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Washington State University Puyallup Research and Extension Center

Current Graduate Students

The following graduate students are currently studying at Puyallup.
ImageFull NameEmailDegree SoughtAdvisorDepartmentBiography
Kaushik AdhikariKaushik Adhikarikaushik.adhikari@wsu.eduPh.D.Markus FluryCrop and Soil ScienceKaushik comes from the country of Nepal where more than 80% of the population is involved in farming. Growing up in an agricultural suburb motivated him to pursue further study in the Agriculture field. He completed his undergraduate study in agriculture (B.S) from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. After working as an instructor for 1½ years in Nepal, Kaushik joined the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff as a graduate research assistant for master’s research focused on the fate and effects of nanoparticles in soil. Kaushik joins WSU to pursue a Doctor of Philosophy in Soil Science. He will be working under the supervision of Dr. Markus Flury studying fate and transport of micro- and nano plastics in terrestrial systems including biosolids, soils and air.
Mohamed AlssalemMohamed Alssalemmohamed.alssalem@wsu.eduPh.D.John StarkEcotoxicologyMohamed is investigating the effects of pesticide mixtures on fish.
Stephanie BlairStephanie Blairstephanie.blair@wsu.eduPh.D.Jenifer McIntyreSchool of the EnvironmentStephanie is pursuing her Doctorate with the School of Environment. Before coming to WSU, Stephanie received her M.S. from the Evergreen State College working with developing chemical and mathematica methods for quantifying hemoglobin speciation in fish blood.
Samrat DahalSamrat Dahalmugalsamrat.dahal@wsu.eduPh.D.Joan WuBiological Systems Engineering | Land, Air, Water Resources & Environmental Engineering (LAWREE)Samrat Dahal is a master’s student in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering studying watershed hydrology. He comes to Puyallup from Nepal.
Stephanie EckardStephanie Eckardsmeckard@wsu.eduM.S.John StarkEcotoxicology
Garrett FosterGarrett Fostergarrett.foster1@wsu.eduM.S.Jenifer McIntyreSchool of the EnvironmentGarrett received a B.S. in Environmental Health and a B.A. in Biochemistry from the University of Washington, Seattle in June 2021. He studies the toxicology of 6PPD-quinone in coho salmon under varied water conditions.
Prabesh KhanalPrabesh Khanalprabesh.khanal@wsu.eduM.S.Joan WuBiological Systems EngineeringPrabesh is a M.S. student working with Dr. Joan Wu in the department of Biological Systems Engineering. Prabesh has completed 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.
Teagan KlemanTeagan Klemanteagan.kleman@wsu.eduPh.D.Markus FluryCrop and Soil ScienceTeagan received her Bachelor of Science in Geology with a minor in Environmental Analysis & Policy from the University of Cincinnati. She will be working with Dr. Markus Flury in the Department of Crop & Soil Sciences on a NSF project to characterize the fate of micro- and nanoplastics in terrestrial systems. Graduate school at WSU is a dream opportunity to be able to make a real difference in subsurface environmental research while gaining hands-on experience working with the Pacific Northwest National Lab. When not in class or researching, Teagan enjoys hiking with her dog, traveling, exploring new places with friends, and cooking.
Caitlin LawrenceCaitlin Lawrencecaitlin.lawrence@wsu.eduM.S.Jenifer McIntyreSchool of the EnvironmentCaitlin is a M.S. student studying with Dr. Jenifer McIntyre. Her research is focused on anti-ozonants for aquatic organisms.
Ben LeonardBen Leonardben.leonard@wsu.eduPh.D.John StarkEnvironmental StudiesBen 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.
Justin MaltryJustin Maltryjustin.maltry@wsu.eduM.S.Doug CollinsCrop and Soil ScienceJustin’s love of plants led to his enthusiasm for soil. After volunteering as a Native Plant Steward and for various urban farming programs and organizations in the Seattle area, he worked in compost and resource conservation for five years.

Those experiences convinced him to continue his studies of soil science at WSU, where he will be working on drainage and compaction issues in Pierce County. He is excited to be able to contribute to building soil health in Washington
Chelsea MitchellChelsea Mitchellchelsea.mitchell@wsu.eduPh.D.Anand JayakaranLow Impact Development
Lillian PavordLillian Pavordlillian.pavord@wsu.eduM.S.Jenifer McIntyreSchool of the EnvironmentLillian is a Masters student working with Dr. Jen McIntyre to determine the effects rodenticide chemicals have on salmon species, and investigating the effects these chemicals have on aquatic invertebrates to inform us about the effects on the food web as well. She enjoys hiking and looks forward to visiting some of the nearby national parks. Lillian is originally from the east coast and sometimes it feels like a different planet, but she has loved her time here and is excited to explore all that Washington has to offer!
Juraj VodickaJuraj VodickaPh.D. (visiting)Markus FluryCrop and Soil ScienceJuraj Vodicka is a visiting scholar at the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences currently studying Ph.D. program at Brno University of Technology, Czech Republic. He finished his master’s degree by studying plastics degradation under composting conditions. Within his stay at WSU, Juraj focuses on determination of colloidal properties of microplastics and nanoplastics in soils. This knowledge could help to understand the plastic particles movement through the terrestrial system, especially in a relation to water environments and resources. For Juraj, it is a great honor to study this topic at WSU and gives him a great opportunity to acquire unique experience under professor’s Flury supervision. Juraj is also very active in his spare time as he loves sports, hiking, cold water plunging and traveling.
Xueyu ZhouXueyu Zhouxueyu.zhou@wsu.eduPh.D.Markus FluryCrop and Soil ScienceXueyu Zhou is a Ph.D. 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 Ph.D. 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

NameDegree (Granted)Faculty AdvisorDepartment
Suzanne BallM.S. (2022)Jenifer McIntyreSchool of the Environment
Elias BloomPh.D. (– –)David CrowderEntomology
Alejandra FelicianoPh.D. (2022)Linda Chalker-ScottHorticulture (Urban)
Jonathan FloresM.S. (2020)Claudio Stöckle & Joan WuBiological Systems Engineering (LAWREE)
Andrea GarfinkelPh.D. (2017)Gary ChastagnerPlant Pathology
Taylor HaskinsM.S. (– –)John StarkEnvironmental Science
Khaled HesaienPh.D. (2020)Pat MooreHorticulture (Small Fruit)
Nannette HuberPh.D. (– –)Joan WuBiological Systems Engineering (LAWREE)
Erin MackeyM.S. (2019)Joe HarrisonAnimal Science
Lane MaguireM.S. (2022)Jenifer McIntyreSchool of the Environment
Anish MahatM.S. (2022)Joan Wu & Anand JayakaranBiological Systems Engineering; Low Impact Development
Jasmine PratM.S. (2018)Jenifer McIntyreStormwater Research
Henry SintimPh.D. (2018)Markus FlurySoil Science
Nathan StaceyPh.D. (2017)Joan DavenportSoil Science
Alex TaylorM.S. (– –)John StarkBiological Systems Engineering
Daniel UllomM.S. (2023)Anand Jayakaran / Joan WuBiological Systems Engineering
Yingxue YuPh.D. (2022)Markus FlurySoil Science