you?
WIRLab volunteer

Gain lab experience, lead research projects, volunteer to improve water access and protect our region's surface waters.

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Former students

Ella Knight
MS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Fragmentation and degradation of marine debris in river margins.
Glorya Escobar
MS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Longitudinal study of sewage pollution sources to track failing sewer infrastructure in urban streams.
Margot Mueller
MS student, SDSU - Water Resources
Co-advised by Dr. Kinoshita
Leaky sewers as sources of microbial pollution to urban streams: modeling and field study.
Selin Childs
BS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering

Sunlight effects on fluorescence sensing of  wastewater pollution.
Polina Popova
BS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Evaluating inhibition in anammox reactors and degradation of N-containing pharmaceuticals.
Keyshawn Ford
MS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering

Ground-truthing of fluorescence-based sensors for the detection of sewage pollution in the Tijuana River.
Nick Kenne
BS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Volunteer (thank you!). Evaluation of turbulence effects on submersible tryptophan and CDOM fluorescence sensors in stream environments.
Kelly Hollman
MS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Leaching and degradation of dissolved chemicals from tire wear particles.
Naiomi Phifer
BA student, SDSU - Environmental Science
Water quality of Alvarado Creek during dry weather flow.
Natalie Scott
High School student, WIRLab volunteer.

Buoyancy and physical and chemical analyses of weathered marine debris.
Tasia Meyer
BS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Evolution of anaerobic digesters under simulated environmental conditions

Katarina Coss
MS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Photochemical processes driving leaching of chemicals from microfibers.
Mauricio Estrada
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Water quality monitoring of an anaerobic baffled media rector for anammox enrichment.
Grace McKenzie
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Anammox activity under anoxic conditions in an anaerobic baffled reactor.
Penelope Zavala
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Volunteer (thank you!). Tracking of fragmentation of marine debris in wet and dry exposures.
Charisma Tanaka-Herrera
BS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Wet and dry exposure of macroplastics to environmental conditions.
Elisa Rivera
MS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Chemical and microbial quality of the Tijuana Estuary to support fluorescence sensor and hyperspectral imagery for pollution warning.

Will Scott
BS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Bacterial and water quality analysis of Tijuana River samples to ground truth portable fluorescence sensors.

Kameron Lumanlan
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Analysis of Tijuana River water quality.

Lena Bagnol
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Selection and exposure of marine debris to natural environmental conditions.

Mia Gil
BA student, SDSU - Environmental Science
Fluorescence of chemical leachates from microfibers.

Alma Rocha
MS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering, Co-advised with Dr. Verbyla
Persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater and natural waters contaminated with wastewater.

Bremer De la Cruz
BS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Ground truthing water quality in the Tijuana River Estuary

William Walker
BA, SDSU - Environmental Science
Tracking flux of microbial contaminants to an urban stream from sewer cross-connections

Vanessa Gonzalez
BS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Performance of an anaerobic baffled media rector for anammox enrichment..

Elijah Sowunmi
BS student, SDSU - Mechanical Engineering
Nutrient and solids buildup in onsite sanitation systems under different waste introduction scenarios.

Federick Pinongcos
MS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Sources of anthropogenic pollutants to the San Diego River and its tributaries during storm events

Natalie Nathanson
BA student, Smith College - Environmental Studies
Baseline Monitoring of Sewer Contaminated Soil during the Dry Season in San Diego

Sarah Mahdi
MS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Photo-irradiation of trace organic chemicals in secondary treated wastewater effluent.

Denise Garcia
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Performance  evaluation of decentralized treatment system in Tijuana, Mexico.

Elizabeth Winterton
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Long-term trends in nutrients post-restoration and post-fire in an urban creek.

James Padelli
BS candidate, SDSU - Geography
Nutrient and water quality dynamics in Alvarado Creek during storm events.

Austin Miller
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Review of nutrient transformation in onsite sanitation systems.

Mia Preciado
BS, SDSU  - Environmental Engineering
Review of pathogens in onsite sanitation systems.

Stephanie Chao
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Optimization of pre-treatment systems for parallel MBR and AnMBR systems.

Jeremy Monroe
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Wing commander for caffeine and sucralose extraction and data analysis.

Alex Kinney
BS, SDSU - Geology
Long-term trends in DOM and bacteria post-restoration and post-fire in an urban creek..

Mia Gil
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Persistence of bacteria in wastewater contaminated soil over time and rain flushing events.

Jason Simmons
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Membrane bioreactor and water quality studies.

Ellaine Esteller
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Nutrients in decentralized wastewater treatment system for urban water reuse.

David Aponte
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Performance monitoring of aerobic and anaerobic membrane bioreactors for wastewater treatment.

Julian Tobarsalas
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Storm water quality in an urban creek in San Diego.

Sophia Jorge
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Water quality analysis of parallel aerobic and anaerobic membrane bioreactors.

Lauren Steinberg
MS candidate, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Transformation of organic chemicals in anaerobic membrane bioreactors and design of parallel MBR and AnMBR systems.

Elizabeth Mikita
BS, SDSU - Statistics
Statistical analysis of baseflow and stormwater quality data.

Kristen Snyder
MS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Determination of dissolution and degradation rates of oil from a coastal spill and naturally occurring seep.

Anita Sanchez
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Organic constituents in backwash and permeate of ultrafiltration membrane during reversible fouling.

Lorelay Mendoza
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Bacterial enumeration and fluorescence-based sensors of microbial contaminants in Alvarado Creek, San Diego.

Chelsi Pascua
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Tracking degradation of organic compounds in a bench-scale anaerobic baffled reactor with 1D and 3D fluorescence.

Cheyenne Graves
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Optimization of pre-treatment systems for parallel MBR and AnMBR systems.

Lyndsey Becotte
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Nutrient analyses of an urban creek undergoing restoration.

Scott Sanfilippo
MS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Parallel factor analysis modeling of organic carbon in anaerobic baffled reactor systems and arctic thaw ponds experiencing climate change.

Joseph Wasswa
MS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
3D and 1D fluorescence sensors for tracking membrane fouling and contamination events in water reuse operations.

Jordan Cain
BS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Oxygenation of the San Diego River

Leandro Serron
BS student, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Alvarado Creek Water Quality Project

Daniel Parsons
MS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Tracking DOM transformation and water quality response to river restoration in an urban watershed.

Jesse Scolavino
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Determination of wastewater types and dilutions for optimal growth and nutrient removal by duckweed (Lemna sp.).

Teddy Mendoza
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Solids removal in recirculating synthetic wastewater through a bench-scale anaerobic baffled reactor.

Azin Nour
MS , SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Fluorescence  signatures of RO and UV-AOP product water in water reuse and fluorescence tracking of oil degradation.

Amy Bigelow
MS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Biodegradability of organic matter in atmospheric deposition and anaerobically-treated wastewater.

Harshad Kulkarni
PhD, KSU - Civil Engineering
Dissolved organic matter-arsenic-iron interactions in reducing aquifers of the Bengal Basin.

Cari Campbell
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Development of experimental setup for photodegradation study of coastal oil spill.

Josh Papas
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
In-situ fluorescence tracking of  organic matter degradation  in an oxic tank.

Federic Pinongcos
BS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Arsenic and organic matter desorption from soils under reducing conditions.

Jannira Gregory
MS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Quantification of microplastics in wastewater.

Alessandro Maganuco
MS, SDSU - Environmental Engineering
Decentralized wastewater treatment options for San Diego State University

Hersy Enriquez
MS, KSU - Civil Engineering
Organic matter and arsenic interactions in groundwater of the Okavango Delta, Botswana.

Jose Paredez
MS, KSU - Civil Engineering
Column study to evaluate subsurface wetland treatment of flue gas desulfurization wastewater.

Kaley Oldani
MS, KSU - Civil Engineering
Atmospheric dry deposition of organic constituents to an alpine watershed in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.

T. Barrett Wellemeyer
BS, KSU - Civil Engineering
Atmospheric dry deposition sampling and analysis in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.

Dustin Phommanivong
BS, KSU - Civil Engineering
Fluorescence quenching, groundwater arsenic pollution, arsenic-DOM-Fe complexation.

Kathryn Biver
BS, KSU - Civil Engineering
Sulfate reducing bacteria in high arsenic groundwater of the Okavango Delta 

Sen Yang
BS, KSU - Civil Engineering
Fate of BTEX compounds, fracking, fluorescence spectroscopy

Natasha Goss
BS, CU - Chemistry
Testing and evaluating a dry deposition marble insert; particle enumeration and recognition with novel flow cytometry (FlowCAM).

Samantha Lemons
BA, CU - Environmental Studies
Characterization of organic aerosols, unique fluorescence of bioaerosols, PARAFAC modeling.

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  • Home
  • Research
  • Publications
  • Teaching
  • People
    • Prospective Students
  • Contact
  • Student Project Tijuana River Reuse