
Principal Investigator

Joe Sagues, PhD
Assistant Professor
Biological & Agricultural Engineering
North Carolina State University
Education & Academic R&D Experience:
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PhD, Forest Biomaterials
North Carolina State University
2018 - 2020
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MS, Chemical Engineering
University of Florida
2015 - 2017
-
MS, Agricultural & Biological Engineering
University of Florida
2015 - 2017
-
BS, Agricultural & Biological Engineering
University of Florida
2009 - 2012
​
Non-Academic R&D Experience:
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Research Fellow (SCGSR)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
US Department of Energy
2020
-
Summer Scholar
Green Chemistry Institute
American Chemical Society
2019
-
Technology-to-Market Scholar
Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy
Department of Energy
2018
-
Senior Bioprocess Engineer
Stan Mayfield Biorefinery
University of Florida & Georgia Pacific LLC
2012 - 2015
YouTube video of the biorefinery
​
International Collaborators
Nicolas Clauser, PhD
Visiting Scholar & Research Associate
Biological & Agricultural Engineering
North Carolina State University
Researcher, IMAM (Instituto de Materiales de Misiones)
Education:
PhD Applied Science, 2019
Universidad Nacional de Misiones, Argentina
Postdoctoral Researchers
Yaojing Qiu, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
Biological & Agricultural Engineering
North Carolina State University
Education:
PhD Biological Systems Engineering, 2022
Washington State University


Md Sumon Reza, PhD
​Postdoctoral Researcher
Biological & Agricultural Engineering
North Carolina State University
​
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, 2022 - 2023
Research Institute of New Chemical Technologies
Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Astana, Kazakhstan
Faculty Member, 2022
Department of Civil Engineering
East West University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
​
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), 2021
Chemical Engineering
Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Brunei
Shammya Afroze, PhD
​Postdoctoral Researcher
Biological & Agricultural Engineering
North Carolina State University
​
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, 2022 - 2023
Research Institute of New Chemical Technologies
Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Astana, Kazakhstan
​
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), 2021
Chemical Engineering
Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Brunei
Graduate Students
Vanessa Rondon Berrio
PhD Student & Graduate Research Assistant
Biological & Agricultural Engineering
North Carolina State University
Education:
MS Biotechnology, 2020
Universidad Autonoma de Madrid
BS Biological Engineering, 2010
Universidad Nacional de Colombia​
Julia Cunniffe
PhD Student & Graduate Research Assistant
Biological & Agricultural Engineering
North Carolina State University
Education:
BS Biological Systems Engineering, 2019
University of California, Davis​
Ethan Woods
PhD Student & Graduate Research Assistant
Biological & Agricultural Engineering
North Carolina State University
Education:
BS Biosystems Engineering, 2021
Auburn University​
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Lillian Lower
PhD Student & Graduate Research Assistant
Biological & Agricultural Engineering
North Carolina State University
Education:
MS Biological and Agricultural Engineering, 2023
North Carolina State University
BS Civil Engineering, 2020
Gonzaga University​
Tanvir Islam
MS Student & Graduate Research Assistant
Biological & Agricultural Engineering
North Carolina State University
Education:
MS in Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, 2024
University of Dhaka.
BS in Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, 2022
University of Dhaka.
Undergraduate Students
Perry Berlin
Undergraduate Research Assistant
2023 GCSP Summer REU Awardee
NAE Grand Challenges Scholar
3rd Year Student, Biological Engineering
North Carolina State University
Chloe Lum
Undergraduate Research Assistant
4th Year Student, Biological Engineering
North Carolina State University
Lab Alumni

Nate Garland, PhD
​Postdoctoral Researcher, 2024
Biological & Agricultural Engineering
North Carolina State University
​​
​Postdoctoral Researcher, 2021 - 2024
Electrical Engineering
North Carolina State University
​
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), 2021
Mechanical Engineering
Iowa State University
Current position: Electrochemical Engineer, Biowear
June Khongpatimakorn
MS Student and Graduate Research Assistant, 2021 - 2023
Biological and Agricultural Engineering
North Carolina State University
Education:
BS Biological Engineering, 2022
North Carolina State University
Current position: BioMed Operations Manager, LCI
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Current position: New Product Launch Engineer, BASF
Ruochen Wu, PhD
Co-advised by Dr. Fanxing Li
Postdoctoral Researcher, 2021 - 2023
Biological & Agricultural Engineering
Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
North Carolina State University
Education:
PhD Chemical Engineering, 2017
Brigham Young University
BS Chemical Engineering, 2012
Tianjin University
BS Chemistry, 2012
Nankai University

Current position: Nuclear Engineer I, Duke Energy
Trevor Vook
MS Student & Graduate Research Assistant
Biological & Agricultural Engineering
North Carolina State University
Education:
MS Biological and Agricultural Engineering, 2022
North Carolina State University
BS Mechanical Engineering, 2020
North Carolina State University

Luke Szoch
Undergraduate Research Assistant
2021 REEP Scholar
4th Year Student, Biological Engineering
North Carolina State University
Current position: MS student, Crop & Soil Science, NCSU

Delani McKee
Undergraduate Research Assistant
North Carolina State University
Education:
BS Biological Engineering, 2022
North Carolina State University
Current position: Environmental Engineer, AECOM

Julianne Mahley
Undergraduate Research Assistant
North Carolina State University
Education:
BS Chemical Engineering, 2022
North Carolina State University
Current position: Environmental Health and Safety Leadership Associate, Parker Hannifin

Shomari Presswood
Undergraduate Research Assistant
North Carolina State University
Education:
BS Biological Engineering, 2023
North Carolina State University
Current position: Ecological Engineering Intern, Kris Bass Engineering

Paige Seibert
Undergraduate Research Assistant
2021 OUR Summer Research Awardee
2020 Park Scholar
4th Year Student, Biological Engineering
North Carolina State University
Current position: MS Student in BAE, NCSU