Washington State University
Puyallup Research and Extension Center
Graduate Students
Current Graduate Students
The following graduate students are currently studying at Puyallup.| Image | Full Name | Degree Sought | Advisor | Department | Biography | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Negonnekodoqua (Stephanie) Blair | stephanie.blair@wsu.edu | PhD Candidate | Jenifer McIntyre | School of the Environment | Stephanie is pursuing her Doctorate with the School of Environment. Before coming to WSU, Stephanie received her MS from the Evergreen State College working with developing chemical and mathematical methods for quantifying hemoglobin speciation in fish blood. |
 | Nicole Capizzi | nicole.capizzi@wsu.edu | MS | Doug Collins | Crop and Soil Science | Nicole is a master's student working with Dr. Doug Collins in the department of Crop and Soil Science on soil carbon analysis of the sequestration benefits from seaweed application. Before Joining WSU, Nicole managed climate protocols and implementation of Measurement, Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MMRV) systems for an agricultural carbon market. Previously, she led organic certification audits across the value chain for the Washington State Department of Agriculture. |
 | Susmita Dahal | susmita.dahal@wsu.edu | PhD | Anand Jayakaran / Joan Wu | Biological Systems Engineering | Susmita will be working with Ani Jayakaran to look at the placement of Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) on the landscape. She will use dynamic computational models to determine where certain types of GSI will be most effective. Dr. Joan Wu will serve as co-chair and co-advisor. Susmita comes from the beautiful country of Nepal. She likes to travel and spend time with her daughter. |
 | Koral Griffith | koral.griffith@wsu.edu | MS | Jenifer McIntyre | School of the Environment | |
 | Nathan Ivy | nathan.ivy@wsu.edu | PhD | Jenifer McIntyre | School of the Environment | Nathan is pursuing an MS degree in the School of the Environment. His research will focus on quantifying health impact on juvenile salmonids from exposure to stormwater chemicals in roadway-impacted streams. |
 | Prabesh Khanal | prabesh.khanal@wsu.edu | PhD | Anand Jayakaran | Biological Systems Engineering | Prabesh is a PhD student studying with Dr. Anand Jayakaran. Prabesh completed his MS in 2024 under the supervision of Dr. Joan Wu in the department of Biological Systems Engineering, and received his Bachelor's Degree in Agricultural Engineering from Tribhuvan University in Nepal. Before Joining WSU, he had worked as a Government Engineer in the Department of Water Resources and Irrigation, Nepal since 2017. |
 | Sachin Khaniya | sachin.khaniya@wsu.edu | MS | Markus Flury | Crop and Soil Science | Sachin Khaniya is from Lamjung, Nepal. He recently completed his Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Agriculture from Purbanchal University, Nepal. His study and research interests are mainly in soil science, climate resilience, and the impacts of climate change and greenhouse gases (GHGs) on agricultural soils. At WSU, his research will focus on micro- and nanoplastics in soils biodegradable plastic mulches, particularly their sources, behavior, transport and impacts under different field conditions. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, especially trekking and hiking, and also likes playing soccer. |
 | Ben Leonard | benjamin.leonard@wsu.edu | PhD Candidate | John Stark | Environmental Studies | Ben is pursuing his Doctorate with the School of Environment. Before enrolling at WSU, Ben studied limnology, ecology, statistics and chemistry at the University of British Columbia and Evergreen State College. His research interests include stormwater management, permeable pavement design, and anything fish related. When he’s not working you can find Ben biking, repairing vintage audio equipment, or hanging out with his dog. |
 | Anastacia (Ania) McConachie | a.mcconachie@wsu.edu | PhD | Jenifer McIntyre | School of the Environment | Anastasia (Ania) received her BS in Cell Biology from Seattle University. She will be conducting research into the toxicity of tire chemicals for aquatic animals and safer alternatives to the antiozonant 6PPD. |
 | T. Burke Parham | thomas.parham@wsu.edu | MS | Joan Wu | Biological Systems Engineering | T. Burke Parham grew up in Montana where his passion for the environment and agriculture first developed. He earned BS degrees in Biology and Animal Science from UMass Amherst, and worked as an ecologist and in wildlife conservation prior to coming to WSU. Burke joined WSU Pullman in 2025 to pursue his MS with Joan Wu and Kirti Rajagopalan, and transferred to Puyallup in 2026 to continue his Masters research assessing water erosion in wheat-based cropping systems in the inland Pacific Northwest. In his spare time, he enjoys backcountry camping, foraging, and handcrafts such as woodworking and sewing. |
 | Ayush Poudel | ayush.poudel@wsu.edu | PhD | Joan Wu / Anand Jayakaran | Biological Systems Engineering | Ayush is from Pyuthan, Nepal. He completed his Master’s degree in Water Resources Engineering from the Institute of Engineering (IOE; Tribhuvan University) Pulchowk Campus and his Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering from IOE Dharan. He has eight years of professional experience working with government institutions and engineering firms in Nepal, where he has been mainly involved in water-related projects. Ayush’s research interests lie in hydrology (flooding, sediment, groundwater), watershed management, and climatic impacts on hydrology, and his PhD research will focus on urban flooding and sediment transport. In his free time, Ayush enjoys traveling, exploring natural landscapes, and playing badminton. |
 | Nandini Premkumar | nandini.premkumar@wsu.edu | PhD | Anand Jayakaran | School of the Environment | Nandini grew up in India and earned a master's in Botany from Bangalore University. Nandini will work on bioretention plants with and without compost additives and other plant-related questions that stormwater management struggles with. She enjoys macrophotography, creating pencil sketches, trekking, and spending quality time with her daughter in her free time. She says – “These activities not only bring me joy but also help me stay connected with nature and my creative side.” |
 | Bri Price | briana.price@wsu.edu | PhD | Entomology | ||
 | Alejandra Velasquez | m.angaritavelasquez@wsu.edu | MS | Anand Jayakaran | Biological Systems Engineering | Alejandra grew up in Colombia and has a bachelor’s in Agricultural Engineering. She has previously worked as a technician with Drs. Jayakaran and McIntyre. She will support a research project that examines the aquatic habitat provided by stormwater ponds and the socioeconomic demographics around stormwater ponds in five western Washington counties. In her free time, Alejandra likes to hike, bake, garden, and dance Salsa. |
 | Xueyu Zhou | xueyu.zhou@wsu.edu | PhD | Markus Flury | Crop and Soil Science | Xueyu Zhou is a PhD student working with Dr. Markus Flury to identify the fundamental mechanisms involved in transport of micro- and nanoplastics in unsaturated porous media and soils. She will also work on fate and transport of biodegradable plastic mulch films used in agriculture. She has completed four years of undergraduate study and two years of master's study in the field of Soil Science, which provided her a systematic and comprehensive foundation for her PhD program. Also, she has prepared herself well for further study and research in WSU. She comes from China which has a very historical culture, and she is all ready to experience the different culture here in the U.S. |
Former Graduate Students
| Name | Degree (Granted) | Faculty Advisor | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaushik Adhikari | PhD (2024) | Markus Flury | Soil Science |
| Suzanne Ball | MS (2022) | Jenifer McIntyre | School of the Environment |
| Elias Bloom | PhD (2019) | David Crowder | Entomology |
| Samrat Dahal | PhD (2023) | Joan Wu | Biological Systems Engineering (LAWREE) |
| Stephanie Eckard | MS (2025) | John Stark | Ecotoxicology |
| Alejandra Feliciano | PhD (2022) | Linda Chalker-Scott (emeritus) | Horticulture (Urban) |
| Jonathan Flores | MS (2020) | Claudio Stöckle / Joan Wu | Biological Systems Engineering (LAWREE) |
| Garrett Foster | MS (2024) | Jenifer McIntyre | School of the Environment |
| Andrea Garfinkel | PhD (2017) | Gary Chastagner | Plant Pathology |
| Taylor Haskins | MS (– –) | John Stark | Environmental Science |
| Khaled Hesaien | PhD (2020) | Pat Moore (emeritus) | Horticulture (Small Fruit) |
| Nannette Huber | PhD (– –) | Joan Wu | Biological Systems Engineering (LAWREE) |
| Prabesh Khanal | MS (2024) | Joan Wu | Biological Systems Engineering (LAWREE) |
| Caitlin Lawrence | MS (2025) | Jenifer McIntyre | School of the Environment |
| Erin Mackey | MS (2019) | Joe Harrison (emeritus) | Animal Science |
| Lane Maguire | MS (2022) | Jenifer McIntyre | School of the Environment |
| Anish Mahat | MS (2022) | Joan Wu / Anand Jayakaran | Biological Systems Engineering; Low Impact Development |
| Justin Maltry | MS (2023) | Doug Collins | Crop and Soil Science |
| Chelsea Mitchell | PhD (2023) | Anand Jayakaran | Low Impact Development |
| Lillian Pavord | MS (2025) | Jenifer McIntyre | School of the Environment |
| Jasmine Prat | MS (2018) | Jenifer McIntyre | Stormwater Research |
| Henry Sintim | PhD (2018) | Markus Flury | Soil Science |
| Nathan Stacey | PhD (2017) | Joan Davenport | Soil Science |
| Alex Taylor | MS (2018) | John Stark | Biological Systems Engineering |
| Daniel Ullom | MS (2023) | Anand Jayakaran / Joan Wu | Biological Systems Engineering |
| Yingxue Yu | PhD (2022) | Markus Flury | Soil Science |